The High-Functioning Depressive: How Batman Copes With His Mental Health

Tragedy is a common theme in the life of a superhero. A traumatic event provided the motivation to become a crimefighter and Batman is the ideal character for representing the struggle. Everyone knows the story of Bruce Wayne and the promise of a lonely boy who lost his parents in Crime Alley. Bruce turned his grief into a reason to fight. It gave him a singular goal: to wipe out crime in Gotham City.

Batman’s bravery and intelligence makes him one of the most capable superheroes in the world. For all his talents, Bruce is a man who suffers with depression. He’s displayed all the signs of a high-functioning depressive, someone who can live a fulfilling life, but still be trapped in a cycle of despair. Batman provides an interesting take on the nature of depression, so I’m looking into how the Dark Knight copes with his mental health.

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Sympathy For The Daredevil: Matt Murdock And His War With Depression

Superheroes regularly face overwhelming odds to save the world. Sometimes, the greatest battles are fought within, and Daredevil is no stranger to dealing with personal issues. Matt Murdock has one of the most turbulent lives of any hero. From his earliest days, tragedy dogged The Man Without Fear. Over the years, Daredevil has faced a variety of enemies, but his greatest is surely depression.

Matt’s struggle with depression is a major part of the character. His mental health battles have featured in a lot of iconic stories, like Born Again and The Elektra Saga. Given everything he’s experienced, it’s little wonder Daredevil has suffered with depression. His journey makes him relatable, so I’m taking a look at how Matt has learned to handle his depression.