Haimiya-senpai wa Kowakute Kawaii - Ch. 45

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I dont like this mental health representation. The way the nurse, who should be the storys authority on the subject, described her condition made it seem like she just needs to avoided and allowed to isolate herself when she's at a low point when in reality thats the time she needs to know she has connection the most. Not to say he needs to force his way into her space if she doesnt want that right now, but the nurse's explanation seems to have him thinking he shouldn't reach out at all
She's trying to explain Mio's condition in a respectful way that is also easy for Kurose to comprehend and understand. She's also at least somewhat aware that Kurose himself is currently in a fragile place mentally. If she told him to go see her, he obviously would. But then it would be perceived as obligation, especially by someone dealing with a low point of their depression. Not to mention that pushing that responsibility and obligation onto Kurose is incredibly unfair, even if by all accounts he would be entirely willing to take it on.

Telling him about Mio's struggles but also conveying to him hopeful prospects makes it clear that he has value to Mio, that none of this is his fault, and that he does and can help Mio with his presence. It also gives him the space and the agency to process all of this information before coming to a decision for himself on his own terms. Which is also what's the best for Mio, too; when Kurose visits it will be entirely of his own free will, without any sort of imposition from an adult or other authority figure. But if he were also to let Mio have her space and "recharge" at her own speed before eventually returning to school on her own terms, that would also be a valid course of action.

Depression is a bitch partly because how it affects people varies from person to person, as does how they handle it and how well they're able to. There is no one single "always right" answer when it comes to depression or how to help someone work through it.
 
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I dont like this mental health representation. The way the nurse, who should be the storys authority on the subject, described her condition made it seem like she just needs to avoided and allowed to isolate herself when she's at a low point when in reality thats the time she needs to know she has connection the most. Not to say he needs to force his way into her space if she doesnt want that right now, but the nurse's explanation seems to have him thinking he shouldn't reach out at all

That's Japan though. They have not yet gotten over the stigma of mental health issues. And in a culture that already takes the most oblique, roundabout way to talk about any number of personal issues, thoughts, or feelings as a matter of course and cultural pride, that's going to manifest as talking about a touchy issue like this in layers of euphemisms and indirect explanations to avoid outright saying "she has clinical depression and needs the help of her friends and family." because doing so opens a whole different can of worms (like Kagimizu says above, telling him he should help creates the appearance of saddling him with an obligation to help, which is serious business in Japan to a level above what most others would think)

And it's probably not helped by the fact that this probably isn't just the mangaka being indirect about it because good manners/form demands it, but also because it might just be that this is how the issue is broadly known to people with no idea that there's a lot more to it and the explanation is not really accurate or helpful simply because nobody will talk about it in order to share the correct explanation.
 
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I`d rather hear about mangakas mental condition. How on earth did he get an idea that this is a good twist? Fuck it. How tired i am of forced drama in romantic manga.
 
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Touya gives Kurose the nudge he needs to go after Haimiya and keep her company—what a legend! 😭🙌🖤
I’m glad the issue wasn’t related to physical health, unlike with "other female characters," but mental health struggles are tough nonetheless. I wonder what triggered it for Haimiya—likely some kind of psychological trauma.
 
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The most made-up excuse I heard as far as I remember. Even a disease would make sense, but this? Ridiculous.
 
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You know...now that I've thought about it overnight, of the author wants to pivot to telling A Big Truth more power to 'em. Not defending the hamfisted way they forced it into the story, but I can at least respect the intent :thumbsup:
 
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Well, the previous chapter ending didn't leave much space, so it were just a matter of how bad the news would be, going from a bearable imminent transfer to derailing into terminal health issue. We get in the middle, psychological illness like depression leave space to hope and recovery, but we are stepping on a landmine here because it's not so easy to depict them accurately in fiction stories, making characters act consistent. Unfortunately I'm slightly worried that the outcome here will not be very good, i.e.feels kinda awkward that someone feeling on the verge of an "episode", at the point of already informing the teacher she'll be away from the next day, could be in the right state of mind to be so supportive and cheerful for another person like she was for Kurose.
Unless author is telling us that for the person you love you can overcome everything, no matter what, but also this would turn out a pretty lazy and sloppy device.
 
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Thx for the translation. Though there is a disease like that in real life? I thought they might say she was autistic or something
Yeah like what, that's just literally my family and seasonal affectiveness disorder lmao (and my own bog standard depression). "Her mind works differently" and you had to compare her activities to a social battery of sorts? Another author L...
 
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Put your bets in now: what flavor of "just stop being sad smile :)" is gonna be the magic overnight cure for her depression?
 

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