Though the writer Samuel Johnson was probably the first to introduce the mental anguish of owning a Black Dog, Sir Winston Churchill popularised it. 1 in 4 will encounter the Black Dog over the course of a year, and nobody deserves the disruption it brings. Consequently, it is important that we try to cope with its behavioural problems.
These tips were found by this owner to help her Black Dog on its way to becoming a better behaved mongrel whose growling is less noticeable.
1 — see your Black Dog for what it is
This is a difficult but essential step. Owners often feel responsible for the fact that the Black Dog slipped in through their door, but this is untrue. They are just rather sneaky. Black Dogs choose people randomly, without discrimination — they are much less bothered by career, wealth, genetics and personal relationships than people are (though these can play a part in making a Black Dog bigger). Sometimes they slip away again, but owners should not feel at fault if the Dog happens to stay for many years.
At some point an owner will realise that, much unlike a normal dog, a Black Dog is not really a good thing to have around. Its bad habits include sitting on your chest so that getting out of bed becomes more difficult, jumping up a lot so it is hard to truly see your loved ones , and getting too big to handle safely. (The owner may begin to think that the only way to get rid of the Dog is to get rid of themselves too — a potentially fatal myth.)
It is not just the owners who are at risk of mixing up the Black Dog and themselves: society also gets confused. Social Stigma can delay the process of getting help, causing the Dog to get even bigger. Thankfully, there are campaigns under way fighting this. Whether you are acquainted with a Black Dog or not, please realise that a person and a Dog are two very different things.
Hopefully an owner will decide they do not want the Black Dog to stay as it is, and build up the energy to combat it with methods discussed in Tip 2.
2 — decrease the size and ferocity of your Black Dog
There are a number of ways in which an owner can encourage their Black Dog to be a smaller part of their life. Exercise can tire the Dog out. A good run in the park; a game of frisbee; a cycle along the river can leave it curled up on the rug, noticeable but quiet.
Taking your Black Dog to a trained professional and talking about it may help it shrink and become more well behaved. These professionals utilise their own tools to help you. These often include activities to challenge the Dog (such as CBT) and materials to help quieten it (such as antidepressants). Again, try not to let social stigma get in the way of seeking help. It can be life-saving.
Don’t confuse your Black Dog with a normal dog and try to teach it recall. Leaving it to wander off will probably be beneficial. You may find, in time, that it clears off back to wherever it came from. (Your office desk drawer? Behind the sofa? Who knows.)
When taking your Black Dog to hand, it is important not to be too rough, or it may respond with aggression of its own. This leads us to Tip 3.
3 — treat your Black Dog firmly but gently
Fighting with your Black Dog 24/7 will leave you tired and hurt. Owners can find it beneficial to indulge it occasionally, in order to conserve their own energy. If the Black Dog is nicely begging for you to have a very long bath, or to eat 9 chocolate chip cookies, or to hide under the duvet and write a blog post about a depression metaphor: there is no reason not to do so.
The peace these exercises bring may allow the Black Dog to have a wander off for a little while; a welcome reprieve for battle-scarred owners. Just be aware that indulging the Dog regularly will make it feel self-important and able to demand treats all the time (this is not the desired effect).
I hope these tips teach owners and non-owners a little more about the Dog’s wily ways, and give ideas of what to do if you find yourself (or another) to have unintentionally adopted a Black Dog, whether it be named Depression or Anxiety or OCD or PTSD or any number of things.
@BeccaLaBee is spending her time on university medical interruption writing, volunteering, exploring places and seeking help for her own Black Dog (as well as lavishing love on any normal dog she meets). Thanks go to her therapist, Steven, whose poetic way of speaking inspired this blog post some weeks ago, and Kevin, the best proof reader anyone could ask for!
