Leland, unless you’re using “I’ll kill myself if you ever break up with me”, they surely do not feel that way. That’s what I got the impression this strip was about, was suicide threats as a form of psychological abuse on one’s partner.
Unfortunately, that’s not necessarily the case. Even without the explicit threat/risk of suicide, just the pressure of being constantly “on call” can start wear a person down. I’ve been on that end of it- and I know the guilt it causes, because I need others in the same way… so I know how much he needed me to be there, but I just… couldn’t be. Not as often as he called.
I’m sure someone feels that way about me, although I’ve never, to my recollection, said “I’ll kill myself if..” Just people feeling overwhelmed by my feeling overwhelmed.
too bad some comments seem to have been deleted. I would have love to read both points of view even though I didn’t find anything wrong with picture and generally agree with the author’s explanation…but reading all opinions is always interesting.
This situation is horrible. Sometimes people with depression feel like there is only that one person they can trust, that there’s only one person in the world that can understand or “accept” them, and they tend to build themselves around that person. And this is overwhelming for both parts, because there is the fear of losing that person and the fear of being too much for them to bear, and to the other person there is the fear of hurting your loved one (be them a friend or a partner) and just the responsability is too much. You feel responsable if the person hurts themself and the depressed/suicidal person feel like it will be the end of the world if they lose that person. I was like that once and the person (my girlfriend) left me exactly because I was always too depressed and she couldn’t “save” me. It -felt- like the end of the world for me because there was nobody else for me talk to.
I still feel guilty about making her life so miserable as I did. I hate myself even more for being depressed AND for being this burden to everyone. That’s why I ended all my friendships and decided to be never be in a romantic relationship. I don’t deserve it and I don’t want anyone to think I’m their responsability.
I hope none of my friends feel like that about me.
Keep up the good work Clay.
Leland, unless you’re using “I’ll kill myself if you ever break up with me”, they surely do not feel that way.
That’s what I got the impression this strip was about, was suicide threats as a form of psychological abuse on one’s partner.
Unfortunately, that’s not necessarily the case. Even without the explicit threat/risk of suicide, just the pressure of being constantly “on call” can start wear a person down. I’ve been on that end of it- and I know the guilt it causes, because I need others in the same way… so I know how much he needed me to be there, but I just… couldn’t be. Not as often as he called.
^ Jacob, I agree – if I’m not wrong, it’s the same character from strips 173-174, which deal with the same subject.
I once had a friend who would say very emotionally manipulative things like that to me.
I once had a friend who would say very emotionally manipulative things like that to me.
Jacob and Luca, that’s right. It’s a little more clear on the website where you can follow strips with specific characters.
Jacob and Luca, that’s right. It’s a little more clear on the website where you can follow strips with specific characters.
I’m sure someone feels that way about me, although I’ve never, to my recollection, said “I’ll kill myself if..” Just people feeling overwhelmed by my feeling overwhelmed.
My friends wife does this to him.
too bad some comments seem to have been deleted. I would have love to read both points of view even though I didn’t find anything wrong with picture and generally agree with the author’s explanation…but reading all opinions is always interesting.
This situation is horrible. Sometimes people with depression feel like there is only that one person they can trust, that there’s only one person in the world that can understand or “accept” them, and they tend to build themselves around that person. And this is overwhelming for both parts, because there is the fear of losing that person and the fear of being too much for them to bear, and to the other person there is the fear of hurting your loved one (be them a friend or a partner) and just the responsability is too much. You feel responsable if the person hurts themself and the depressed/suicidal person feel like it will be the end of the world if they lose that person. I was like that once and the person (my girlfriend) left me exactly because I was always too depressed and she couldn’t “save” me. It -felt- like the end of the world for me because there was nobody else for me talk to.
I still feel guilty about making her life so miserable as I did. I hate myself even more for being depressed AND for being this burden to everyone. That’s why I ended all my friendships and decided to be never be in a romantic relationship. I don’t deserve it and I don’t want anyone to think I’m their responsability.
Sometimes this comic helps me. Sometimes it makes me feel much worse.
(It’s a great work anyway)
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