User submission

727.9K

This Comic Perfectly Explains Why Anxiety & Depression Are So Difficult To Fight

Anxiety and depression are two mental health disorders that many of us simply don’t understand. Nick Seluk, the artist behind the popular Awkward Yeti webcomic, partnered with Sarah Flanigan, a reader who submitted her story to him, to explain how dealing with these mental illnesses is a daily struggle. Their collaboration ended up with an explanatory and relatable comic that you’ll find below.

Feeling anxious or depressed at one point or another is absolutely normal, but some of us are living with depression every day. It can be difficult for those who don’t suffer from these chronic disorders to understand those who do, so they can sometimes say some fairly insensitive things; “Why don’t you just get over it?” or “What happened? You were so energetic yesterday.”

“As someone who’s experienced and has been around anxiety and depression, it was easy to do these cartoon drawings in a way that complemented the storyteller’s everyday problems,” Seluk told Bored Panda. “Sometimes, those who haven’t experienced the extremes don’t understand what it’s like, almost to the point of resenting it.”

More info: taptastic.com | theawkwardyeti.com | Twitter | Facebook (h/t: aplus)

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-17

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-18

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-19

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-20

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-21

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-22

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-23

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-24

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-25

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-26

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-27

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-33

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-29

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-30

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-31

anxiety-depression-comics-nick-seluk-sarah-flanigan-awkward-yeti-32

Thank you, Nick Seluk, for talking to Bored Panda about your awesome project!

728Kviews

There is a beast with heart of cold stone that dashes like lightning, shreds flesh from bone. // Bewitched by this beast, I fell to my knees. My mouth babbled madness and mumbled soft pleas. // I stared down the ravenous, gnashing dark maw of a cute cuddly kitten with yarn in its paw

Read less »

What do you think ?

POST

jagbag 9 years ago

Anxiety and depression are hard to explain. Illustrations such as these really show these feeling for what they are. Huge weights that drag people down. Thank you for your effort to get people talking about this issue. I too cringe when my husband tells me there is no reason for me to be sad.

88points

TashaHarris 9 years ago

I hear you, mine is very understanding but sometimes I can see his frustration in his body language.I try not to be so sensitive, it's hard.

16points

Load More Replies...

KrissieWilliamson 9 years ago

I completely get that. My husband has never understood and thinks I'm just making excuses for not getting things done like tidying the house and things like that. The fact it has lowered my sex drive hasn't gone down too well either. It's not like we never do it but he makes it worse by telling me I'm frigid and he might as well have sex with someone else. I know he never would and that they are things said out of frustration but he just can't comprehend that comments like these make me even less inclined to have sex with him. He doesn't get my social anxiety too because i can be very loud and outgoing with my friends but put me in front of a stranger that i have no connection too and i close up. I hate being in really crowded spaces and just because i can deal with it some days he thinks I'm making it up the rest of the time

1point

Joe Barber 4 years ago

Swell commentaries.

0points

Rcatheron 9 years ago

It's always a pleasant surprise when they're on vacation. I see beauty and joy all around me. But when they come back, all I see are the overwhelming tasks I'm unable to complete. The more tasks there are, the more paralyzed I become, the more worthless I feel. Meds help, but they're no cure.

43points

R L 6 years ago (edited)

it is when simple tasks feel pointless to do because your dopamine system gets irritated so quickly in this sensory overload society that it feels meaningless afterall. as in, it doesn't feel rewardingso you loose motivation

0points

Load More Replies...

MassielAlberto 9 years ago

The best description. Sometimes, we just don't know what to do. There are good days and bad days, even taking medicine, there will always be bad days. It's relaxing when they take vacation.

23points

TashaHarris 9 years ago

I take meds too , life is so much better on them .Motivation is a struggle for me on or off medication.Hope they are on vacation :)

12points

Load More Replies...

Load More Comments

POST

jagbag 9 years ago

88points

TashaHarris 9 years ago

I hear you, mine is very understanding but sometimes I can see his frustration in his body language.I try not to be so sensitive, it's hard.

16points

Load More Replies...

KrissieWilliamson 9 years ago

1point

Joe Barber 4 years ago

Swell commentaries.

0points

Rcatheron 9 years ago

43points

R L 6 years ago (edited)

0points

Load More Replies...

MassielAlberto 9 years ago

The best description. Sometimes, we just don't know what to do. There are good days and bad days, even taking medicine, there will always be bad days. It's relaxing when they take vacation.

23points