Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened

Throughout the book, Brosh shares that she experiences issues with the life skills she sees as central to being a fully functional, successful adult. However, her mental health and mental illness make “adulting” difficult—she often struggles with basic life tasks like errands and cleaning. The concepts of adult and adulting reoccur often in the chapters where Brosh explores shame, motivation, and willpower. 

The “helper dog” is how Brosh refers to her second dog, whom she adopted to act as a helper for her “simple dog.” The helper dog is a German Shepherd mix who had lived at the shelter for a long time. She hates all other dogs and whines when she does not understand what’s happening.

The “simple dog” is what Brosh calls her dog who may have an intellectual disability or be on the lefthand side of the intellectual bell curve compared to other dogs. Simple dog appears as a happy, loving dog with patches of black and white fur.