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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

Hard-To-Swallow-Pills

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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awkwardpotatoo Report

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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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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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#9

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StorkSlayer Report

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

The past four years have illustrated it. The orange moron has given his supporters reason to think they can.

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

And will feel all butt hurt if you try to hold them accountable... see above...

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

Shout out to every spineless manager or emotionally removed corporate!

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

Being a good person can often feel unrewarding and it takes a lot of energy, especially when you're exposed to said s****y behaviors. I used to think most people were at least trying, growing older made me doubt it, COVID-19 proved most people are actually selfish.

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

Yep. GIVE YOUR KIDS SOME LIMITS PEOPLE. (Especially teens.) Sure sometimes they might be innocent but if they're the innocent party ALL THE TIME. Chances are someone's lying.

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

People are emboldened by example: the highest office in the land.

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

Oh yes and 2020 has a proven case has it not. This year has once and for all made sure that I do not particularly like the human race with some exceptions.

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

Look up the shopping cart theory. It sums up that people usually do something out of consequences, not if it right or not.

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

And another significant section will behave as excellently as they can.

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

And way too many of them go into politics. And way too many people vote for them.

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

AND AFTER YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, IT COULD QUALIFY YOU AS A "CONTRIBUTOR" WITH CNN?

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

This is the BLM movement in a nutshell! And democrat leaders around the country legalizing rioting and looting!

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

Vast majority of the protest are peaceful and you know it. Meanwhile the Republicans are dismantling your democracy and you couldn't care less. The rest of the world looks on in horror.

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

'They are only as good as the world allows them to be....'

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

I see you are providing an excellent example of people being as s****y as they possibly can.

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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

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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.