5 ms·

Depression Part Two (2013)

113 points by Elof 8y ago

Elof 8y ago
I go back to this post when I’m feeling my worst. It’s salient and relateable and has probably saved my life
JonasJSchreiber 8y ago
This is really beautiful and expressive.
xivzgrev 8y ago
I get why the corn was funny, it makes sense to me having depression. She was feeling really down, everything was pointless. She was on the floor at her lowest. Then she saw a very concrete example of something just as pointless / sad. A corn under the fridge is going to be alone, forever (or at least until the fridge is moved). I think it probably felt like relief, she wasn’t alone. Someone understood. That’s what she had been missing throughout the blog post.
- chris_st 8y ago
  That's a great explanation -- I didn't get why it was so funny when I read it originally.
alexashka 8y ago
This was very relatable. In some cultures, becoming disinterested in the world is not seen as something wrong - you end up a monk as one example. It's really, everyone else not knowing what to do with you that causes so many problems. If we viewed it as ok that a few % of the population will want to drop out of playing along and simply do their own thing without harming anyone, we'd be in a much better place.
- m_fayer 8y ago
  Ascetic types may indeed become uninterested in the day to day grind of the world at large, but they are very much seeking some culturally-specific version of exaltation or enlightenment. The utter inability to ever feel anything but detached boredom is something very different, and eventually excruciating.
carelesswhisper 8y ago
Really good read. As someone who can’t really relate but knows someone very close who likely can, if any of you know of any other similar articles I’d love to read some more and have them to share from time to time.
lucasfcosta 8y ago
This is why I love the internet. Thank you so much for posting this here. It made my day.
- metamet 8y ago
  She's very salient and talented. A lot of psychologists have recommended their patients to send this and "Part 1" (http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2011/10/adventures-in-depression.html http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2011/10/adventures-in-...) of hers as a way for those who are not dealing with depression to better understand and relate to those who are.
Pimpus 8y ago
> The beginning of my depression had been nothing but feelings, so the emotional deadening that followed was a welcome relief. I had always wanted to not give a fuck about anything. I viewed feelings as a weakness — annoying obstacles on my quest for total power over myself. And I finally didn't have to feel them anymore. This part rang alarm bells for me. Not going to play armchair psychologist with this guy, but for anyone else who views emotions as "obstacles"/unnecessary and is depressed, that's probably why. You need to learn to regularly express your feelings in a healthy way, even the unpleasant ones.
- fromthestart 8y ago
  >You need to learn to regularly express your feelings in a healthy way, even the unpleasant ones. According to modern psychological studies, which, between p value abuse, replicability crisis, publish or perish, and politics, should be suspect. It wouldn't surprise me if supressing certain emotions, for certain people, in various contexts, might be ideal.
  - sattoshi 8y ago
    Annecdotally, almost anytime I would discuss my feelings, I would feel like an absolute idiot and definitely not better. Stoicism is the only answer I have found. Be aware of, express, but be in control.
    - grzm 8y ago
      Discussing one’s feelings doesn’t necessarily mean giving into them or letting them control your actions.
      - wst_ 8y ago
        Not the OP, but I'd say - it's not about anyone controlling your actions. It's about the way of conveying the message. It's about controlling yourself so you wouldn't just break open and flood other with whatever you might think is genuine and appropriate, but others would probably get as uncontrolled gibberish of madman said with ferocity haven't seen before.
fernly 8y ago
It's sad to be reminded of Allie Brosh who published these wonderful stories and then went silent[1]. It's nice that the stories are out there and people continue to rediscover them. I hope she's alright and having a good life off the internet. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allie_Brosh#Book_and_later_activity_(2009%E2%80%93present) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allie_Brosh#Book_and_later_act...
probably_wrong 8y ago
As a companion piece, I remember finding this other post [1] by a psychologist explaining the (non-biological) causes and stages of depression displayed in this comic. Hyperbole and a Half was one of the funniest things on the internet. I keep hoping the author will come back one day. [1] http://www.thedirtynormal.com/post/2013/05/09/the-science-of-feelings-as-illustrated-by-hyperbole-and-a-half/ http://www.thedirtynormal.com/post/2013/05/09/the-science-of...
- chris_st 8y ago
  It's worth buying her book to read the introduction. It's not on the net, and it's one of the funniest things I've ever read in my life!

113 points by Elof 8y ago

Elof 8y ago

I go back to this post when I’m feeling my worst. It’s salient and relateable and has probably saved my life

JonasJSchreiber 8y ago

This is really beautiful and expressive.

xivzgrev 8y ago

I get why the corn was funny, it makes sense to me having depression. She was feeling really down, everything was pointless. She was on the floor at her lowest. Then she saw a very concrete example of something just as pointless / sad. A corn under the fridge is going to be alone, forever (or at least until the fridge is moved). I think it probably felt like relief, she wasn’t alone. Someone understood. That’s what she had been missing throughout the blog post.

chris_st 8y ago
That's a great explanation -- I didn't get why it was so funny when I read it originally.

alexashka 8y ago

This was very relatable. In some cultures, becoming disinterested in the world is not seen as something wrong - you end up a monk as one example. It's really, everyone else not knowing what to do with you that causes so many problems. If we viewed it as ok that a few % of the population will want to drop out of playing along and simply do their own thing without harming anyone, we'd be in a much better place.

m_fayer 8y ago
Ascetic types may indeed become uninterested in the day to day grind of the world at large, but they are very much seeking some culturally-specific version of exaltation or enlightenment. The utter inability to ever feel anything but detached boredom is something very different, and eventually excruciating.

carelesswhisper 8y ago

Really good read. As someone who can’t really relate but knows someone very close who likely can, if any of you know of any other similar articles I’d love to read some more and have them to share from time to time.

lucasfcosta 8y ago

This is why I love the internet. Thank you so much for posting this here. It made my day.

metamet 8y ago
She's very salient and talented. A lot of psychologists have recommended their patients to send this and "Part 1" (http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2011/10/adventures-in-depression.html http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2011/10/adventures-in-...) of hers as a way for those who are not dealing with depression to better understand and relate to those who are.

Pimpus 8y ago

> The beginning of my depression had been nothing but feelings, so the emotional deadening that followed was a welcome relief. I had always wanted to not give a fuck about anything. I viewed feelings as a weakness — annoying obstacles on my quest for total power over myself. And I finally didn't have to feel them anymore. This part rang alarm bells for me. Not going to play armchair psychologist with this guy, but for anyone else who views emotions as "obstacles"/unnecessary and is depressed, that's probably why. You need to learn to regularly express your feelings in a healthy way, even the unpleasant ones.

fromthestart 8y ago
>You need to learn to regularly express your feelings in a healthy way, even the unpleasant ones. According to modern psychological studies, which, between p value abuse, replicability crisis, publish or perish, and politics, should be suspect. It wouldn't surprise me if supressing certain emotions, for certain people, in various contexts, might be ideal.
- sattoshi 8y ago
  Annecdotally, almost anytime I would discuss my feelings, I would feel like an absolute idiot and definitely not better. Stoicism is the only answer I have found. Be aware of, express, but be in control.
  - grzm 8y ago
    Discussing one’s feelings doesn’t necessarily mean giving into them or letting them control your actions.
    - wst_ 8y ago
      Not the OP, but I'd say - it's not about anyone controlling your actions. It's about the way of conveying the message. It's about controlling yourself so you wouldn't just break open and flood other with whatever you might think is genuine and appropriate, but others would probably get as uncontrolled gibberish of madman said with ferocity haven't seen before.

fernly 8y ago

It's sad to be reminded of Allie Brosh who published these wonderful stories and then went silent[1]. It's nice that the stories are out there and people continue to rediscover them. I hope she's alright and having a good life off the internet. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allie_Brosh#Book_and_later_activity_(2009%E2%80%93present) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allie_Brosh#Book_and_later_act...

probably_wrong 8y ago

As a companion piece, I remember finding this other post [1] by a psychologist explaining the (non-biological) causes and stages of depression displayed in this comic. Hyperbole and a Half was one of the funniest things on the internet. I keep hoping the author will come back one day. [1] http://www.thedirtynormal.com/post/2013/05/09/the-science-of-feelings-as-illustrated-by-hyperbole-and-a-half/ http://www.thedirtynormal.com/post/2013/05/09/the-science-of...

chris_st 8y ago
It's worth buying her book to read the introduction. It's not on the net, and it's one of the funniest things I've ever read in my life!