With thousands of disturbing pictures circling online, disgust culture has been captivating netizens for quite some time.
While it might seem like a strange behavior that the human species exhibits, scientists have found that this emotion has evolved to seize our attention. Some might even find it pleasant due to our tendency to seek out negative experiences without facing real danger.
Such enthusiasts might find the “Make Me Suffer” online community just the right place for them. From concerning injuries to creepy crawlers, it contains posts that may disturb you for a while but won’t cause any physical harm. Scroll down to feel a little thrill; after all, the benefits of adrenaline can be surprisingly positive.
While you're at it, make sure to check out a conversation with psychologist and founder and CEO of the Private Therapy Clinic, Dr.Becky Spelman, who kindly agreed to tell us more about human nature and disgust.
This post may include affiliate links.
Suddenly My Life Isn’t So Bad
A diagram of how John Jones was stuck for 27 hours in a cave before passing away
Black Widow Bite
Black widow got me on the back of my right knee while I was sleeping
Dislocated My Ankle At A Trampoline Park (18m)
Bored Panda reached out to psychologist and founder and CEO of the Private Therapy Clinic, Dr.Becky Spelman, to find out why so many people enjoy searching for or sharing disturbing images online.
She told us, "The captivation with disgust, particularly in the context of sharing disturbing images online, such as on the subreddit “Make Me Suffer,” can be attributed to several psychological factors. Firstly, there's a phenomenon known as "benign masochism," where people derive pleasure from experiences that are initially perceived as negative.
This can include watching scary movies, eating extremely spicy food, or, in this case, viewing disturbing images. It's a form of thrill-seeking, where the knowledge that these experiences are not actually harmful allows people to enjoy the sensation of being "disgusted" in a safe environment. Additionally, there's a social aspect: sharing and discussing these images can create a sense of community and shared experience, which can be appealing."
I've Had Worse Dates
A friend of mine sent me this. This is her dates house.
Went 20 Years Without Brushing Teeth
please buy this man toothpaste. actually, no. buy me eye bleach
Was Eating Fried Rice And I Bit Into A F*cking Cockroach
Psychologists who study disgust explain that it’s one of the six basic emotions that define and explain humanity. It shapes our behavior, etiquette, new technology, and even relationships. The feeling is responsible for us wearing deodorant and perfume, inventing a knife and fork, and even starting a viral TikTok trend that points out our partner’s “icks.”
According to Spelman, some people use it as a coping mechanism as well. "Engaging in activities that are slightly unpleasant or discomforting but ultimately harmless can provide a sense of control and a way to confront fears or anxieties in a controlled setting. It's a way to experience and process negative emotions in a context where the individual feels safe and in control. This can be therapeutic and help in building resilience against stress and anxiety."
You Know How Women Just Back Up To The Toilet And Sit Down? I'm So Glad I Looked
I Turned Away For Maybe Two Minutes And A Fly Laid Eggs On My Pizza
Ten Years Ago Today I Got A Pencil Stuck In My Foot
Your foot looks pretty good for having walked around on a broken pencil for 10 years.
Darwin initiated disgust studies when he described an encounter in “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals” with a “savage” who poked the cold, preserved meat he was eating, showing “utter disgust at its softness.” In return, he was repulsed by a stranger sticking his fingers in his food.
My Tooth Has Long Roots
I originally posted my #18 molar a year ago but the subreddit has been removed. Short story is every time I’ve ever went to the dentist they always tell me I have “long roots” so I asked the dentist if I could see have it after it was removed because of an abscess
Til Urethral Sounding Is A Thing People Do
Accidentally Dropped A Fork And Stepped On It
Has since been removed, and recovered well. No serious damage was done (very luckily) despite being nearly 3cm deep in my foot
Following this, one of the most important works on this paradox was Aurel Kolnai's, who pointed out that it often holds “curious enticement.” He assigned smell, taste, sight, and touch as the senses through which this feeling enters our system and pointed out hearing as a weak transmitter of disgust.
My Finger Got Caught In An Hydraulic Press At Work. No Idea How I Still Have A Finger. Nothing Broken, Just Sh*tty To Look At And Hurts Like Hell
About 8 Years Ago On Halloween I Went To Clean My Face And Grabbed What I Thought Was A Clump Of Makeup In My Eyelash And Pulled..... Yeah, It Was My Artificial Tear Duct
Just Pulled This Out Of My Patient’s Ear
Andras Angyal argued that it extends beyond the senses and includes the associations we attribute to them. He illustrated his statement by referring to a time he was walking through a field and smelt the pungent, decaying smell of an animal. The moment he realized it was only glue he found the odor “quite agreeable.”
Psoriasis Sucks. ~97% In October Of 2022, Just Before Starting Humira
I have exactly this type of psoriasis! It feels like a chemical burn, surging from the inside out. It is one of the most painful experiences I have ever felt! Luckily a biologic like Cosentyx or Humira will keep these flare ups at bay. Unfortunately in the US without insurance one injection can cost $2000.00. It is definitely a crime in and of itself.
I have psoriasis and this comment is 1000% true
Load More Replies...Poor thing. I have - had - psoriasis for 30 years until the magic injection a year ago. i have zero psoriasis now 🥳
I'm in the Psoriasis group on Facebook and people in there have it a lot worse. I am grateful mine is nowhere near this bad but it is causing me problems. Having a shower or bath makes it look worse as it brings out the redness
Load More Replies...One of my uncles had terrible Psoriasis going back like 30 some years, at the time the only treatment was UV light bath for 30 minutes a day. He had a medically prescribed tanning column.
Mine cleared up during the 1st lockdown as we had a heatwave and I just laid outside in the garden all day every day for a few months. Sadly it all came back.
Load More Replies...This happened to my wife. Not quite as severe but she had to do head to toe covering of a medicated Vaseline type medicine then cotton pajamas over the top of the ointment. A couple of times a day at first until the humira began working. It's now controlled but occasionally she will do a skin treatment. It's really frustrating for her but it's improved drastically. She has Psoriatic arthritis.
Occasionally I'd fill in at work for a woman I never met because of the shift of 4 AM to 1 PM. Anyway, others on the shift were talking about her and asking how can psoriasis be painful? I didn't know I told them but as a kid, I'd almost be hospitalized because I'd get poison oak all over every square inch of my body and yes it was painful.
May not like this, but as a cartoon enthusiast, i know that Daffy Duck canonically has Psoriasis, if i remember correctly now :/
Well damn, I was on that for UC it's actually what caused my psoriasis and even though it's supposed to help with it, it didn't help at all and it stopped working for my UC as well, Currently using entyvio infusions for treatment, would definitely recommend if you're looking for a new medicine to control UC. Now that I've switched the psoriasis is slowly healing my scalp and the front of my shins are the worst.
My husband also use Humera, he has no symptoms of Psoriasis or Arthritis. Humera however is very expensive
wow. That's really a bad case. Mine was not nearly as bad. Taltz did it for me.
My dad had it, he never wore shorts and rarely wore t-shirts when I was younger he wore them sometimes, but I don’t remember ever seeing him wear one when I was older, always shirts that went past the elbow.
Write Doug Kaufmann of "Know the Cause" and send pictures. It looks fungal to me.
My step dad did scrub with sea water and it surprisingly helped a lot. Obviously we are living near sea...
My Xray After Breaking My Back
My Buddy Has Trenchfoot
I remember my 'Medicine in Vietnam' movies in Basic. S**t like this happens when you're in wet boots for weeks, you have to cut the laces at the very least to get them off.
Paul Rozin continued the studies and coined the term “benign masochism,” which describes “enjoying initially negative experiences that the body (brain) falsely interprets as threatening.” That’s why some people are captivated by horror movies, spicy food, bungee jumping, and cursed or disturbing photos online. They put themselves in situations that cause fear, pain, or disgust without posing any tangible threat.
Severe Scalp Plaque Psoriasis
Tasty Cystic Flavor
My Brother's Toe Nail He Refuses To Care For. Total Pork Rind
Somebody take toenails away from this man. He's lost the privilege
His famous tragedy “Titus Andronicus” contains, as some might say, as much gore as our current slasher movies. Professor of English and Art History, Clark Hulse, estimated “14 killings, 9 of them on stage, 6 severed members, 1 sexual abuse (or 2 or 3, depending on how you count), 1 live burial, 1 case of insanity, and 1 of cannibalism—an average of 5.2 atrocities per act, or one for every 97 lines.”
Just Had This Popped At The Hospital!
Neck? Arm? Leg? What are we looking at here and where's that banana when you need it?
Ate Part Of This Today And Didn’t Realize It Was Moldy
This is a tuna sandwich FYI… I bought it at my college. I threw up after this
My Ankles After Dancing A 12 Hour Shift At The Club
To add, after my shift was over and the club was closing, I fell down at the DJ booth when my ankle gave out and scraped my shin on the stairs. This was working from 2pm-2am. It was about 4am by the time I got home. Taking my boots off at the end of the night was so lovely
During that period, people were quite desensitized to such spectacles, gathering to view public executions where criminals were left to hang on chains so the public could see them for an extended amount of time. They would also watch doctors perform autopsies in open anatomy theaters, while pharmacists displayed human body parts before mixing them into medicine, a practice called “medicinal cannibalism.”
Very Bad Inflammation After Tooth Extraction
Found On Fb. I Can’t Stop Gagging
I Think I Removed Some Brain Matter When I Took Out My AirPods
However, Spelman warns that while engaging in benign masochistic behaviors can have some benefits, there are potential risks and negative consequences.
"If not kept in balance, these behaviors can escalate, leading to a desensitization to disturbing content, which might require increasingly extreme experiences to achieve the same emotional effect. There's also a risk of normalizing or becoming insensitive to real-world violence and suffering.
Additionally, if these behaviors are used as a primary coping mechanism, they might prevent individuals from developing healthier emotional processing and coping strategies. It’s important for individuals to monitor their engagement with such content and ensure it doesn't interfere with their emotional well-being or social functioning."
When They Move Out But Don’t Clean Their Fridge
My Sons Baby Tooth Won’t Fall Out. Dentist Won’t Remove It
New Car Guys What You Think?
Huge Ring Worm Infection
Ringworm is basically athletes foot someplace other than your feet. If you can't have it seen soon enough by a doctor you can start treating it with the same OTC stuff you'd use for athletes foot, such as Tinactin.
I Didn't Know I Was Supposed To Take Apart My Foot Scrubber And Clean It. I Wondered Why It Smelled Like Death
My Brother Pulled This Out Of His Belly Button
Tower Made From Chewing Tobacco Spit And Cigarette Butts. Please Excuse Me While I Toss Myself From The Nearest Balcony
A Friend Had A Molar Removed. This Was Stuck In His Gum For Nearly 3 Weeks
Went Surf Fishing And Served Up A Giant Meal To The Mosquitos
I sprayed my arms, legs, and back of my neck. Apparently they were able to get through my shirt as I was leaving forward in a chair
This is why we ask others to help us apply stuff, folks. WGAF if people look at you funny. Better to look goofy getting help with bug spray and sunscreen than to end up like this or as red as a cooked lobster.
Check Your Shoes
My Ear Just Pooped Out This Juicy Nugget
This one almost came out a week ago but decided to head back in to bake a little longer. Felt a sharp pain in my ear, scratched, and felt it rattling around right at the entrance. Got it the rest of the way with some tweezers
My (Dishwasher) Coworkers Cup He Uses To Drink Water All Day Every Day
I don't think he's ever washed it once in his life
He washes dishes all day long! You can't expect him to wash dishes off the clock too.
Doesn't Necessarily Hit Home As Some Other Posts But I Am Very Much Suffering
My Grandmother's Fryer
My Garlic Powder Jar This Morning
Play Bass They Said. It's Cool
Slow down and let the calluses build up. I haven't actually played in like 2 years and the fingers on my left hand still feel like they have a layer of cement on one side.
I Have Moderate-Severe Scalp Psoriasis And Have To Scrape My Scalp Several Times A Week. This Is The Result Of A Single Session After Having Already Done It A Few Days Prior. (Penny For Scale)
This Stuff Has Just Got Out Of The Box Of Juice I’ve Been Drinking Since Yesterday. Am I Screwed?
I Went To A Spam Themed Birthday Party, Complete With A Spam Cake
Icing is garlic mashed potatoes, “cake” is spam slices with cranberry filling, all topped with a “spamera” for the birthday boy. 9/10 would recommend
Got My Toe Amputated
Tonsil Stone That's Been Stuck For Weeks, Finally Got It Out
Less Than One Second Of Boiling Water - Felt Zero Pain Because It Happened So Fast
had almost the exact burn when I was young. It almost healed perfectly. you wont notice a scar or nothing except for that one spot that itched like MF when it was almost healed. I scratched the s**t out of it so I have this ugly scar tissue over it now the fleshy part near the thumb area
I Was Bitten By Something While I Was Sleeping Over A Month Ago
I live in the UK, I’m not sure what it could have been
Foot After 4 Days Of Military Training
your boots must have either been soaking wet or you walked through a swamp the entire week
Moth In Hair After Not Washing It For 3 Months
Eye Really Need A Doctor
Patient according to Reddit (OP) had a corneal ulcer and something else. They removed the eye in the end sadly.
Got A Bug In My Eye.. Hours Ago
Doctor Subreddit Didn’t Reply Lol, I Need Help For The Love Of God There Is Something Wrong With My Foot
Kitchen Hell
Fridge At A Jobsite
I'm Getting My Wife A New Comb For Christmas
Broke My Arm A Couple Of Years Ago And This Is How It Healed
Ball Of Dead Skin
Let Me Introduce To You: My Wrist After Wearing Any Watch
Spend 3h Killing 200+ Worms That Spawned In My Apartment Literally Out Of Nowhere, I Still Don't Feel Safe Here
Came From My Belly Button Send Help
Royal jelly. Lots more where this came from
At A Friends House
Intentional Or Idiocy?
My Dad Said His Back Was Hurting
My Daughter Deserved A Donut For Being A Good Listener And Received A Punishment Instead (A Bug Donut). Thanks Krispy Kreme!
My poor 3yr old daughter, finished her donut and didn’t tell me until after she was done eating almost all of it that there’s a fuckin bug in her donut on the last bite.. How disgusting, thanks krispy!
This is a crime on donut kind!! The bug shall pay!!!
Delicious School Burger
Found This On Twitter
My Broken Wrist(Needed Surgery)
Who Does This
This Thing My Sister Has On Her Sole. No Doctor Could Tell Her What This Is And Where It Came From. Still Waiting For Diagnosis
This *used* To Be Water
I can't remember the last time I even saw this bottle lmao
Reusing Listerine
more accurate label at this point would be "causes bad breath, plaque & gingivitis"
My Toes After Running A 50k
Can Somebody Tell Me What Exactly Is Up With My Foot? How Can I Fix This?
Needle Got Stuck In My Stomach, Nurse Said In All Her Years She Hasn’t Seen This Happen Before
Picture taken by my mom, who had to pull it out because I was hysterical
My Face After God Knows What
The Urinal Divider In My Work Bathroom Is Rusting Away From Decades Of Piss Splashing/Bad Aim
My Sister Microwaves Bananas
Girlfriend Dug This Out From A Lump On Her Arm
Looks like a desiccated cyst. Sometimes they form in pores and you can squeeze them out.
Bin Juice Stalactites
Lucky me gets to weld under this oil tank in a garbage truck, yay….
Everytime I Wear My Shoes This Happens (Pretty Sure It’s Dead Skin Cells)
It coats my shoes and smell
Ffs, wear socks and remove the dead skin from your feet, that's just laziness
Dropped A Weight On My Fungus Toe At The Gym
Grain Of Rice Lodged In My Fresh Wisdom Tooth Hole
Got it Removed two days ago, I wonder if the wound will close over the grain.
This Just Developed On My Back Anyone Know What It Is??
This Was Stuck Up My Nose For 12 Hours Until I Blew It Out At 5am
There's A Maggot Inside My Earphone. I Have No Ideia How It Ended Up There. I'm Afraid There Might Be More. Help
My Acne Starts Breaking Out Again, Here's Some Of The Whiteheads
What The Hell Was In This Chicken Breast
I Get Dandruff On My Arms And This Is How It Decided To Form Today
Found The Fruit Fly Problem. In A Bottle Of Vinegar
They don't come from there, they like it and drown. It's a fruit fly trap.
Stink Jar
I've collected everything from poop to pieces of roadkill to expired food and put it in this jar I let sit for almost 7 years to see what would happen i call it my stink jar I need a science person to mail a sample to see if they're is anything interesting going on out of curiosity
There are some nuggets of knowledge I'm willing to forego. This is one of them.
I'm Not Kink Shaming But
Thought you guys might appreciate my tampon string collection
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why was this in the funny section and why did I read through the whole thing
*slaps knees and gets up* WELP so long everyone it's been a treat now if you'd please excuse me while I jump from a window
Friendly reminder to NOT F*****G READ IT AND / OR DOWNVOTE IT IF YOU DON'T WANNA READ IT. It's not like a regular meme page with a random gross picture, this was a post with the title clearly saying what it was.
Nah, usually I'm absolutely fine with gross stuff. 99% of the time I'm the one dealing with the absolutely gross stuff. But this was nearly a little tiny bit too far.
Shout out to all the pandas who finished this post and at least brushed their teeth again! I still gargled the mouthwash, scratched my head in disgust and examined the soles of my feet. My personal story in a nutshell: I stubbed my toe and got a black nail, put nail polish to hide it over and over again, then thought I had nail fungus, nope, it was darkening and brittleness from the nail polish. Embarassing.
I got four images in, then skipped down to here. The thumbnail is the guy who got stuck down a hole. That is creepy and terrifying, but I can deal with that. It's the proper disgusting things I can't deal with - teeth not brushed for 20 years? Fly eggs on pizza? NOPE.
I wish I read the comments before I started to read this. I stopped at the toe. I don't think I can finish my coffee.
✨ unsee juice ✨ oh wait I can’t attach it to this. I’ll see if I can attach it to a reply.
Okay, that worked. E686A5DB-F...1a-png.jpg
Load More Replies...Couldn't get all the way through it and I am normally fine with disgusting stuff
Why the hell did I read this. I made it to no. 20, then skipped to here. I also googled stuff y'all told me not to Google. Somebody kill me please so that I cannot do this again!
why was this in the funny section and why did I read through the whole thing
*slaps knees and gets up* WELP so long everyone it's been a treat now if you'd please excuse me while I jump from a window
Friendly reminder to NOT F*****G READ IT AND / OR DOWNVOTE IT IF YOU DON'T WANNA READ IT. It's not like a regular meme page with a random gross picture, this was a post with the title clearly saying what it was.
Nah, usually I'm absolutely fine with gross stuff. 99% of the time I'm the one dealing with the absolutely gross stuff. But this was nearly a little tiny bit too far.
Shout out to all the pandas who finished this post and at least brushed their teeth again! I still gargled the mouthwash, scratched my head in disgust and examined the soles of my feet. My personal story in a nutshell: I stubbed my toe and got a black nail, put nail polish to hide it over and over again, then thought I had nail fungus, nope, it was darkening and brittleness from the nail polish. Embarassing.
I got four images in, then skipped down to here. The thumbnail is the guy who got stuck down a hole. That is creepy and terrifying, but I can deal with that. It's the proper disgusting things I can't deal with - teeth not brushed for 20 years? Fly eggs on pizza? NOPE.
I wish I read the comments before I started to read this. I stopped at the toe. I don't think I can finish my coffee.
✨ unsee juice ✨ oh wait I can’t attach it to this. I’ll see if I can attach it to a reply.
Okay, that worked. E686A5DB-F...1a-png.jpg
Load More Replies...Couldn't get all the way through it and I am normally fine with disgusting stuff
Why the hell did I read this. I made it to no. 20, then skipped to here. I also googled stuff y'all told me not to Google. Somebody kill me please so that I cannot do this again!