Life is too complex for smooth sailing. We all struggle with something. But turning a blind eye to our problems won't solve them.
Of course, that's easier said than done. So in an attempt to find out what issues people are running away from the most, Redditor u/Letmediebro made a post on the platform, asking other users: "What is a hard pill to swallow for most people?" And many replied!
From romantic relationships and parenting to mental health and self-image, the answers touched upon plenty of different topics. Here are the ones that got the most upvotes.
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LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK! (probably dealing with a bratty kid)
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."
Please read this then read it again and then read it AGAIN if it still doesn't sink in.
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.
Say it louder! And bisexual women do NOT want to have a threesome with their girlfriend and you!!! 🤬🤬🤬
Yes! This should be higher. Religions are an organized set of rules supposedly written by a otherworldly, incorporeal divinity. Stop and think about that for a second. Completely bonkers. It's a club, you go, you follow the rules, you pay the monthly fee, you mingle. If you break the rules you're either shunned away or you can pay an extra and all your sins are forgiven. Really. Bonkers.
Obviously they mean realistic things like a doctor.
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Yes! Parents, please stop telling your kids they're the center of the universe and the next president.
It is, because if you're truly passionate about something, if you really want it you will find a way to make ut happen, positive affirmations do work. It is possible to manifest things by truly believing they can happen.
Spent way too much time forcing myself to be something just because I had to commit and be a grownups. My mind was set and I tortured myself every single day going to school/work. I'm doing what I love now and studying/working, even when it has math involved, isn't torture anymore.
Exactly what should parents be telling their kids then exactly? Sorry little Bobby junior you're just dumb and poor and therefore you shouldn't even try? Is that more PC for you?!? Jeez-Louise people stop with the "toxic positivity" argument already you're a pessimist we get it the cup is half empty blah blah...
i want to be gerard way, mikey way, frank iero, and ray toro's best friends but guess what i cant :(
There is no try. Really. Youi can give yourself a few options but one of them will work if you work.
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Perhaps a more realistic way to phrase this sentiment would be "your circumstances do not define you, only your abilities." Or "You can do many things, not only what people expect from you." No amount of 'putting your mind to it' will make you a professional athlete if you lack the aptitude, but the fact that your father was a ditch-digger does not mean that you cannot rise to something more.
It's more like: find the thing that motivates you to pursue it. It's a positive feedback loop and when you found that, it's pretty powerful. Now, some won't ever find that one thing. Due to social, socio-economic, cultural, etc. circumstances. Or simply because their interests are broad so there isn't a one thing. But even the pursuit of finding those things that make you tick is worthwhile. And in my opinion the sole reason for living.
A valid hard truth for sure, and I've thought about this a lot lately. It seems to be a meme that's peculiarly strong in American culture. But this is a tricky ball of wax, b/c of course there've been times for so many of us where an attitude like this, even where it was somewhat illogical, may have helped us stay motivated in the pursuit of something, and the persistence paid off, sometimes enormously. So, should no one ever go for the unlikely dream? By that logic many of the most impressive achievements never would have been achieved. E.g. in her early days, J.K. Rowling could have, logically, just given up right? So there's no right answer on that.
Karma is a sh!tty concept. It leads to thinking if something bad happens to person, they somehow deserved it.
This is so important. Family members are often bullies you're conditioned to love and respect. If someone makes you feel bad they aren't doing so out of love, so why keep them around? Blood may be thicker than water and so much harder to clean up, but it isn't impossible and, I say it from experience, once you get some distance, they'll go on full surprised Pikachu mode and be twice as vicious about you. Maybe just my relatives.
This needs to be higher! So many people think that they can control others or that others can control them. How many times have we said things like "that person made me feel..."? No one can make someone else feel or think anything. We need to learn to take responsibility for our own reactions and responses to others, and to realize that although we may influence others, we can't control them either.
Sadly. Since my fiance of 14 years died in November 18, I feel like I'm standing still and the world is spinning too fast. Only our close friends and family cares, but it seems to you like the world should stand still for your immense, unbearable pain. And it is unbearable
Unless the situation just maimed you, in which case you working harder won't fix it.
And moving on doesn't always mean "forgetting about". Sometimes it just means accepting that it happened and refusing to let it guide your choices.
Note: this post originally had 80 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.
Just to clarify what’s happening here. We are all taking the obvious platitudes made into memes by a reddit user called “Let Me Die Bro” and freebooted by BP here as genuine insight into the human condition and profound universal truths? I personally believe that is just gross.
Thanks. I was getting irritated as l scrolled down the list.
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Dear Editors: I couldn't force myself past #3 because of the repetitive graphic. On. Every. Single. Entry. If you need eye-catching infographics, call me. Seriously: You could have done this entire piece without graphics -- and without the accompanying bandwidth suckage for your users.
Update: I did scroll up through the last three to see if perhaps I'd been a bit harsh in my judgment. No... It actually gets worse. Whoever made these graphics can't spell or punctuate, either. Add to that the boring, obvious observations, and this is probably the worst BP piece I've ever seen.
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When men are asked "what are you doing/thinking" and the answer is "nothing", we really are doing/thinking nothing. It's part and parcel of men's brains. We can do just nothing. Thinking nothing. Watch fishing.
It's not just a "man" thing. Women have the same feelings/ doings of "nothing" and that's fine too
Load More Replies... Xenophobia is still xenophobia, even if nation is "fancy to hate". Jokes about "drunk Russians" and KGB are no better then about "cunning Jews". Also, episode about Roma people with their tradition of killing parents to steal their daughter as a fiancee for their son was disgusting and racist, Criminal Minds!
Just to clarify what’s happening here. We are all taking the obvious platitudes made into memes by a reddit user called “Let Me Die Bro” and freebooted by BP here as genuine insight into the human condition and profound universal truths? I personally believe that is just gross.
Thanks. I was getting irritated as l scrolled down the list.
Load More Replies... Dear Editors: I couldn't force myself past #3 because of the repetitive graphic. On. Every. Single. Entry. If you need eye-catching infographics, call me. Seriously: You could have done this entire piece without graphics -- and without the accompanying bandwidth suckage for your users.
Update: I did scroll up through the last three to see if perhaps I'd been a bit harsh in my judgment. No... It actually gets worse. Whoever made these graphics can't spell or punctuate, either. Add to that the boring, obvious observations, and this is probably the worst BP piece I've ever seen.
Load More Replies... When men are asked "what are you doing/thinking" and the answer is "nothing", we really are doing/thinking nothing. It's part and parcel of men's brains. We can do just nothing. Thinking nothing. Watch fishing.
It's not just a "man" thing. Women have the same feelings/ doings of "nothing" and that's fine too
Load More Replies... Xenophobia is still xenophobia, even if nation is "fancy to hate". Jokes about "drunk Russians" and KGB are no better then about "cunning Jews". Also, episode about Roma people with their tradition of killing parents to steal their daughter as a fiancee for their son was disgusting and racist, Criminal Minds!
