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The template of the meme consists of two WikiHow stock images: one with someone looking at a bottle of pills with a label that says "Hard to Swallow Pills" and another with the pills already in the person's hand, ready to be ingested.

People download it, slap a text of what they think is a universal truth on the second picture, and upload it back on the Internet, waiting for upvotes. And we often have to give it to them. Quite a few of these memes capture some universal law, most of which we know but don't want to accept. Like, "some of your problems are your own fault, and won't get better until you actively do something about it" or "you can't make someone love you."

Bored Panda has compiled some of the most popular Hard to Swallow Pills, so continue scrolling, check out the memes, and upvote your favorites.

#1

Hard-To-Swallow-Pills

backwards_savage_ Report

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Jo Cooper
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of my favourite quotes; going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to the garage makes you a car.

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Clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst Mary Lamia, Ph.D., thinks that the notion that one is “in denial” seems to have taken on a life of its own as an agent of many ills and as a catchphrase for people who dismiss the implications of their behavior.

"Although denial is considered to be a defense often used by people with addictive tendencies, its attributions reach beyond those struggling with substances," Lamia pointed out. "Denial is also attributed to people who do not want to acknowledge that bad stuff is occurring in their lives, such as those who are attempting to cope with a tumultuous relationship, a life-threatening illness, obesity, a loss, or anything else that one may attempt to disavow."

Sure, we can deny a fact, deny responsibility, deny the impact of our actions, or even deny what is really going on by hiding from our feelings. But according to Lamia, when we use denial to defend ourselves or cope with what we feel, we contradict the reality of a situation or attempt to adjust to a circumstance by neglecting its impact. However, the extent of someone’s denial may not really be the issue at hand.

"What’s important is not that people recognize their denial, but that they are able to accept what they are feeling that leads to the denial in the first place," Lamia explained. "If someone excessively and habitually uses alcohol to medicate their anxiety, for example, we might emphasize their attempts to dismiss the harm that their use of alcohol will cause, rather than focus on the emotions they feel that motivate their denial. If that person stops drinking, one would hope the emotions that were formerly hidden by denial, which often have to do with shame, would be exposed and accepted by the individual."

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#3

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theschoolofsocialvalue Report

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postboredom
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Poor people have to work even harder than others, just to get a daily meal and shelter

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We not only use denial to hide from any negative emotion, including shame, fear, guilt, or distress but to mute positive emotions as well. "Sometimes feeling positively may be just as threatening as negative feelings. We may want to deny the reality of our emotions, because accepting a reality that is uncomfortable, painful, or incongruous to what we expect means we must also alter our perception of ourselves. Thus, if you are in denial, perhaps you are simply trying to ignore the truth about what you actually feel, rather than about what you are doing or thinking."

But if you want to move forward, you have to swallow the truth.

#5

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postboredom
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This applies to both guys and gals. Nobody is as kind as they think themselves are.

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#7

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Daria B
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's even harder to swallow the problems that are NOT your own fault, but it's UP TO YOU to clean someone else's poop to save your a*s.

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#8

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xrancorx Report

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ChimeraBubbles
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like this one. Re-evaluate your worldview every so often, visit other places, talk to people from other communities, read books, and so on. It's character building too.

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#10

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Monday
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm all for praying for those in need if that's what you believe in, but send a donation with that prayer.

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#12

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Daria B
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

True. And the nearer the end, the more I think of it. Viruses don't plan according to human made calendars. This could go on and on. And even after it's gone, the damage repair will still take a while.

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#15

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postboredom
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is the one thing every teenager (including me) has to understand. Not everyone has to like you, nor do they have to hate you. We just gotta let it be.

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H Edwards
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It can be a hard lesson to learn, but the sooner in life that you make peace with it, the happier you will be. If an overwhelming majority of people in your life think you are a jerk, however, then it's time for some self-reflection.

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slackjack
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone."

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Aria Whitaker
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of my favorite quotes about this..."You can be the juiciest, plump, most flavorful peach on the tree...and there will still be people who simply do not like peaches".....

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Vorknkx
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Being liked by everybody should never be your goal in life. It cannot be achieved, and besides - you'll only make yourself miserable while struggling to please people who don't even care about you.

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Stille20
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again, this seems to be only a certain kind of person who things this. I never expect everyone to like me... it's very freeing. Be kind, and then let it go.

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Lillukka79
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same. There have always been people I disliked, even as a child, so why should I be liked by everybody.

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kjorn
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

yep. i know people i Don't like. not because they are not good people it's just we Don't share the same interest

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Vicki Perizzolo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and you do NOT have to care that they don't like you - it doesn't affect them anyway.

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Louloubelle
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I learned this late in life. Most people that I've met in life have liked me (or appeared to). When I found people as an older adult that really didn't like me for any particular reason, it was a bit of a shock. And it is a difficult thing to come to terms with.

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JD Lee
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And when they make themselves known, walk away. It’s ok to not invite that nonsense into your life.

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MsLou
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is still difficult for me and I am in my 30s…

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can't please everyone so I'll just try to please me and the people that matter the most to me.

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Dragonfruit'nrollerskates
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No. Some people will just be jerks and try to tear you down, but you can't let that stop you.

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Iulia stratulat
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is one of the things I am teaching my daughter :) who will soon be 8. You don’t need to strive for everyone to like you. You need to be a good human being but you don’t need to consume so much energy in order to get all the people to like you because some will never do.

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elfin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And other people's opinion of you does not matter unless 1) they have power over you or 2) you let them into your head.

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Andy Johnson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

DON'T TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY, IT HAPPENED TO THE SON OF GOD AS WELL.

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Laura Maeflower
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a hard time with this truth. It's a difficult swallow that's for sure.

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Monica Michelle
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That one was freeing and hard. Negative reviews still dance on my few remaining feelings but they are getting funnier

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Robert Robi Z
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's why you should never work hard just to please the others

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lara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Whether or not people like you has nothing to do with you. It is them. Same with you, you meet someone and dislike them, it is on you. Now, if people dislike you after they get to know you, that is one thing, same thing, you dislike someone after you get to know them, then that's on them. But too many people are way too judgemental.

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Sean Harrison
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I get this a lot. I'm always the "bad guy" that no one likes. But I don't do anything to earn that, I'm a pretty decent guy. It's just that for some reason, people just don't like me (but no one has ever been able to say why, when I asked).

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Potato
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought you said in another post that people say you're a ”nice guy.” I’m starting to see the issue. Especially ”I don't do anything to earn it.” No accountability.

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#17

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H Edwards
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Smoking is a good example. Children of smokers are much more likely to take it up themselves.

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#19

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Ray Martin
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Possibly so, but believing that the Earth is flat, or that vaccinations don't work does make you stupid and deserving of ridicule.

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#21

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TheLloydGross Report

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Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The three big things needed in a relationship are trust, compromise and respect. Of course there are more like having each others back, liking the other person etc. Relationships are hard work, you need to make the effort to help it grow.

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#30

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digitaldegenarate Report

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Daria Z
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A hospital in my city has recently received a complaint from the family of a man saved from covid complications. Apparently, they didn't like that the doctor who saved him had tattoos and a nose ring. Isn't it bizarre?

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Note: this post originally had 65 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.