Thank you for this. Especially the “I had a paper cut once…” SOOO much like when non-depressed people are like “I get really sad sometimes, too, but I don’t let it get to me – so just snap out of it!” They have no idea how little they understand….
Thanks for this 🙂 After about 6 months of meds and therapy I’m more or less through mine but this is exactly the problem, thanks for expressing it so well 🙂
Crossposted (not by me) to the xkcd forums. This resonates with me regarding Asperger Syndrome. No, there’s no medication, no cure, just forever plugging away at understanding a social world created by illogical people.
While i sympathize, if my hand were in that state, and i didn’t take it to a doctor, i’d deserve to have it get gangrenous and fall off. The same applies to an emotional debilitation.
Thanks for the comments everyone! I almost didn’t post this because I could hear the criticism so clearly in my imagination. But I was really surprised and touched by how many people could relate and understood. Thanks so much! I feel like I accomplished what I intended with this one. Now if I can ever just do it again…
Thanks for this comic. I hope it’ll help those who’ve never experienced maybe understand depression a little more. Saying things like “get over it” or “appreciate the positive things around you” only makes the person withdraw into their shell more, wondering why the heck they CAN’T do it, and that because of that, they deserve to be in their current state. A “grieving” or “sad” person is NOT the same thing as someone suffering from (clinical) depression.
Thank you for this comic. As someone who has struggled for over half her 41 years with clinical depression, this resonates with me.
@Megamind & @stevejobs – as someone with diagnosed depression, I wonder how much personal experience either of you have with clinical depression. Your comments do not ring true for me. I have had many paper cuts – yes, they can be painful, but mine have always stopped hurting within a day or two and healed completely in less than a week. My depressions can last days, weeks, months, even with anti-depressant medication, counseling, and lifestyle changes. When I am suicidal, having a tiger unleashed on me sounds like a good thing – a way out of the apathy and suffering, possibly less painful, certainly quicker than more days of struggle.
This. This is wonderful. This is something I have always had the hardest time explaining, that you can’t just will it away. Props and thanks to you, sir.
@SirFox The word I have for you starts with F… How can you say such a thing a) as a human with a heart, and b) while the corporate takeover of the government has them slashing funding for Medicaid & Medicare, especially dental and mental health care. Please realize that there are many, many people who don’t have the same options as you. Your judgmental, privileged ‘holery shames you publicly on the Internet. Good job.
Thank you. A point well made and in a manner suitably grotesque for its subject. I was surprised to read you were concerned about a backlash, but then I am always a little surprised at how personally people take the assertion that another feels a pain they cannot see. Empathy does not extend beyond phenomenology; without this support the ego collapses.
I never post on websites but this rang so true it’s ridiculous. Especially the whole “nut up” part. My friends are always trying tell my that shit and it just makes it worse.
All these commenters need to snap out of it. Stop being so whiney. The commercialization of mental health is what’s depressing, people emulate what they read about and if this is all they read then we’re gonna have more whineos.
Yes, I agree, it’s sad the way depression has been commercialized. However, some people really do have these problems, and they have to deal with assholes like you.
Anon, you’re an idiot, unless that was sarcasm. The entire point is that people DON’T act like that when it’s a physical injury/disease. Well, not as much, anyway. It IS how people act toward people with a mental injury/disease. They wouldn’t ever act that way toward something visible, but since it’s not visible, clearly it’s something you can just get over. Which is crap.
Wow, b must love when his comics get these many comments, even if some of the are offtopic trolls and the sort. At least trolls have an awesome comic to read while they imagine the anguish they have caused the 10 people who have read their comments since. And hopefully b doesn’t have any time to read this post because he is obviously too busy working on the next comic. 😉
Another thank you! This also works well for those of us with Asperger’s/Autism. “Great; now you know how ‘normal’ people are supposed to act/react. Just turn your autism off and be ‘normal.'” -_-
Two of my best friends stopped talking to me when I was going through severe depression in my teens. I was crushed, but at the same time, indignant at their callousness. Thank you for posting this.
Hey, is it possible to get a “school friendly” version of this edited up? I’d love to post this in my classroom for my students (some of whom are diagnosed with depression).
I can’t express how much i relate to this… great job.
That actually puts it all in decent perspective
Yes!
Thank you for this. Especially the “I had a paper cut once…” SOOO much like when non-depressed people are like “I get really sad sometimes, too, but I don’t let it get to me – so just snap out of it!” They have no idea how little they understand….
Haha so true, so true
Bullseye. I bet this will help more people than you’ll ever know…
So true, not just for depression.
Thank you thank you thank you.
Hey,
Just wanted you to know that your cartoon made one of my dark days a lil easier to bear.
Thanks
truth…
Thanks for this 🙂 After about 6 months of meds and therapy I’m more or less through mine but this is exactly the problem, thanks for expressing it so well 🙂
Crossposted (not by me) to the xkcd forums. This resonates with me regarding Asperger Syndrome. No, there’s no medication, no cure, just forever plugging away at understanding a social world created by illogical people.
While i sympathize, if my hand were in that state, and i didn’t take it to a doctor, i’d deserve to have it get gangrenous and fall off. The same applies to an emotional debilitation.
brilliant
Thanks for the comments everyone! I almost didn’t post this because I could hear the criticism so clearly in my imagination. But I was really surprised and touched by how many people could relate and understood. Thanks so much! I feel like I accomplished what I intended with this one. Now if I can ever just do it again…
Most eloquent! Very well done. And it gets the point across that if you haven’t experienced this level of despair, you don’t really KNOW.
Thanks for this comic. I hope it’ll help those who’ve never experienced maybe understand depression a little more. Saying things like “get over it” or “appreciate the positive things around you” only makes the person withdraw into their shell more, wondering why the heck they CAN’T do it, and that because of that, they deserve to be in their current state. A “grieving” or “sad” person is NOT the same thing as someone suffering from (clinical) depression.
Thank you
Thanks, it really helped me with my smashed hand.
My favorite is hey, have some chocolate, doesn’t that make all girls happy? sigh…
I miss the days when comics were funny and didn’t have some kind of lesson behind them.
I’m not trying to troll or anything, I like the comic just fine and it is very true. But come on, how about a joke, even a lame one.
After having a crushed hand I have to say depression is more like a paper cut.
Thank you for this comic. As someone who has struggled for over half her 41 years with clinical depression, this resonates with me.
@Megamind & @stevejobs – as someone with diagnosed depression, I wonder how much personal experience either of you have with clinical depression. Your comments do not ring true for me. I have had many paper cuts – yes, they can be painful, but mine have always stopped hurting within a day or two and healed completely in less than a week. My depressions can last days, weeks, months, even with anti-depressant medication, counseling, and lifestyle changes. When I am suicidal, having a tiger unleashed on me sounds like a good thing – a way out of the apathy and suffering, possibly less painful, certainly quicker than more days of struggle.
This. This is wonderful. This is something I have always had the hardest time explaining, that you can’t just will it away. Props and thanks to you, sir.
@SirFox The word I have for you starts with F… How can you say such a thing a) as a human with a heart, and b) while the corporate takeover of the government has them slashing funding for Medicaid & Medicare, especially dental and mental health care. Please realize that there are many, many people who don’t have the same options as you. Your judgmental, privileged ‘holery shames you publicly on the Internet. Good job.
Thank you. A point well made and in a manner suitably grotesque for its subject. I was surprised to read you were concerned about a backlash, but then I am always a little surprised at how personally people take the assertion that another feels a pain they cannot see. Empathy does not extend beyond phenomenology; without this support the ego collapses.
Can I please have my hand smashed, please? At least I know how to deal with that.
I never post on websites but this rang so true it’s ridiculous. Especially the whole “nut up” part. My friends are always trying tell my that shit and it just makes it worse.
I love this so much.
if I had to choose, I’d take the smashed right hand over giving up my anti-depressants. Especially because I’m left-handed.
Thank you. No, seriously, thank you.
All these commenters need to snap out of it. Stop being so whiney. The commercialization of mental health is what’s depressing, people emulate what they read about and if this is all they read then we’re gonna have more whineos.
To Tom:
Yes, I agree, it’s sad the way depression has been commercialized. However, some people really do have these problems, and they have to deal with assholes like you.
So where was the punchline again? Was this supposed to be funny or what I’m confused.
I feel like this is making fun of depressed people? Since they act like that but don’t actually have a smashed hand…?
Anon, you’re an idiot, unless that was sarcasm. The entire point is that people DON’T act like that when it’s a physical injury/disease. Well, not as much, anyway. It IS how people act toward people with a mental injury/disease. They wouldn’t ever act that way toward something visible, but since it’s not visible, clearly it’s something you can just get over. Which is crap.
Amazingly well put.
Wow, b must love when his comics get these many comments, even if some of the are offtopic trolls and the sort. At least trolls have an awesome comic to read while they imagine the anguish they have caused the 10 people who have read their comments since. And hopefully b doesn’t have any time to read this post because he is obviously too busy working on the next comic. 😉
I love it how in the 8th panel his wrist has been cut off clearly… It’s obviously not an accident but a profesionally done job – yet it did no good.
Yes.
I want to frame this. Actually, I think I will.
I spent the whole day re-searching for this comic so I can have a visualization of how I currently feel. Thanks.
Another thank you! This also works well for those of us with Asperger’s/Autism. “Great; now you know how ‘normal’ people are supposed to act/react. Just turn your autism off and be ‘normal.'” -_-
Two of my best friends stopped talking to me when I was going through severe depression in my teens. I was crushed, but at the same time, indignant at their callousness. Thank you for posting this.
Hey, is it possible to get a “school friendly” version of this edited up? I’d love to post this in my classroom for my students (some of whom are diagnosed with depression).
Cominc panel #7 has explained 99% of all the fights between my wife and I. If she could only understand.. great comic and thanks,