My Depression (The Up and Down and Up of It) is a short animated documentary based on the book My Depression: A Picture Book by writer/director/composer Elizabeth 'Liz' Swados.
The film tells the story of Liz and her struggle since childhood with clinical depression.
My Depression provides examples of:
- Anthropomorphic Personification: Liz's depression is anthropomorphised as a cloud that follows her around.
- Black Bead Eyes: The characters are drawn this way.
- Bland-Name Product:
- At one point Liz watches Cops & Justice: LA-NY
- There's "Giggle", instead of "Google".
- Driven to Suicide: The Grim Reaper rides Liz around in his Suicide Mobile and tries to convince her that suicide is a good option. When she declines, he drives off a cliff.
- The Internet Is for Cats: Liz watches a cute video of "Kitty on Toilet", which has 2 million views.
- Phony Psychic: Liz visits a psychic while trying to cure her depression. The psychic tells her that she'll dance the tango with a panda.
- Weight Woe: Discussed at the start. It's mentioned that many teens have body issues, but as a teen Liz's were worse than the norm.
- Trauma Button: Subverted. While some things do trigger her depression (such as a loved one dying or the seasons changing), sometimes she just randomly gets depressed.
- Villain Song: There's a song where The Grim Reaper tries to convince Liz to kill herself.
