Photos of Depression?

We previously wrote an article that featured “12 Breathtaking Photos Show What It’s Really Like To Have General Anxiety Disorder.”  Now, we recently found an interesting article about whether Instagram photos can offer clues about depression.  According to the article:

Christian Hopkins Depression Photo Series. Retrieved 23 Aug 2017 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com

People who were experiencing depression were more likely to:

• Post bluer, darker, and grayer photos
• Post more frequently
• Have more comments on their Instagram posts
• Have fewer likes on their Instagram posts
• Post photos with human faces
• Show less of their face, when including a photo with their face.
• Not use Instagram filters to adjust the photo’s brightness and coloring.
• Use the Inkwell filter (which would make the photo black and white) when they did use filters.
• Not use Valencia, filter that lightens the tint of the photo

However, the reason we like this article the best is it warns about drawing conclusions too early.  The article points out that this study, while interesting, requires more research with more people before making any definitive claims.  It also talks about the danger of stereotyping, stigma and the fact that you cannot diagnosis any mental health illness from only someone’s Instagram photos. Lastly, the author writes about the lack of diagnosis and treatment surrounding depression.  To read more from the article, visit Forbes.com: Instagram May Offer Clues About Depression But Don’t Read Too Much Into It

Also, check out photographer Christian Hopkins’s photos about depression.

Do you have any questions or comments about the subject of today’s blog post?  What did you think of Christian Hopkin’s photos?  What does depression look like to you We’d love to hear from you!