Crazy is the New Black!!

...at least it seems to be in my world.

Over the past little while, as I've grown more accustomed to the mysterious and wondrous ways of this Grand Blogosphere, I've done a bit of exploring and I've found some really cool stuff. I really truly had no idea just how wildly expansive this virtual community is. I'm dumbfounded by the astonishing number of people out there who take time out of their daily lives to write about anything and everything. The mind staggers.

I guess it's the sense of faceless anonymity that allows and encourages people to share... And, when it comes right down to it, that's really what everyone is doing ... Sharing -- Laughter. Opinions. Thoughts. Plans. Knowledge. Emotions.

And secrets. Deeply personal secrets.

I find it amazing how candid bloggers generally are. And they can also be remarkably accepting and supportive, rallying behind one another in times of distress and sadness.

A faceless anonymous community.

I realize that my blog experience (writing and reading) is somewhat limited so perhaps I'm generalizing. I'll narrow my focus to the two blogs in particular that got me to thinking about all this stuff.

A friend (whom, by the by, I've never met...Thank you, Cyber Universe, for introducing us. I owe you one) introduced me to "Hyperbole and a Half" and "The Bloggess" and I have fallen head over heels in love with both of them. They are written by brilliantly hilarious, incredibly creative women and their words never fail to make me laugh out loud. Actually, they have both, on many many occasions, had me laughing hysterically...tears running down my face/tummy and face muscles hurting kind of hysterically.

And...

Both of these brilliantly hilarious, incredibly creative women struggle with serious mental health issues.

A.D.D.

Depression.

Anxiety.

Self Harm.

Both of these brilliantly hilarious, incredibly creative women have been brave enough to share their very intense struggles with the thousands who read their awesome funny irreverent blogs.

The outpouring of support and sympathy they have received by way of "comments" is truly amazing. I can only imagine what their inboxes have been flooded with.

What's just as amazing to me, is the fact that the vast majority of these comment-ers, alongside their words of support and sympathy, share their words of empathy and gratitude. Scores of "I've been there, too. It makes me feel so much better knowing that I'm not the only one. Thank you." stories.

Allie, of "Hyperbole and a Half" shares her story in this post .... Adventures in Depression

Jenny aka "The Bloggess", first opens up in this post....The Fight Goes On

 And here is the post that came the day after ... Wow


Make sure to check out the comments at the bottom of each post.

The irony of this 'phenomenon' has me shaking my head thinking how bizarre our world has become. Thousands of people from all around the globe rallying together to offer support to two women they've never actually met through a medium that allows everyone to stay tucked safely away from the world in their own basement/bedroom/office hidey-holes.

It's the distance created by the Cyber Universe that allows people to feel close and safe enough to share their secret-till-now inner torments.

It's the social disconnect of the Cyber Universe that fosters these strong,fiercely loyal virtual connections.

Weird.

But awesome.

And that's not even what I wanted to write about. Really.

What I wanted to write about is the fact that these super duper brilliantly hilarious women are complete nutters and that's really AWESOME!! Really Really.

And it's also really awesome that everyone is embracing and supporting these crazy ladies and elevating them to a sort of Cool Blogger Hero status.

And it's also really awesome that a whole bunch of people are outting themselves and coming clean about their own mental health issues.

And it's really super awesome that this, in some small way, is opening up conversations about this shitty stuff and will hopefully, in some small way, rip away some of the shitty stigma that has always been draped over these shitty disorders.

And talking is really Awesome!! Really Really.

And, since I am the long-time and now-proud suffer-er of a couple o' sweet mental health disorders myself, I, too, can be part of the Cool Crazy Kid Bloggy Crowd...only I seem to be short several thousand followers.

Damn.

Oh well.  While I may not have taken the Blogosphere by storm, I do have some most excellent friends who happen to enjoy varying degrees of varying forms of the crazies.

And they are all exceptional, interesting people who are smart and funny ... and crackers.

It's gotta be kinda boring to be mentally and emotionally sound.


p.s. Here's...

"A Comprehensive List of My Sweet Mental Health Disorders"
by: squirrel_e_girl

• Dysthymic Disorder 
• Social Anxiety Disorder