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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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jocooper73 avatar
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

Hard-To-Swallow-Pills

theschoolofsocialvalue Report

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flawziedh-123 avatar
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

Hard-To-Swallow-Pills

awkwardpotatoo Report

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flawziedh-123 avatar
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.

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

This qualifies for quite a number of people, independent of gender.

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

The 'nice guy' trope is a real thing that almost every woman has encountered at some point. I know it *can* apply to everyone, but it does seem more common with guys. Women don't usually go around complaining that they deserve to date a super hot guy because they (the woman) are so 'nice'.

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bp_10 avatar
WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Guys who describe themselves as "nice guy" are more likely to be controlling abusing mysogynists with a subscription to "Incels Unite" and 9Chan as their favorite bookmark.

manusal avatar
El muerto
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

sometimes we misjudge people. and idiots are very good at appearing appealing, for a while. really. nice people, are not nice to get laid, but for the sake of being nice. some people are just better at public relations...and also the person choosing, might not be as nice as they think they are either. man or woman...I wonder why is people stuck in that outdated thing, that is the male that is suppose to prove himself, while women are the ones to choose

semelinapitrone avatar
semelina pitrone
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think of myself as a dirty, lying, snake, piece of s**t, that won't let people in and ends up losing everyone's trust. The main thing that is keeping me from ending it all is the fact that people DO love me, and people DO care if I die tonight. And cowardice, that too... "To be, or not to be" is a question of suicide. Whether killing yourself would be brave (in actually taking that jab, or slice, or leap), or whether it is cowardly (you don't have enough in you to face the word, and life, and horror of existence). The point that I'm trying to make is that me and the people around me don't need voices telling them that they're worthless. We don't need more than is already in our heads.

brenthollett avatar
Brent Hollett
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I disagree in some respects. The nice guys who aren't really a******s, don't put themselves forward enough to be noticed. So while they're a nice guy, they're also overlooked guys.

f_h_ avatar
F. H.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is not restricted to relationships. If you professor tells you he's a nice guy, you might consider changing your degree progamme. I can't tell you how often I've heard lecturers in medicine call themselves a "benign character". Those are always the worst.

eaglegirl36 avatar
Eagle Girl
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reminds me of alert taught to kids "Adults never ask kids for directions. So if a car pulls up next to you,, Run! Same for your professor analogy.

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lesburleson avatar
Leslie Burleson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This whole myth is for young dumb girls. Real women and smart girls like the nice guys . Pick better girls

wh4ok avatar
Jon S.
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree, but very hard to 'pick a better girl' when you are a young man with little going for you and all the girls your age are dating obnoxious dickheads. I am so thankful that as we get older we make better choices in our partners.

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renate_stargardt avatar
Renate Stargardt
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was once with someone who looked like a "bad guy" to almost everyone. He just was an introvert , who really didn't care, what others think of him. He was a kind hearted guy who loved animals and bubble baths, was liked by my parents ... and treated me like a princess.

vt_shinomi avatar
Shinomi Chan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

*furiously pointing at this post whenever someone says: "they only like bad people!"*

damonrn avatar
Damon Gates
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's like being a hero or a "very stable genius": if you're calling yourself one, you aren't one.

peterkelly_1 avatar
Peter Kelly
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, only nice girls love nice guys. Unfortunately, most girls and most guys are not nice and that appears to be getting a greater proportion every minute.

adomax avatar
Dave Bak
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yup I agree I tell more about my badside then my good side I let u judge youserfel if I m good guys I telling that to my gf

niels-vogels avatar
Luniejuul
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can speak for myself when i say that this is unfortunally true.

iris-asdisar avatar
Iris
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And guys like nice girls, but you probably aren't as nice of a girl as you think you are. It's the year 2020, and there are still people out there who believe that all girls are nice but most guys bad ??!!! What the....!!

jade1445 avatar
Jonathan Litton
Community Member
3 years ago

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I've had a few girls physically attack me for being "too nice" in the sense that I wasn't sexually aggressive enough towards them, thus I must either be gay or into children.

sean_bullough avatar
Sean Harrison
Community Member
3 years ago

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I disagree, I've been told I was a "nice guy" way too many times, only to see her go and date a guy that treated her like property, hits her or is way too possessive (she has to ask permission to leave the house). I would never do that s**t to someone, but still can't get a date cause I'm too nice.

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

Maybe you should stop trying to date dysfunctional people? The reason you can't get a date is not because you're too nice. You're either: 1. Not in fact nice at all or 2. Are solely attracted to traumatized and emotionally damaged people. Either way, you need to work on yourself instead of blaming the women who reject you.

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istvan_kalincsak avatar
István Krisztián Kalincsák
Community Member
3 years ago

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If someone calls me nice, I block her on every platforms I am on...:P

reneberendsen avatar
Rene Berendsen
Community Member
3 years ago

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hahaha another Hard to Swallow pill: Girls don't know what they want or know what they like. Nice guys finish last isn't a saying just because. They may say the like nice guys, their actions speak otherwise.

mdr_1 avatar
Potato
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know exactly what I want. You just choose to believe otherwise because it doesn't align with what YOU want.

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sergioebay44 avatar
Sergio Serg
Community Member
3 years ago

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Another pill: just because your parents and family called and treated you girls like princesses doesn't actually mean you're a princess or even more special that anyone else. You're a princess to them not to the rest of the world. Get down from your high horse

mdr_1 avatar
Potato
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Another pill: just because you think highly of yourself doesn't mean you're qualified to give out advice, and it certainly doesn't mean you're better than others. Also, posting a picture of yourself with a dog doesn't mean you're a good person--Hitler loved dogs too.

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Russian Otaku
Community Member
3 years ago

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Except it is f*****g true. Hell even seen it myself when my friend was dumped and replaced by a abusive druggie. Same friend is married with kids now

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

Married to who? A woman, yes? Then you just proved your own argument invalid.

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#7

Hard-To-Swallow-Pills

rexxar-tc Report

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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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reddit.com Report

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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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petey_public Report

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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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dairyfreediva Report

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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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#17

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supportivefathers Report

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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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istherenofuckingusernameleft Report

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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

Hard-To-Swallow-Pills

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.