DISCLAIMER:
This piece of work is a written presentation of my own theories and ideas. If you have negative comments in mind, I'd prefer that you keep them to yourself. I apologise if my work offends or causes upset, and if so, I'd like to know how I can improve my work. Please remember that I am only one person, with a rather wild imagination, so some of the things you read may make absolutely no sense, much alike most of my stories.

That being said, please do not claim these ideas as your own. They are mine and I must be credited. Enjoy :).

TRIGGER WARNING: there are mentions of suic*de and depression in this work. if you feel this will disturb you, please do not proceed. 

This is part of a series in which I will post separate parts each consisting of a different branch of mental health that I believe is related to Ash.

This part will discuss the theory that Ash has depression.

First of all, from first glance it may seem unlikely that Ash has depression. He is cheerful, energetic and has a positive outlook on life. But at times we can see snippets of the vulnerable side of Ash, where he is upset and prefers to be alone. He only allows himself to be anything but an optimistic leader when he is isolated, which implies that his attitude is forced in order to please or ensure those around him, and does not reflect his true emotions which are heavily repressed. There is an example of this in XYZ028 'Seeing the Forest for the Trees!', where Ash runs to the woods to think and is angered when Serena tries to reach out to him. 

@Katsumi_RikuUwU contributed to the ideas in the previous paragraph.

Secondly, Ash doesn't care about himself. He takes care of himself hygienically and makes sure to eat and exercise a lot, but I have given other reasons for him to eat and be active in My Theory About Ash's Metabolism. When it comes to dangerous situations such as another Pokemon or person being in danger, or a Pokemon or person with bad intentions, he is quick to sacrifice himself, often to prevent others from being harmed. In My Theory About Ash's Mental Health: ADHD, I outlined another reason which could explain Ash's recklessness, but sometimes he is willing to give up his life in situations where he doesn't necessarily need to. It could be argued that, subconsciously, Ash wants to die, and wants to find a way to do this that will hurt his friends less than if he admittedly attempted to kill himself, so he keeps an eye out for opportunities to die where it will be for a productive cause.

And my last point is that Ash has much reason to be depressed. Everyone has struggles, and we cannot conclude a psychological evaluation solely based on one's experiences, but the idea that Ash is not depressed seems more concerning. He has had countless near-death experiences of which should have been traumatizing, was bullied in his early childhood, grew up without a father, has been degraded and humiliated by multiple rivals (sometimes by intention, and for no good reason) and has had to deal with immense disappointment and pressure, especially when it came to times when the whole world depended on him. Ash is human, and should very well be overwhelmed by what he's been through. However, linking back to my first point, it is possible that due to the fact that he suppresses negative emotions instead of rightfully expressing them, that he is unaware and refuses to acknowledge how severe these experiences were.

I do not mean to claim for certain that anyone with these traits is depressed. I just think that if he took just one quick visit to a therapist, even just for laughs, he would be unpleasantly surprised with the results.

I do not mean to offend anyone with this work and I apologize if I have, please let me know how I can make my work better.

next is PTSD...

love to know what you guys think about this. and if there are any ideas you think i should include in these discussions, stick it in the comments!

take care of yourselves guys, drink your 6-8 glasses of water a day, eat your three meals a day, do your gorgeous skin, and stay safe. <3

(btw i'm not sure but i think my drawings have improved a lot since i last posted one. should i show you?)