Allie Brosh (Hyperbole and a Half) and depression

[futureapppsy2]

I'm assuming that most of you have read or at least heard of Allie Brosh's two web-comic-y blog entries on severe depression and suicidality (http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2011/10/adventures-in-depression.html and http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2013/05/depression-part-two.html), as they have been extremely popular on facebook and the like. I've heard repeatedly that people who have been through similar things say that they are extremely accurate, but I'd be curious to know what you all think of them--not in a medical advice type of way, of course, but just in general, about how they portray depression. Personally, I found it interesting that her depression pretty much came out of nowhere, instead of in response to a life stressor of some sort, as the former seems markedly less common.

(By the way, the blog in general is pretty awesome, IMO--definitely worth a read).

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[sockit]

Anecdotally, 95% of the people I've known (socially) who say they've been depressed had more or less good reasons (adverse childhoods; difficult contemporary life situations; obviously unhelpful attributional style, with or without some other characteristic/behaviour inhibiting their full participation in life [anxiety; addiction] and leading to withdrawal).

While Allie Brosh is artistically gifted, wicked smart, and far more insightful than the average bear, I'm not certain she's positioned to offer a clear account of how it emerged. Even she may not have noticed, e.g., a long, slow slip into an unhelpful pattern of attributions, which might have settled into a feeling only recognizable, to her, that morning.

But I've known a couple of folks who did seem to just fall into the kind of deep sadness Allie talks about, without a 'more or less good reason'. They haven't been diagnosed (and I am certainly not in a position to do that!), but they also have shown what I think could be described as manic patterns (not at the same time).

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I'm an avid reader of HaaH. I think it is a brilliantly written blog and the comics crack me up. I hope she can find some solace within her life.

 

[cara susanna]

I think these comics are really helpful to A) Help non-depressed people understand the subjective experience of depression and B) Help people with depression understand that other people have had similar experiences.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

Personally, I found it interesting that her depression pretty much came out of nowhere, instead of in response to a life stressor of some sort, as the former seems markedly less common.

stress is a nonspecific word and a lot of environmental and biological processes that are not obvious to an individual may actually be stressful. I subscribe to a theory that depression is always a response to stress on the body/brain in some manner.

 

[ClinPsychEnthus]

I love hyperbole and a half! My favorite comics are about the simple dog, though.

 

[syzergy]

I pre-ordered her book ages ago and just got it yesterday! I love her depression comics because it gave me a better understanding of these feelings of nothingness and how the experience of depression can change over time.

 

[bre333]

I found her fish metaphor to be the best explanation. I laughed so hard at that part--I too have been on the receiving end of advice that is totally useless because it addresses a different problem than the one I have. "Have you tried making them alive again?" was especially salient because it's the same as "you should cheer up!" --like, wow, thanks for the brilliant advice! I didn't think of that, you should write a book about your groundbreaking cure.
also her reference to it being a little like losing the ability to play with your toys as a kid--so many times have I been given the advice (or logically thought) that I should just do things that really make me happy. Which would make sense if the problem wasn't that when you are depressed, things that usually bring you pleasure don't.

 

[Rivi]

Thank you for posting this as I had never seen it before. It is really funny, and I like her metaphors for depression.

 

[Aminex]

creativity-madness wheel keeps on turning. Those who entertain us the most and bring insight through art we could have never achieved otherwise seem to all fight the same fight. I used the antiquated "madness" shorthand on purpose to point out how long the two have been with us.