As part of the “Depridisco” project, Eva wrote and illustrated a book sharing her personal experiences with depression.
One in five people experiences depression at some point in their life
Our partner Eva has been living with depression since the age of 13 and continues to face recurring phases of the illness. However, she is far from alone — around 5.3 million adults in Germany experience depressive disorders each year.
When Eva went through another depressive episode, her psychiatrist recommended joining a psychoeducation group. There, she learned essential information about an illness that can’t be seen on an X-ray or detected in blood tests. This helped her gain a healthy distance from her depression and stop blaming herself, as she had often believed she was simply lazy.
The psychoeducation group helped Eva understand that depression is a treatable illness, and that symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and lack of motivation are part of the condition. Since Eva has always enjoyed writing things down, she took detailed notes during the sessions. Later, she shared these insights — along with entries from her therapy journal — on Instagram under the name @depridisco. Her belief: everyone should have access to this kind of knowledge.
Eventually, a publishing house approached Eva — and that is how the idea for the book “Die Gedanken sind Blei” was born.
More than clichés
Through hand lettering and illustration, Eva found a way to express what is happening inside her — and likely inside many others affected by depression. Each double-page spread in the book features a short text on one side and a matching hand-lettered quote or illustration on the other.
The texts are intentionally kept short, making them easy to read even during depressive episodes. The book doesn’t have to be read from start to finish — instead, it offers a mix of Eva’s personal experiences and small informational pieces from her therapy journey. In this book, Eva shares deeply personal and emotional thoughts and feelings about depression, aiming to provide empathetic support for those affected.
At the end of the book, readers will find important information provided by the German Depression Foundation and Suicide Prevention. It addresses topics such as recognizing depression, understanding possible causes, and learning how family members and friends can offer support.
Additional resources and contact points are included to help both those affected and their loved ones seek support.
» Warning: heavy stuff inside. «
Read the
with Eva at Sensor Wiesbaden:
our
Eva — author, illustrator, and designer.
Das sagen unsere
Das beeindruckende Engagement des Teams, seine kreativen Ideen und nicht zuletzt die flexiblen Einsätze der verschiedenen Expert*innen haben zum Erfolg unserer Dream Academy maßgeblich beigetragen. Was die Creators auszeichnet? Herzblut!
hello@whywedo.com
+49 611 16862110
Bismarckring 3
65183 Wiesbaden
Germany
You can unsubscribe at any time. Your data is safe with us (more about content, privavy protection, etc.).
