225

Voiceover
Posted on March 22, 2019 by David M Willis

225 thoughts on “Voiceover”

  1. ValdVin

    Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

    1. Doctor_Who

      Unedited Footage of a Ruth.

      1. Noa

        This Age Has Dumbing In It

        1. Djenk

          Wham(City) Bam, Thank you Ma’am!

      2. H3xx

        Shhhh Just accept a little wonder in you life.

    2. Phil

      wh…what are you doing..at the top comment spot? We’re Ana?

      Change scares me D:

      1. Marsh Maryrose

        Either Ana has been posting manually all this time, in which case ultra-mad props, or mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

        1. Booyahman

          I believe they once said they are just always up at this time, and therefore visit to get first post. That could’ve been a different person though. Not sure.

      2. Clif

        As well it should. From here it’s all downhill.

      3. Spocky McSpockface

        We’re all Ana on this blessed day.

    3. Felix

      But, but the foreshadowing of the alt text!

      1. Clif

        Nah, Willis is just winding us up.

    4. C.T Phipps

      My hope is her next action is to find someone weak and powerless so she can abuse them while feeling true rapturous joy!

      *Sweet Caroline plays as she beats someone to death*

      1. Khno

        I’d rather have it being The maiden and the death, while the now weak and powerless someone being a former Pinochet executioner

        1. Ethics Gradient

          Der Tod und das Mädchen gently, gently in the background.

    5. Austin Coté Williams

      I recognize this reference!

  2. Doctor_Who

    Luckily she then watches a maple leaf drift by and land in the sewer, which brings her back to reality.

    1. Clif

      Maybe, but those are clearly some good drugs there.

      1. Geneseepaws

        The drugs are Much bettr than in the 50s and 60s. These work reasonably well.

    2. MatthewTheLucky

      Honestly, it is worrying that she can think of Leaves at all and not feel deep shame.

      1. Clif

        Ooof! You win the Internet, at least for a couple of minutes.

      2. Rabid Rabbit

        She’s an English major. She knows there’s a difference between leaves and Leafs.

  3. AnvilPro

    We have officially entered the countdown until all of Dumbing of Age is Ruth killing spiders

    1. Marsh Maryrose

      Everything ends with the heat death of the universe. Until then, why not spend your time killing online spiders? Eat Arby’s.

      1. Clif

        Does Arby’s serve online spiders?

        1. Opus the Poet

          Deep fried, covered in a delicious beer batter and cheese sauce on a kaiser roll. 🙂

  4. Ana Chronistic

    “where are my royalties”

    (I’m currently the Lipitor bellyflop guy but actually twice that, ouch)

  5. Laladoria

    This is absolutely adorable.

  6. Cattleprod

    Side effects: loss of femurs (not your own).

    1. C.T Phipps

      We can only hope.

  7. BBCC

    Willis that medication name is evil and darkly hilarious.

    1. Regalli

      For me it’s the ‘do not operate heavy machinery’ line. Amazing but also terrible.

      1. BBCC

        I didn’t even get past the name.

        1. Kern Wallace

          “Truck impaction” is where I lost it.

    2. Marsh Maryrose

      On the other hand, Willis has somehow managed to come up with a name that, for a brief moment, has only one hit on Google. Within a couple of hours, this will change. By tomorrow morning, Integrivact will have twitter/instagram/youtube/reddit handles as well as a dot-com domain. (Not by my doing. But bots work 24/7.)

      1. Clif

        I’ll have my lawyer start the trademark application in the morning. Or at least I would if I could afford a lawyer.

    3. Dark

      I don’t get it.

      1. Clif

        Act with Integrity.

        1. mrnoidea

          *Finally realizes how obvious the Roomies! reference was*

          FFFFUUUUUUUUUU——-

        2. Dark

          Oooh, right. I get it now.

      2. Marsh Maryrose

        Content Warning: In the Walkyverse, Ruth dies early on. (IMPORTANT: It’s a different universe. Lots of characters who died in the Walkyverse are and will always be alive in the Dumbingverse. Willis has promised that main characters will not die in the DoA.)

        Walkyverse Ruth’s final arc begins here. (She didn’t even make it to the birth of SEMME.)

  8. Stephen Bierce

    Intrgrevact, now in hard to swallow caplets.

    1. Stephen Bierce

      And my favorite musical pun for this situation:
      Only When You Leaf–I need to love you…

      1. ValdVin

        Ah, one of my favorites from Spandau Ballet. Deft avoidance of using True

        With a thrill in my head and a pill on my tongue
        Dissolve the nerves that have just begun

      2. Marsh Maryrose

        Shades of The Producers: “I leaf you, I leaf you, I leaf you. Now leaf me alone.”

    2. Deathjavu

      Integrivact, now available in truck-shaped gummies.

      1. Cholma

        When you absolutely, positively, need to “Dan it up”.

    3. Slartibeast Button, BIA

      Tracheal meerkat colonies have been reported in rare cases.

      1. Marsh Maryrose

        I’ve “collected” found phrases most of my adult life. “Tracheal meekart colonies” is in a class of its own.

        1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

          Not original to me, I should note. Might have gotten it from TVTropes.

    4. Keulen

      Good news, everyone! It’s a suppository!

      1. Roborat

        And a dessert topping!

  9. ReFlex76

    “Side Effects include Lens Flares.”

  10. drs

    My niece has been depressed, and got lucky with her first SSRIs. It really has made a huge difference in her personality, kind of like this strip. From calm back to silly and whimsical.

  11. LS

    That alt text callback is so old I think Willis is gonna get hit with long distance charges.

  12. MatthewTheLucky

    Sudden death may occur in some patients. Contact your doctor if any of these side effects occur.

    1. C.T Phipps

      “This night terror medication may bring such side effects as impotence, rage, sleeplessness, kidney failure, night terrors, and transformation into a supervillain.”

  13. Marsh Maryrose

    [Sung to the tune of “Singing in the Rain”]

    “I’m kicking all the leaves,
    Just kicking all the leaves,
    What a glorious feeling,
    I’m happy again.”

    1. Emperor Norton II

      Oh no, those side effects
      Are making me a mess
      I’m clearly not ready for this

  14. Emperor Norton II

    So… alt-text is referencing Ruth’s death in Roomies now?

    1. King Daniel

      The hovertext has done so before; when Billie first worriedly broke into Ruth’s room way back when for example, it said something along the lines of “Ruth would be fine unless there was a truck in there”, for instance.

      1. C.T Phipps

        Her sacrifice to save Danny there now reads very much like a suicide.

  15. William Leonard Reese Jr.

    . . . Ruth looks so gleefully and innocently happy in that third panel.

  16. MatthewTheLucky

    @Alt-text of the list of things that are ok, this is not ok.

  17. motorfirebox

    “What the—HAPPINESS!?” *hisssss*

  18. motorfirebox

    @alt-text DID YOU JUST

    1. RacingTurtle

      HE FUCKING DID

  19. Bathymetheus

    “truck impaction”? Is that the sensation of being hit by a truck (i.e. without actually being hit by a truck?).

    If it’s the real thing (due, perhaps, to chasing leaves without paying attention to one’s whereabouts) I imagine that one would soon find oneself in the presence of a doctor (possibly a coroner) PDQ without further effort.

    1. MatthewTheLucky

      It’s a reference to OG Ruth’s death.

      1. Bathymetheus

        Yeah, by the time I got that posted, there were comments to that effect.

        So, just DYW being mordant. Nothing to see here. Moving on . . .

        1. Clif

          No, just darkly humorous. Believe me, you don’t want to see mordant.

        2. Geneseepaws

          I thought Mordant was where Mt. Doom was?

        3. Roborat

          I thought it was one of those made up names for a colour.

    2. Opus the Poet

      Actually getting hit with a truck sucks, numerous large animal species kind of sucks, I’ve done it 3 times now. But you should see what I did to the trucks! I broke the frame of the first one, jammed the radiator of the second one all the way around the engine, and crushed the roof of the third flat over the passenger side half of the cab. I walked away from the first two with scrapes and torn clothes, but I got scraped off the pavement after the third. I really wish they had cell phone video back then because the reaction when I told them to be careful of my broken leg was priceless, the dead guy telling the people getting ready to slide him into a body bag that the upper end of the femur was broken and they should be more careful.

  20. Regalli

    Those lst two pnels are both lovely and darkly hilarious.

    So uh, can I still be in the side effect voiceover montage if it’s raining outside, or do I have to wait for better weather?

    1. Clif

      The truth is that internal voiceover montages can be performed at any point. Who’s going to stop you?

  21. Wendy

    Don’t forget the side effects “stroke, heart attack, dementia, suicide, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, vehicular cancer, rabies symptoms, smallpox, hepatitis F, head lice, Montezuma’s Revenge,”

  22. Kyrik Michalowski

    You know, I’m hoping my new medication works as well as Ruth’s does. Hopefully without the feeling like I’m in a commercial though.

  23. Meagan

    As someone who has taken depression/anxiety medication, I find it hard to relate to this. I never felt anything like this on meds. When they didn’t work/backfired is too much to go into here. When they did work, it was much more subtle and not really about appreciating beauty or feeling happier more so much as being able to function slightly better. I also think it was mostly placebo effect.

    Everyone I can think of who has taken meds has told me similar things, that they aren’t really ‘happy meds,’ it doesn’t work that way.

    I’m curious if anyone else would like to share what their experience was like with psych meds. Anyone have an experience like Ruth of straight up suddenly crying..make that bawling.. in the shower or randomly enjoying the beauty of leaves more? I know this is personal, but we do get into some pretty personal topics in this comment section, so I figure some people might to want to share.

    1. Kyrik Michalowski

      I’ve gone through 3 medication changes and haven’t had anything like that so far. I just started a new one so I’m hoping it will make a big difference but I’m not expecting anything. Hope for the best, expect the worst and you’ll never be disappointed.

    2. CrazyJ

      Meagan, you should read Hyperbole and a Half’s “Adventure in depression part 1 & 2”. According to Allie, her emotions came back to her one at time in overwhelming waves.

    3. Regalli

      The sudden overwhelming return of emotions I relate to way more, stuff like this generally only happens kind of randomly after I’ve been on a good set for a while and the timing’s right. One of the things I notice first when a med change takes effect is my irritability drops back to normal after spiking during an episode.

      That said, when I started transcranial magnetic stimulation and Abilify roughly simultaneously? Yeah things perked up about like that, about that fast.

    4. Slartibeast Button, BIA

      Prozac worked for six weeks for me. Felt weird because I’d be sitting there trying to wallow in self-pity and my mind just *wouldn’t go* that way. But it never made me anything like happy just, not as unhappy.

      After Prozac stopped working I went on Wellbutrin, which has worked very well for me. It doesn’t make me happy, but my the amplitudes of my down times are greatly reduced. Instead of intensely wanting to die for hours every day, I just idly daydream that being dead would be nice for a few minutes.

      That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if some people are like this. Brains seem to vary enormously, and responses to medication even more so.

      Plus the whole problem of calibrating emotions. Wish the ISO would get on that.

      1. StClair

        The problem with trying to calibrate emotions, in many cases, is that you’re trying to use the same equipment to measure itself.

        1. Geneseepaws

          Add in that the first observed readings were made under one set of emotions and the subsequent readings with different settings and moods, messes the whole “I Remeber this was good that was bad” thing way outta skew.

    5. Amyra

      Before seeking treatment for my anxiety and depression, I would get very easily overwhelmed or “paralyzed” when facing a stressful situation. When I found medications that worked, one day I realized that I was able to get over those humps and little daily challenges with little to no effort, instead of being drained by them. It was obvious that things had improved, but only when I took a step back to look at how I was doing. But when I’m focusing on the present, it just feels normal and right.

    6. Izzy

      Meagan, that was totally how it worked for me though. Maybe I’m a rare unicorn, but when I started taking meds I just remember waking up one day and feeling happy again. It was crazy and almost startling to me. I had to literally ask myself why I was happy and when I couldn’t think of a reason I realized this is just what normal people must feel like. I hadn’t been happy in so long that I didn’t recognize the natural emotion. I was so used to getting drunk in order to FEEL “happiness” or other things that only caused short bursts of fake happiness. The medicine had leveled out my brain chemicals so that I could just feel happy and not have a dumb reason like alcohol. It was surreal. It was very much like this comic is depicting. For me, anyway. I’m sorry for anyone who is still trying to find the meds that work for them and I’m sorry for anyone who doesn’t feel natural normal levels of regular day to day enjoyment. I will have y’all in my prayers that things will start looking brighter for you one day. <3

    7. ruhrow

      I’ve definitely had this sort of reaction. It was gradual, but there was at least a few solid weeks where I would just stop a few times each day and realize, in awe, that…this feeling that I didn’t recognize that I hadn’t felt in over 15yrs is *happiness* and instead of “ugh, it would be easier if I could just die” popping into my head at random intervals throughout the day, the thought “wow, I’m really happy right now” just popped into my head instead!

      Of course, that seems to have worn off, now, but it’s not clear where I’m headed from here.

  24. CrazyJ

    We’ve also got depressed person touching the wall. Why is she touching the wall? I don’t know, that’s what depressed people do, right? Don’t judge the b-roll!

    1. Delicious Taffy

      We touch wall to check for secret passages. Those might hold the warlock blocking our happiness chemicals, and then we can kill him.

  25. MatsuoTanuki

    “Side effects may include: nausea, vomiting, water weight gain, lower back pain, receding hairline, eczema, seborrhea, psoriasis, itchy chafing clothing, liver spots, blood clots, ringworm, excessive body odor, uneven tire wear, pyorrhea, gonorrhea, diarrhea, halitosis, scoliosis, loss of bladder control, hammertoes, the shanks, low sperm count, warped floors, cluttered drawers, hunchback, heart attack, low resale value on your home, feline leukemia, athlete’s foot, head lice, club foot, MS, MD, VD, fleas, anxiety, sleeplessness, drowsiness, poor gas mileage, tooth decay, split ends, parvo, warts, unibrow, lazy eye, fruit flies, chest pains, clogged drains, hemorrhoids, dry heaving, and sexual dysfunction.”

    1. MatthewTheLucky

      Obtuse, rubber goose, green moose, guava juice.

      1. Delicious Taffy

        She was saying “obtuse” this entire time? I have trouble understanding lyrics sometimes, even if I’ve heard them repeatedly for years, so it just always sounded like “hlobtlutes” or some other gibberish.

      2. MatsuoTanuki

        And a partridge in a pear treeeee~

    2. Needfuldoer

      Agitation, palpitations, excessive salivation, constipation, male lactation, rust colored urination, hallucinations, bad vibrations, mild electric shock sensations, depravation, humiliation, debtor’s prison and deportation, dark depictions, dire predictions, life as seen in Dickens fiction, empty pockets, court dockets, may cause eyes to pop from sockets.

      1. Chris Phoenix

        I’m trying to figure out what song this could be a parody of. We Didn’t Start the Fire?

        1. Neeks

          I think it’s less a specific parody than a lampoon of a phenomenon.

    3. mrnoidea

      I lost it at “fleas.”

    4. Geneseepaws

      Like Izzy and Ruhroh, i had a sudden change. One at two weeks after starting, where life just wasn’t grim enough to cash the chips in (ie. Too much trouble to do today).
      And again at five weeks where suicide was a thought I could make myself have, but not a thought that would show up without an invitation.
      There was this thing, strange thing, old familiar thing, it was .. Was what? Oh, it’s Joy. Simple joy, like from watching leaves fall, or seeing a kid with a puppy, something that made you smile without thinking or forcing. I smiled from inside my heart –instead of moulding one with the hands and placing it on my face.
      They said I migt not ever be off them, but they are affordable and work without any important side effects (important for guys– I have no info about effects on women’s libido).

      1. Inahc

        I’ve been feeling that way from the sunshine lately 🙂 it’s such a relief – I was worried that after having migraine medication that was an antidepressant, I might still need the antidepressant part, but, well, I feel okay for now. Still scared of jinxing it though. :p Like Ruth, I don’t quite trust happy.

  26. Jack

    damnitwillis

  27. Mr. Random

    Yeah… Emotions be like that when they hit you like a brick.

    1. Daisy

      Or like a truck

  28. newllend(henryvolt)

    She didn’t notice but for last 4 minutes “Break away” by Kelly Clarkson was playing in the background.

  29. Qube

    it’s too late Ruth went :3 and we all saw it

  30. chilixocolatl

    Hoping for this to be me in a few weeks; just started a new medication. Fingers crossed! 😮

    1. Delicious Taffy

      Crossing your fingers only works if you do it with the index finger underneath the middle finger. In case anyone needed to know.

      1. Aletheia

        Is… is there any other way to do that, or are my fingers just weird and won’t work any other way?

  31. Delicious Taffy

    Looks like Taffy’s got a shiny new grav.

  32. DailyBrad

    I hope she can savor a little bit of frolicking.

  33. pdp15

    3 part harmony now …

    Is It Peace Or Is It Prozac – Cheryl Wheeler

    I’m psychiatric now
    It just happened
    I don’t know how
    Life was moving right along
    At a reasonable clip
    When bang zoom
    Lost my grip
    And I’m psychiatric now

    Oh I might smile thinking things are really swell
    Or I might cry – trouble is you just can’t tell
    Cause I’m psychiatric now

    So when I’d had enough of this
    I went to a psychiatrist
    I said I’m acting crazily
    I think my mind is gone from me
    He looked at me said I agree
    You think you’re nuts and seem to be
    So he prescribed some pills for me
    And I went to the pharmacy
    I took them and I seemed to be just … fine
    There’s just one little question on my mind.

    Is it peace or is it Prozac
    I don’t care
    No need to know that
    When the moon is full and the world’s too close
    I just keep my smile and I up my dose

    Is it peace or is it Prozac
    Is this mellow, am I a maniac
    Is my mind out there and can I get it back
    Is it peace I feel or is it Prozac

    1. Aaron

      I’d never heard of Cheryl Wheeler before.

      Thank you very very much for posting this.

  34. Rikunda

    After the last few panels with her… I appreciate my antidepressants not working as much. Having to feel all those emotions from my issues… Fuck no. Thank you numbness of depression!

  35. fire_daws

    Normally I’d be all over the Joy(ce)ness shown in the last few comics but…well, I’m going into hospital in 3 hours to have major eye surgery which I’m absolutely petrified for 🙁

    1. Inahc

      good luck?

    2. Needfuldoer

      Appropriate gesture of support.

      (I always imagine Obi-Wan’s “these are not the droids you are looking for” mind trick hand wave for this, because I think humor helps and it’s funny.)

  36. Tacos

    Well it seems the meds are actually working. That’s good.

    1. C.T Phipps

      Is it wrong that I’m sad we won’t see abusive angry Ruth again? I kind of liked her torturing those under her power.

      1. Schpoonman

        Yes. Abusive Ruth sucked.

        1. C.T Phipps

          It was the character Billie fell in love with, though! What point exists if not for the putting down of others and collecting of bones!

  37. Reltzik

    “Side effects also include existential dread in light of side effects.”

  38. TrueVCU

    Just enjoy the bloody leaves you depressed hag

    1. mrnoidea

      Yikes.

  39. NickS

    Embrace it, for the side effects are totes so much fluffing better than the depression.

    Usually.

    Sadly I’m on the borderlines of semi-effectiveness for my combo of happy pills, but since they can now detect ketamine in work place drug tests, I’m stuck with night sweats, overheating and cosmic inflation vis the belly. It’s still totally fluffing better than the unfun depths of depression, but I would currently kill for an unbroken night’s sleep and more energy.

    1. CJ

      Workplace drug tests? Is that a thing outside of sports?

      1. Sam

        Yes it is. In some countries, they can do randomised drug or alcohol testing if being under the influence would result in unsafe working (such as in the UK).

        1. mrnoidea

          This goes for the US, even in states where certain drugs are legal. “Yeah, you can use that and not get arrested. Still won’t get this job, though.”

  40. Reltzik

    ….. wait, you mean those background happy-people montages are actually truth in advertising?

    1. Tom T.

      Nah. Pfizer just sent Willis some cash.
      (j/k!)

  41. Mydnyt

    Don’t mess with that “loss of sexual appetite” That’s no joke. I had to change my mental health meds from one that was working great to one that worked just slightly less well because my wife mentioned we hadn’t had sex in 2 months and I hadn’t even noticed.

    My meds may not work quite as well but I have my sex life back so that more then makes up for it

    1. Aletheia

      I guess that’s one upside to being ace, hah. One less side effect for us to worry about~ 😛

      1. Aletheia

        (Hit submit before thinking things through) It’s good that you found another medicine that works almost as well, though, without that side effect for you. I wish it worked just as well as the first one, but at least it wasn’t a case of “hey, choose between the one that works well but has bad side effects or one that barely works but doesn’t touch your sex drive.” 🙂

    2. Hielario

      Oh god don’t remind me, ADD meds do the same goddamn thing.

  42. C.T Phipps

    My wife experienced something like this on Lyrica for the first few weeks. She has fibromyalgia not depression (except for the fact she ALSO has depression and some people believe the two are related). Then things evened out and we had to seek alternative help.

  43. abysswatcher1993

    Willis is getting creative with the texts. Next time he is gong to write in an eldritch tongue as if he took classes from Emily of Questionable Content.

  44. Alanari

    That is a thing? Side effects being listed in TV? Weird.

    1. Needfuldoer

      Sometimes it seems like they spend longer telling you all the side effects and to ask your doctor if it’s right or you, than actually telling you what the drug does in the first place!

      At least they’re not allowed to speed up the the side effects VO so it plays through in half a second anymore. For a while there it was like the Micro Machines guy was pitching pills.

    2. wwwhhattt

      I just learned that adverts for prescription medicine are a thing, and seem to outnumber all the other adverts (this is from a friend who’s just gone back to the US for the first time in 5 years, so maybe it’s a recent thing? or just the part he’s in now?)

      1. Alanari

        In my country, just medicine without prescription is on TV, mostly soft painkillers or stuff for colds. And at the end, there’s always the line “for side effects, consult your doc or apothecary”. That’s it.

      2. Needfuldoer

        There are three categories of TV commercials in the US that are oddly prevalent:

        – Prescription medication for specific conditions, like COPD, heartburn, ED, and depression. These spend longer talking about the condition and side effects than they do on how it helps you.

        – Endearing characters pitching car insurance (GEICO and Progressive are the worst offenders.)

        – Amazing miracle devices that solve all your problems for only $19.95 apiece (plus shipping and handling) This includes everything from “Magic” fat-hiding squeeze belts, kitchen gadgets, to everything ever pitched by Ron Popiel. Tropes include “fumbling with everyday objects like a doofus”, “do it the old fashioned way in black and white”, “middle aged homeowner shaking their heads ‘no’ at contractor bills”, and of course the red X popping up everywhere.

        1. thejeff

          There were also the ones that avoided having to list the side effects by not actually telling you what the medication did, just showing shots of happy people then saying “ask your doctor if X is right for you.”

        2. Roborat

          What always strikes me as funny, is that some of the side effects are far worse than the problem they are addressing. “Hmm, sounds like xxxxxx could help me with my post nasal drip, but I might end up in a coma, tough decision.”

        3. thejeff

          Well, you have to multiply by the probability.

          Of course, I’ve had some head colds where going into a coma until it was over seemed like the better alternative.

    3. Reltzik

      It’s an American thing. Back in the 90s some sort of deregulation happened and suddenly pharma companies were able to advertise prescription meds to would-be patients that didn’t understand the drug, but were told to deluge their doctors with questions about it. I’d guess about 20% of our ad time is prescription drugs, nowadays, and the strategy had a huge hand in our opioid addiction epidemic. But the FDA also requires them to list side effects when they advertise to consumer, and usually they run visuals of patients actors enjoying life, usually with friends or walking around in fields or whatnot. It would be bizarre and surreal if we weren’t just so acclimated to it.

      Here‘s an example, and here‘s a parody. (You don’t see many parodies any more. It’s kinda like shooting low-hanging fruit in a barrel.)

      1. ValdVin

        Yup. When I was younger, there was a thing called the White Coat Code: One couldn’t even dress up someone in a white coat (resembling a doctor or nurse) in a TV commercial.

        That guideline has been twisted to hell.

  45. miz

    honestly no real comment on the story itself but i’m just completely tickled that the Symbolic Autumn Leaves™ are back

    (see: the first and second-to-last comics of “That Perfect Girl”)

  46. C.T Phipps

    We can only hope Ruth rediscovers her love of violence!

  47. Icalasari

    Holy crap that alt text, that’s fucking dark XD

  48. Agemegos

    I laughed. It was a bitter laugh, but I laughed.

  49. Arianod

    Best Willisverse strip ever?

  50. Catman

    She is catching emotions like an Eevee on Pokémon Go

  51. Pacce

    Can I just say, as someone who read through Roomies and related to Ruth’s depression it is SO SO SO unspeakably great to see her stuff being dealt with via therapy and medication as opposed to, um, being crushed to death by a semi truck to save a guy who was feeling sorry for himself.

    1. Tom T.

      The other driver might have been on antidepressants. Side effects may include crushing people to death with trucks.

    2. BBCC

      I thought Sarah said her neck snapped in the crash?

      1. Rabid Rabbit

        Well, you have to pick one particular cause of death if you’re not just going to say “cardiac arrest”…

        Though actually, now I want someone who understands physics to explain what most likely happened. She was going fast, so the impact of the truck might have made her car fly rather than just crushing it, except that her car had just rammed another one out of the way, so…

        1. BBCC

          Sarah said her neck snapped and that very little was left of Ruth.

  52. BarerMender

    True to form, Ruth finds a way to fend off happiness.

    1. BenRG

      It’s a sign that she has a good level of self-identity and irony. However, I do hope that she makes the most of feeling good, no matter how cheesy it seems in her head.

  53. Keulen

    And here I was hoping you’d name the drug damyoowillis or something.

    1. thejeff

      This is worse. And manages to sound like a drug name.

  54. Sandwich

    Side effects include drowsiness, nausea, instant regret…

  55. BenRG

    Don’t knock it, Ruth. It’s worth it to have a day of happiness.

  56. los

    Oh my god I ugly laughed at this LOL

  57. deliverything

    This is off-topic, so feel free to ignore me, but I felt this comment section might be a good place to ask.
    So… I’ve a semi-close relative who, for the sake of this comment, I’ll call Ellen, largely because – aside from being in her early teens – she resembles Ellen DeGeneres with Becky MacIntyre’s haircut.
    While her personal style is no guarantee, I won’t be surprised if she’ll be coming out in a few years. My concern is that she might not feel comfortable doing so; to my knowledge, I’m her only relative within several miles who isn’t heterosexual, and I’m an aro ace (and therefore can’t really empathise). On top of this, another relative – while generally nice – is religious in an uncritical way which has led to her passively accepting that “homosexuals are bad”; I suspect this person’ll accept her anyway (albeit maybe with some prayers for a “cure”), but how can Ellen know?
    Given all this: would anyone happen to know how I might communicate that I, at least, won’t judge her on this stuff? Even if I don’t understand, I’m hoping it might be useful to have someone to talk to (or possibly talk at) about things she’s not comfortable discussing with her immediate family… but we’re not close enough for me to just directly raise such a personal subject.
    Sorry for raising this non-comic-related matter, but I procrastinate too much as it is.

    1. deliverything

      …and I still have that Mike avatar. That may be rather unfortunate in this case.

      1. Reltzik

        First off, to switch gravatars, just change what you’ve got in the email field, since that’s the seed by which your grav is picked. You don’t want to actually change the email itself, but the system is case-sensitive, so change the capitalization of a few letters and spin that grav roulette! (Disclaimer: Grav Roulette is evil and will probably give you Mary.)

        Moving on to suggestions… I’m far from the best person to answer this but I can suggest a few things.

        First, you’re clearly willing to be an ally, but are you willing to be out as one? Something as simple as having the right bumper sticker can signal that you’re a “safe” person. (Mere signals are far from completely reliable, and there’s a lot more to being an ally than having a bumper sticker, but it can work as an ice-breaker at least.) On the other hand, it can also signal to your religious relative and others that you are Someone To Confront, and that might not be something you’re willing to do.

        If you’re willing to be out as an ally, that’s most of my advice: good signalling. And I don’t mean virtue signalling, but instead broadcasting your readiness to be supportive and accepting of people who come out to you. And I mean BROADCASTING, rather than pointedly aiming it just at Ellen, because maybe she’s actually straight or maybe someone else who you never suspected will come out to you, and why not be there for them? Or maybe it will start a productive conversation with your religious relative.

        That said, I’d caution that once you’ve got a few signals out there, that you DON’T pressure Ellen. She’ll come out to you, or not, in her own time and her own way. Maybe she’s not gay, maybe she’s an egg, or maybe she just thinks it’s none of your business and that’s completely her right.

        And again, I’m far from the best person to answer this. If someone else comes along and says something different and that something different isn’t dripping with homophobia, odds are they know better than I do.

        1. deliverything

          Thank you for these suggestions. It looks like I’ll have to overcome my social difficulties a bit more before I can be of much help (currently working on that), which seems obvious in retrospect; not sure how good I’d be as someone to talk to if I struggle with having more than one actual conversation every few days.
          Ellen and I rarely talk as it is, even by my standards; she seems comfortable doing so, but our lack of overlapping interests means it generally makes more sense for her to chat with her friends instead.
          Probably the best option, right now, is to try becoming closer as Anna suggested; more chatting means more opportunities to naturally work it into conversation (rather than raise the matter directly and risk leading into a discussion she might not be ready for, let alone willing to have with me).
          Yes, eggness is also possible; doesn’t seem as likely, knowing Ellen, but if it’s the case, I’ll still be there for him.
          As to being out as an ally: the aforementioned social difficulties make that troublesome, and it’s not like I actually have contact with many people. Meanwhile, productive conversations with the religious relative are something I attempt from time to time, but anything that contradicts religious dogma seems to get quickly and conveniently forgotten.
          Not sure how coherent all this was, but I’m socialed out for today. Thanks again, all of you.

    2. Anna

      Something that might work/be helpful: assuming you talk to her regularly, or are in some form of contact, casually work in a reference to fictional gay matters or the gay matters of someone you know. Like, an anecdote about my good friend and her girlfriend who saw a cute dog and the dog did something funny. My neighbour and his husband adopted a baby and the baby just started talking and isn’t it wonderful how babies learn to talk. Things like that, not laying on the gay aspect of the story but casually implying that you are very much fine with it.

      Or, if you are comfortable enough, you can talk about your own coming-out (assuming you are out) and what feelings happened and how you and the people you came out to handled it.

      Or you can try first becoming closer to her in non-queer-related ways (assuming you like her as a person). Just generally pay more attention to her life and her interests, and when it seems appropriate, invite her to do something you might both enjoy.

      Good luck! It is good of you to want to help her.

    3. Vulcanodon

      Storytime. We had a student intern a couple years ago who I thought might be gay. We were all very fond of him. Would he ever come out? Waited to see. What was our office environment like?

      If our office were a tv show, we’d have the boss who goes on at length about political topics but is squarely on the side of intersectionality, the evangelical who is a real nice guy, hates Trump for what he’s done to Christianity, “accepts gay people” but says homosexuality is no worse than any other sin and we are all sinners. Older lady whose opinion on the matter is anybody’s guess. And me, 60+ tech, married almost 40 years, absolutely totally straight most of the time, with campus GLBT safe zone sticker visible on filing cabinet, Star Trek, Ponies, and Superman action figures at desk. Would wear nail polish if I had the courage.

      He worked for us almost an entire year before coming to the office luncheon with his partner, effectively coming out to us. He is now an analyst for a three-letter agency, and his partner is working on a graphic novel I hope to see someday.

      Coming out is slow, risky, piecemeal work. She may never, so just be patient, try to be supportive and make it visible which side you’re on. At very least you’ll give her one direction she doesn’t have to watch defensively.

    4. Yumi

      I’m in a similar situation with my nephew. When he was younger, around eight, he told my sister he thought he was gay. My sister thought this was super funny, that he was too young to know, and that he just didn’t understand what being gay was. Since then, it hasn’t been brought up again; he’s thirteen now, I believe.

      For me, I am openly queer myself– but I have yet to have a partner I’d bring to family events, and it’s generally not talked about among family. But our house does feature various rainbow decorations and small flags. He doesn’t come over that often, but when he does, I hope he notices them if they’re of interest.

      I try to work LGBTQ+ positivity into conversation when he’s in earshot, if it seems natural enough. Like, different celebrities who are out could work, even if you aren’t really that into different aspects– like once, my aunt, mom and I were talking about Sam Smith, and it came up that I didn’t like his songs (his voice just doesn’t work for me!), and I said, “I know, and I feel really bad about it because I want to support gay and queer artists! I think he’s cool on that front.” (This was before he came out as non-binary; now I’m even more frustrated that I just don’t like this non-binary celebrity’s work.)

      You can also recommend media that features LGBTQ+ characters, if you’re familiar with it. I’m big on middle grade and young adult books– my nephew unfortunately isn’t big on reading, but sometimes my sister asks for books he might try, and I’ll mix in one with an LGBTQ+ protagonist.

      Also, like Reltzik said, he might not be gay. He might never come out, or never come out to me, if he is. But modeling support of LGBTQ+ people is good however he identifies.

      1. BBCC

        If it ever becomes relevant, these books may or may not be helpful:
        https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/26180.Non_Fiction_Resources_for_LGBT_Teens_Youth_Families

  58. Reltzik

    So, wait.

    If Ruth’s no longer hating life, does that mean she’ll stop being a Leafs fan?

    1. BenRG

      No, it just means she’ll support the Leafs with a sense of blinkered optimism rather than bitter cynicism.

    2. Lexi

      Being a Leafs Fan is unfortunately a lifelong, incurable condition. #GoLeafsGo

  59. Agemegos

    Reminds me of Paracetamoxyfrusebendroneomycin (link to Youtube).

  60. Kaz

    As we all know, truck impaction is the leading cause of death in modern anime…

    1. HeySo

      Now, now. Let’s focus on it being the leading cause of creating new life opportunities, and not worry about those trivial side details you were on about. ;P

    2. Schpoonman

      I thought they Gecko Ending’d Fuuka because they wanted to avoid that.

  61. DarkoNeko

    there…there are commercials of depression meds in North america ?

    1. BenRG

      Yes, and the side-effect list gets hair-raising towards the end.

      1. jothki

        I have to wonder how much of that is just drug studies getting inevitable random outliers that they don’t want to put the effort into isolating, or can’t due to ethics issues.

    2. Zaxares

      Whenever I visited the US, I always found that SO eerie, because where I’m from, it’s forbidden to directly advertise any kind of prescription medication (OTC meds are fine) on TV. So listening to people hawk these drugs with some truly scary side-effects to anybody who might be watching without proper medical consultation is… bizarro.

      1. Agemegos

        Free speech, it is. Also, lucrative.

        1. thejeff

          It was (mostly) illegal until the late 90s. Since then there was a huge boom in prescription ads. Still somewhat regulated in what they can say or have to say in terms of side effects and claims for effectiveness.

          Ironically, it didn’t really change due to Free Speech arguments, but patients rights ones. Apparently under the theory that the ads would better inform people about what medications were available, rather than show happy people frolicking in the leaves alongside a drug name you should ask your doctor about.

      2. Tom T.

        The goal is to bring people with chronic needs in to see the doctor when they otherwise might not. If you’ve been on the same contraception or antidepressant for a while, you might not think to wonder if there’s something better out there. Or if you have one of the frustrating autoimmune disorders like psoriasis or Crohn’s, you might have given up on treatment, and not known that there’s a whole new class of drugs out there now.

        1. thejeff

          Nah, the goal is to get you to nag your doctor for expensive drugs whether you’ve any real need for them or whether they’ll be any more use to you or not.

          What you describe is more the excuse.

        2. DarkoNeko

          yeeep

        3. Inahc

          Meanwhile in Canada, we get ads explaining how antibiotics are often unnecessary. 🙂
          …but if you still watch tv, you’ll see some of those American ads too. Just rarely enough for them to be jarring.

        4. BBCC

          I’ve never seen an ad about antibiotics, except advertising food made without any, like meat.

        5. Inahc

          I mostly see them on transit. Does “Do bugs need drugs?” Ring a bell at all? Maybe it’s a local thing.

        6. BBCC

          It might be because I tend to take taxis over buses because of a scare in my neighbourhood.

  62. Meta

    hovertext took this to a dark place….

  63. kilgaen

    TFW you learn to enjoy yourself and that feeling goes against everything you stand for.

  64. Daisy

    Ah! It’s the happiness to immediate second guessing stage. Very common, and something that passes with time (at least mostly, in my experience).

    Seeing a lot of people discussing their own meds. I’m a success story on that front. My meds balance me between depression (no emotion) and anxiety (too much emotion) so both are manageable. That’s the important takeaway for me – they’re not cures, they’re aids. Sadly, you will always have to put some work in. But that work becomes second nature eventually.

    But anyway. This is the happiest Ruth I have ever seen and it’s wholesome.

    1. Jago

      Damn, I’m jealous. I’m not on meds yet, but I hope mine will help me like that, too. It’d make a lot of things easier.

  65. BenRG

    I can understand why Ruth is feeling so weirded out. After all, maybe two hours ago, she was a blubbering mess to the point where Joyce was genuinely concerned for her well-being. Now, she’s ready to start frolicking in a meadow with a floral crown and a sleeveless and long-skirted white cotton dress.

    Then Joyce is going to walk out of the building doing her bad girl cosplay and Ruth is going to start worrying that maybe hallucinations are part of it too.

    1. thejeff

      Not just that, though wild mood swings are rough enough, but both of those extremes are things she hasn’t been able to feel in years.

  66. Spocky McSpockface

    #justamericanthings

  67. Vulcanodon

    This is just lovely. I am envious. I’d love to be the guy in the footage.

  68. Buggman

    “Side effects may include: nausea, vomiting, water weight gain, lower back pain, receding hairline, eczema, seborrhea, psoriasis, itchy chafing clothing, liver spots, blood clots, ringworm, excessive body odor, uneven tire wear, pyorrhea, gonorrhea, diarrhea, halitosis, scoliosis, loss of bladder control, hammertoe, the shanks, low sperm count, warped floors, cluttered drawers, hunchback, heart attack, low resale value on your home, feline leukemia, athlete’s foot, head lice, clubfoot, MS, MD, VD, fleas, anxiety, sleeplessness, drowsiness, poor gas mileage, tooth decay, split ends, parvo, warts, unibrow, lazy eye, fruit flies, chest pains, clogged drains, hemorrhoids, dry heaving, and sexual dysfunction.”

    1. nightshade

      rofl thats about the size of it ……sad thing is when they test medicine they do about 7 or 8 studies around the country of about 2000 people …. if 10 – 15 people have a side effect out of that they have to legaly list it even tho the other 98 percent are clear … so 0.5 percent of the public may experience any of the side effects .ever

  69. Sunfish

    This is so sweet T_T

  70. Kitsune

    She should be glad it’s not an Enzite comercial

    1. Delicious Taffy

      Was that the one with the inhaler that looks like a Bubble Tape container?

      1. Marsh Maryrose

        My first post on this disappeared into the ether, presumably because the company that makes “Enzite” describes it with a phrase that automatically winds up in spam filters. (Perhaps the fact that I used the actual product name, spelled with a “y” instead of an “i”, may also have triggered the spam foldering.)

        The commercials featured a guy known as “Smilin’ Bob,” and there’s a reason Bob is smiling, also Mrs. Bob is smiling too. Words cannot describe how cheesy the ads are. For those who dare, I’ll put a link in another post below.

        1. Marsh Maryrose

          I reconsidered linking. I find the commercials hilarious in their cheesiness, their double entendres, and their blatant visual metaphors, but maybe I shouldn’t be doing something that could be interpreted as shilling for scam boner pills on this forum. If you want to see them, just Google the company name and commercial, and you’ll find them in no time.

          (I actually first typed, quite innocently, “and they’ll pop right up,” and then I looked at that and corrected it, quite innocently, to “and they’ll be front and center,” and then I looked at that and gave up.)

  71. Bagge

    Side effects will probably include pretty soon: Joyce hugs

    1. Rabid Rabbit

      “Warning: side effects of certain of these side effects may result in murder.”

      1. Slartibeast Button, BIA

        Should you find yourself in possession of more than two femurs, discontinue use and contact your physician immediately.

      2. ShinyNeen

        Woah, Joyce is going to murder Ruth!? I know she’s changing, but I didn’t realize it was that much!

        1. Bagge

          She’s a rebel now

  72. TomHCinMI

    Why is it a bad thing to be the footage of the voiceover boilerplate?

  73. ktbear

    Panel four Ruth is just adorable.

  74. ziggy78eog

    I think you just experienced them today, in the shower, Ruth. Unless, another side effect is a sudden desire to kick Autumn leaves.

  75. Smooti

    God this is really relatable. You kinda feel cheesy when the anti-depressants start making happy feel like actual happy again.

  76. wakeangel2001

    Those side effects are typically pretty rare and may not actually be caused by the medicine, they’re just things that people in the clinical trial experienced and the commercial has to list them for liability purposes.

    1. Inahc

      *some* of them are rare. With brain meds, a lot of inconvenient ones are quite common, like constipation/diarrhea, weight loss/gain, dry mouth, brain zaps, dizziness, excessive sweating, libido issues etc.

      1. Andrew_C

        And truck impaction is surprisingly common, especially in Japan for some reason.

  77. nightshade

    when they test medicine they do about 7 or 8 studies around the country of about 2000 people …. if 10 – 15 people have a side effect out of that they have to legaly list it even tho the other 98 percent are clear … so only 0.5 percent of the public may experience any of the side effects .ever

    Now the scary ones are the ones the doctors find out about 2 or 3 years down the road ..that they have to report …

    1. Liquid Len

      That’s about the time you see the class action lawsuit ads on TV from Dewy, Chetham, and Howe!

  78. ShinyNeen

    Ruth is frolicking in the fall weather, Joyce is wearing biker gear and respecting people’s boundaries…

    This storyline is fantastic. It’s payoff for growth that’s been building for a while and it’s so great to see.

  79. LeslieBean4shizzle

    That moment when you realize you’re living out an advertisement. I’ve been there. Not with antidepressants, but I’ve been there otherwise.

  80. Needfuldoer

    Panels 1-4: Aww, Ruth 🙂

    Panel 5: Aw, Ruth… :c

  81. HMH

    S E V E R A L B L E S S E D I M A G E S

  82. Happilychaotic

    I love love LOVE seeing Ruth feeling happy for once 🙂

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