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I wonder if this maybe points towards being bipolar rather than straight depression. One of the effects of being bipolar is that anti-depressants can send you in the other direction, toward mania. Binges, feeling unnaturally happy, an excess of other emotions like anger and even sadness can characterize the ‘up’ cycle. Maybe keep an eye out for losing concentration, excessive energy, and increased risk-taking behavior. Obviously it’s too early to tell for something like that, just something on my mind. Obviously when you’re down for so long, just feeling normal can feel that good itself at first.
One of the biggest warning signs for that is TOO rapid of a response to the meds, and Ruth took her time on these. She also hasn’t shown any other signs thus far, so I have my fingers crossed..but yeah, something to watch for.
Yes, but this onslaught of positive feelings is happening directly after she had a big wave of negative feelings. To me, that means she just has access to a larger range of emotions now. And if she’s lived her whole live having difficulty with accessing dopamine, every little happy thing is going to be a really big deal now.
As someone who’s overcome depression before, this is almost exactly what it’s like. Food has smells, flavors, fricken amazing colors that you’ve always known were there but you’re only just noticing them for the first time.
Same here! I teared up reading this strip because one of my most powerful memories of the healing process was walking down a street – I still even remember exactly where – and suddenly being aware of everything being in colour. It was like I was emerging out the other side of this grey fog.
Mel
Same, though in my case I remember when i started being able to emotionally respond to things and being delighted at my own delight when this occurred to me. It was like spring time! (In January )
Ooh, I was just chalking it all up to the meds kicking in, but I like your idea too.
ruhrow
They’re probably both related to each other…the meds giving her the oomph to be able to say something, which reinforces her newly found something-other-than-self-loathing…which will in turn help with her depression further.
Like, even before being treated for depression, Ruth never had trouble standing up for herself. Blackmail and her grandfather using her brother as a hostage trip her up, but little else does.
If Ruth was thinking about her last fight with Billie, I’d expect to make her mood worse, not better. Their relationship may be playfully antagonistic, but they were on the same side. She shouldn’t have needed to stand up to Billie about quitting drinking.
I think for the moment she’s just caught up in being able to enjoy things
Pylgrim
Throw in that she has been sober for long enough that she may be coming to the other side of withdrawal.
I do have to ask – is it common for those on anti-depressants to have an increase in appetite? Whether as a side-effect of the prescription or a different outlook on life doesn’t matter.
i’m not sure if it’s a medicine side effect with me, but when i’m especially down i just…don’t eat. it’s too much energy to do and it’s not “worth it” to my brain. i tend to keep around things that i can stuff in my face without cooking for this reason, but yeah. i just don’t eat.
It depends. Some will generally decrease appetite, others will increase it. But typically they have little effect on appetite chemically, but the ability to taste things pleasurably often results in increased “appetite”.
Depression is tricky. Loss of appetite and increased appetite are actually both common symptoms of it. So basically if you were less likely to eat while you were depressed then you’ll eat more when the meds kick in. For me I tended to overeat when I was depressed, so when I found meds that worked I actually ate less.
It’s pretty common for psych meds to mess with appetite, hence the reputation they have for weight gain. I’ve gained close to 30kg due to meds (SNRI for major depression, olanzepine for same, pregabalin for chronic pain), and I was only 68kg to start with.
Better to be fat than obsessed with suicide (points to numerous scars).
Yes, it’s common. When we are depressed a lot of ordinary activities seem to be too much bother, including meals. I lost my freshman fifteen instead of gaining them because I had a bout of depression during which I couldn’t be bothered to eat except sometimes at night (I felt worst in the mornings and got rather better in the evenings). By contrast with that an ordinary appetite seems prodigious. And then you have the fact that some antidepressants increase appetite as a side-effect.
They can change appetite (every person’s response will be different), but I personally read this more as “I am enjoying things. …Holy shit, I feel good, and I’m enjoying things!!! Is this how normal people feel when they do these things??? I want to do things!!!” Because when you’re depressed, the normal brain processes for things like enjoyment, satisfaction, and accomplishment are weak and short-lived. Those are some of the first things that come back when you begin recovering. Idk if I’m making sense.
In addition to the ‘it depends’ everyone else has noted, it’s worth pointing out that Ruth’s ‘in color’ comment should be taken literally too- depression can cause mild visual problems, causing things to appear less saturated.
And *literally* darker. I mark the progression through my depressive cycles (I’m bipolar) by assessing my light perception. I know I’m edging in to a manic cycle because light will often seem too bright, even though the actual lumens in the spot haven’t changed. It’s even more fun because thanks to various eye surgeries, my eyes are rather light sensitive — light scatter (as with fog or mist) is painful.
So, yeah, desaturation can happen, and darkness can settle in. Things can get very grey and shadowy. Thankfully, my usually response when things start going black is to get to me bed and let myself sleep.
To ride on the back of what SUGauthor posted, I was an overeater/comfort eater before my meds, and as soon as my meds kicked in, I had zero appetite. I literally dropped 10 pounds in the first two weeks just from not eating more than, like, a handful of crackers a day.
Once I stabilized, I discovered that my “comfort” foods – soda, pastries, cakes, candy bars, etc – tasted TERRIBLE. It was like I was pouring raw corn syrup in my mouth. (Which, yeah, basically you are – but when it’s disguised as ‘food,’ most people don’t notice.) On the other hand, other foods had real, marked flavors – even foods I used to season to the end of the planet and back. (I was once one of those people who would eat jalapenos raw and say, “Yeah, I guess it has a little bit of a bite, if you don’t eat spices.”) Now, I rarely go for the super-challenge spicy foods, but I can enjoy a much broader range of food and drink. (I also now understand why white people consider salt and pepper “seasoning,” because I can actually taste it in my food. XD) I will say that I am still – slowly, now – dropping down to a healthier weight just because there is WAY less garbage in my diet and WAY more actual food. [I want to emphasize this side note, because lack of an appetite/too much appetite for too long is a flag, folks. If you don’t stabilize to where you’re eating a regular, moderate amount of food each day, talk to you doc about whether or not you need a med check/adjustment. I’ve been through two adjustments to my med dosage! No two people are identical in what works for them.]
And yes, food has color now. Holy shit, does food have color. Taste the fuckin’ rainbow indeed. @_@
And while I’m perseverating about the food court in Read Hall: “Bistro” is a loan word from French. “El” is a Spanish adjective. The name “El Bistro” is just stupid, period and end of story.
Contrariwise, I can’t believe that “Mexo Loco” isn’t already the name of a restaurant chain.
191 thoughts on “Color”
Ana Chronistic
Me on cheat day
desolation0
I wonder if this maybe points towards being bipolar rather than straight depression. One of the effects of being bipolar is that anti-depressants can send you in the other direction, toward mania. Binges, feeling unnaturally happy, an excess of other emotions like anger and even sadness can characterize the ‘up’ cycle. Maybe keep an eye out for losing concentration, excessive energy, and increased risk-taking behavior. Obviously it’s too early to tell for something like that, just something on my mind. Obviously when you’re down for so long, just feeling normal can feel that good itself at first.
ruhrow
One of the biggest warning signs for that is TOO rapid of a response to the meds, and Ruth took her time on these. She also hasn’t shown any other signs thus far, so I have my fingers crossed..but yeah, something to watch for.
Clif
Regardless, those are obviously some good drugs.
Kella
Yes, but this onslaught of positive feelings is happening directly after she had a big wave of negative feelings. To me, that means she just has access to a larger range of emotions now. And if she’s lived her whole live having difficulty with accessing dopamine, every little happy thing is going to be a really big deal now.
DarkoNeko
so far, she just need a bit to adjust. Like, meeting Billie <_<
JetstreamGW
Eh. “Not depressed” can feel really, really, really good.
H3xx
As someone who’s overcome depression before, this is almost exactly what it’s like. Food has smells, flavors, fricken amazing colors that you’ve always known were there but you’re only just noticing them for the first time.
Feathers
Same here! I teared up reading this strip because one of my most powerful memories of the healing process was walking down a street – I still even remember exactly where – and suddenly being aware of everything being in colour. It was like I was emerging out the other side of this grey fog.
Mel
Same, though in my case I remember when i started being able to emotionally respond to things and being delighted at my own delight when this occurred to me. It was like spring time! (In January )
Doctor_Who
Asma: Hey! No extending beyond the bounds of the panel! This isn’t Gwenpool!
Marsh Maryrose
I’d say this objection is
a little too late.
Rognik
Does that count as an Asma attack?
butts
Food, glorious food!
Stephen Bierce
I would have quoted Willy Wonka, but this will do nicely.
Stephen Bierce
BTW, this is, IIRC, the anniversary of the Robin-meets-Jesus-eating-a-chocolate-crucifix Shortpacked! strip.
Walky_Talky
Taste the Rainbow
ValdVin
I don’t know what to say about Ruth smiling so much. I hope it continues.
AntJ
I wonder if it has anything to do with standing up to Billie.
ValdVin
Ooh, I was just chalking it all up to the meds kicking in, but I like your idea too.
ruhrow
They’re probably both related to each other…the meds giving her the oomph to be able to say something, which reinforces her newly found something-other-than-self-loathing…which will in turn help with her depression further.
ValdVin
I will shamelessly borrow “newly-found something other than self-loathing” as applicable for myself in the future. Internet cookie to be sent soon.
Fart Captor
I’m not sure this theory makes any sense?
Like, even before being treated for depression, Ruth never had trouble standing up for herself. Blackmail and her grandfather using her brother as a hostage trip her up, but little else does.
If Ruth was thinking about her last fight with Billie, I’d expect to make her mood worse, not better. Their relationship may be playfully antagonistic, but they were on the same side. She shouldn’t have needed to stand up to Billie about quitting drinking.
I think for the moment she’s just caught up in being able to enjoy things
Pylgrim
Throw in that she has been sober for long enough that she may be coming to the other side of withdrawal.
Keulen
It’s nice to see her smiling and looking more happy, but it kinda weirds me out since I’ve gotten so used to seeing Ruth looking unhappy.
DarkoNeko
this is a bit jarring, yet I’m happy for her ?
C.T Phipps
My hope is we’ll get a course correction and show Ruth still loves collecting femurs and intimidating freshmen.
Needfuldoer
But now it sparks joy instead of fermenting resentment!
Betty Anne
And now I have a mental image of Marie Kondo holding up someone’s femur in the middle of a disaster dorm room, and I don’t regret it in the least. 😀
DarkoNeko
“that person didn’t spark joy”
shadowcell
Kirby Begins
Doctor_Who
But his first game was on the Game Boy, so no color. ‘Cept green.
Jupiterror
Green Greens.
purblebirb
The music in this strip is that song from Harvey Birdman where Live Action Harvey is gallavanting around the city
Doctor_Who
Yeah, that fits really well.
Rosicrucian
Welcome back, Ruth.
Beef
Barely managed to get the madness in before March ended
Danielle
BORGER
Vabolo
HERETIC BORGER
Koms
Gloria Borger
Deanatay
MEXO
LOCOOOOOOO!
Tacos
No don’t everything with color. Not all of that is edible.
Tacos
*don’t eat
ShinyNeen
Don’t stop her now- she’s having such a good time!
OBBWG
She’s having a
ballburgerShinyNeen
Just don’t heat it to 200 degrees!
BBCC
Yay, more Asma! And Ruth is so happy. <3
Lily
So happy for Ruth!
Uly
This better not come crashing down and crush all our spirits.
Clif
Depends. What comic are you reading and what do the initials D. Y. stand for?
Opus the Poet
[Horshak] I know, I know, pick me Mr. Kotter [/Horshak]
elebenty
Cue Kotter earworm in 3… 2… 1…
*waits* Huh, nothing.
Oh, nope. There it is.
Stu
I do have to ask – is it common for those on anti-depressants to have an increase in appetite? Whether as a side-effect of the prescription or a different outlook on life doesn’t matter.
ellernock
i’m not sure if it’s a medicine side effect with me, but when i’m especially down i just…don’t eat. it’s too much energy to do and it’s not “worth it” to my brain. i tend to keep around things that i can stuff in my face without cooking for this reason, but yeah. i just don’t eat.
Nep
Not sure if it’s medically induced or not, but food sounds far more interesting and I’m far more likely to eat when I’m on my antidepressants.
StClair
Same. Low appetite, and basic foods only, because anything fancier won’t give me any joy so why bother?
Beepboop
It depends. Some will generally decrease appetite, others will increase it. But typically they have little effect on appetite chemically, but the ability to taste things pleasurably often results in increased “appetite”.
SUGauthor
Depression is tricky. Loss of appetite and increased appetite are actually both common symptoms of it. So basically if you were less likely to eat while you were depressed then you’ll eat more when the meds kick in. For me I tended to overeat when I was depressed, so when I found meds that worked I actually ate less.
JohnF
It’s pretty common for psych meds to mess with appetite, hence the reputation they have for weight gain. I’ve gained close to 30kg due to meds (SNRI for major depression, olanzepine for same, pregabalin for chronic pain), and I was only 68kg to start with.
Better to be fat than obsessed with suicide (points to numerous scars).
Agemegos
Yes, it’s common. When we are depressed a lot of ordinary activities seem to be too much bother, including meals. I lost my freshman fifteen instead of gaining them because I had a bout of depression during which I couldn’t be bothered to eat except sometimes at night (I felt worst in the mornings and got rather better in the evenings). By contrast with that an ordinary appetite seems prodigious. And then you have the fact that some antidepressants increase appetite as a side-effect.
Grethelwveir
They can change appetite (every person’s response will be different), but I personally read this more as “I am enjoying things. …Holy shit, I feel good, and I’m enjoying things!!! Is this how normal people feel when they do these things??? I want to do things!!!” Because when you’re depressed, the normal brain processes for things like enjoyment, satisfaction, and accomplishment are weak and short-lived. Those are some of the first things that come back when you begin recovering. Idk if I’m making sense.
MatthewTheLucky
In addition to the ‘it depends’ everyone else has noted, it’s worth pointing out that Ruth’s ‘in color’ comment should be taken literally too- depression can cause mild visual problems, causing things to appear less saturated.
David Alexander McDonald
And *literally* darker. I mark the progression through my depressive cycles (I’m bipolar) by assessing my light perception. I know I’m edging in to a manic cycle because light will often seem too bright, even though the actual lumens in the spot haven’t changed. It’s even more fun because thanks to various eye surgeries, my eyes are rather light sensitive — light scatter (as with fog or mist) is painful.
So, yeah, desaturation can happen, and darkness can settle in. Things can get very grey and shadowy. Thankfully, my usually response when things start going black is to get to me bed and let myself sleep.
Ethics Gradient
I was thinking more mood-swings.
When starting, or ending, mood-stabilisers, mood can swing wildly either way, and I think Ruth’s mood is just a side-effect of that.
I hope she doesn’t go to far in the up direction as that can be as disastrous as going the other direction.
Betty Anne
To ride on the back of what SUGauthor posted, I was an overeater/comfort eater before my meds, and as soon as my meds kicked in, I had zero appetite. I literally dropped 10 pounds in the first two weeks just from not eating more than, like, a handful of crackers a day.
Once I stabilized, I discovered that my “comfort” foods – soda, pastries, cakes, candy bars, etc – tasted TERRIBLE. It was like I was pouring raw corn syrup in my mouth. (Which, yeah, basically you are – but when it’s disguised as ‘food,’ most people don’t notice.) On the other hand, other foods had real, marked flavors – even foods I used to season to the end of the planet and back. (I was once one of those people who would eat jalapenos raw and say, “Yeah, I guess it has a little bit of a bite, if you don’t eat spices.”) Now, I rarely go for the super-challenge spicy foods, but I can enjoy a much broader range of food and drink. (I also now understand why white people consider salt and pepper “seasoning,” because I can actually taste it in my food. XD) I will say that I am still – slowly, now – dropping down to a healthier weight just because there is WAY less garbage in my diet and WAY more actual food. [I want to emphasize this side note, because lack of an appetite/too much appetite for too long is a flag, folks. If you don’t stabilize to where you’re eating a regular, moderate amount of food each day, talk to you doc about whether or not you need a med check/adjustment. I’ve been through two adjustments to my med dosage! No two people are identical in what works for them.]
And yes, food has color now. Holy shit, does food have color. Taste the fuckin’ rainbow indeed. @_@
elebenty
Days like these, I really wish we could upvote comments. Well said, BA!
ellernock
finally, the non chik-fil-a members of the food court make an appearance. MEXO LOCO
Marsh Maryrose
Read food court members that have not yet made an appearance:
Vermilion Canteen
Display Depot
Marsh Maryrose
And while I’m perseverating about the food court in Read Hall: “Bistro” is a loan word from French. “El” is a Spanish adjective. The name “El Bistro” is just stupid, period and end of story.
Contrariwise, I can’t believe that “Mexo Loco” isn’t already the name of a restaurant chain.
Clif
What would you name a FrancoMex restaurant?