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I'm currently rewriting a novel in which the main character is depressed. They have their friends pass on, most of their life is miserable, and they don’t have anyone to turn to.
My question is, how can I pull off this character without adhering to harmful stereotypes?
You've certainly set yourself a challenging task there.
One thing that it's important to remember - in real life as well as in writing (or maybe 'and therefore in writing') - is that most depressive people will hide or mask their depression in some way when interacting with others. This is not a stereotype as there have been various studies on it (here's one example), and it's important to embrace this concept to allow people to best help and recognise depression in others.
I can't call this a complete answer but I hope it helps.
