(Even if I strongly believe that she shows signs of depression even in S3 or S2)
Before that I'd say - Nightmares for instance. Even in WTTH, when she backs away from Giles. And then in Becoming, the flashback listening to her parents argue. Oh god, I have been there. You can't grow up listening to that and not be affected. (And that scene is taken from the movie version that came before it, so it's not a retcon or afterthought, it was the backstory all along.)
And of course, the S2 opener WSWB is straight up and up PTSD - for which she never receives treatment other than "have a good cry and get it out of your system, and then get on with it." The only (brief) counseling she receives in the entire series is Beauty and the Beast, after Angel returns from Hell, and that's one session before he's killed. Pile trauma on top of trauma on top of trauma, but no big deal right?
In my headcanon Buffy, Faith and Dawn make sure that there is therapy, counseling, healthcare etc for the new Slayers. Of course they would. But my headcanon ends with Chosen and everything after that is up for grabs.
I love Normal Again on a lot of levels, but it typifies the rather wonky ideas the show seems to have about therapy, about the profession, etc. (Not as obvious as in Veronika Decides to Die, but still enough where I'm left to wonder.)
no subject
Before that I'd say - Nightmares for instance. Even in WTTH, when she backs away from Giles. And then in Becoming, the flashback listening to her parents argue. Oh god, I have been there. You can't grow up listening to that and not be affected. (And that scene is taken from the movie version that came before it, so it's not a retcon or afterthought, it was the backstory all along.)
And of course, the S2 opener WSWB is straight up and up PTSD - for which she never receives treatment other than "have a good cry and get it out of your system, and then get on with it." The only (brief) counseling she receives in the entire series is Beauty and the Beast, after Angel returns from Hell, and that's one session before he's killed. Pile trauma on top of trauma on top of trauma, but no big deal right?
In my headcanon Buffy, Faith and Dawn make sure that there is therapy, counseling, healthcare etc for the new Slayers. Of course they would. But my headcanon ends with Chosen and everything after that is up for grabs.
I love Normal Again on a lot of levels, but it typifies the rather wonky ideas the show seems to have about therapy, about the profession, etc. (Not as obvious as in Veronika Decides to Die, but still enough where I'm left to wonder.)