Sadness mixed with humor in a perplexing, chaotic, and confusing way—that’s what the r/FunnyandSad online group over on Reddit is all about. An old-hand on the net, having been founded in November 2013, it has since then grown into a community of nearly 700k members.
The subreddit does exactly what it says on the tin and documents posts from all over the net that are funny and sad at the same time. It’s a melange of laughing through tears (or is that crying while you laugh?) that will show you that life is far more varied and nuanced than the black-and-white we’re used to seeing on the news and on social media.
Sadness is a very natural part of life and we ought to embrace it, instead of running away from it. After all, we can’t be happy-go-lucky all the time (I would know, I tried). And while being sad can even have certain benefits, like improving our memory and judgment, getting stuck in negative thinking patterns and endless loops of sadness isn’t healthy for our mental wellbeing.
I had a quick chat with an expert in the field of psychology about how to identify what these negative thinking patterns look like and how focusing just on our failures, having black or white thinking, and holding ourselves accountable for everything that goes wrong all harm our mental health.
This post may include affiliate links.
Aw Man
It Was Worth A Shot
I Loved Him In Deadpool
Emma Morton, a researcher at the University of British Columbia, told Bored Panda that, for example, what we tend to focus on more, our successes or our failures, can influence our long-term mental health. For instance, hyper-concentrating on all the things that go wrong or could potentially go wrong can trap us in a perpetual loop of self-criticism and anxiety.
This, in turn, can lead to feelings of very low self-esteem and even depression which, in turn, can make us unwilling to ask for help and support even though we might desperately need both. However, there are other ways how we can end up trapped in negative thinking patterns, too.
I'm Fine.. Really
Found On Facebook
10 Year Challenge
“Negative thinking patterns can include only paying attention to failures and ignoring successes, black or white thinking (e.g., ‘If I get anything less than an A+ on this test, I’m a failure’), labeling oneself based on mistakes (e.g., ‘I’m a loser, an idiot’), [and] mind-reading (e.g., ‘Everyone will think I’m a loser for not getting this promotion’),” Emma went into detail with Bored Panda how we can end up being overly harsh with ourselves.
He’s Not Wrong...
Budgeting
My husband and I were curious a few days ago about how much rent we have paid to our current landlord. It's over 160k. The house we just found and got denied for is only 149k, lol
In Dystopia We Were Told To Trust
She continued, adding that another negative pattern includes “holding yourself personally accountable for things that go wrong and attributing successes to luck or the contributions of others (e.g., ‘I only got that award because nobody else applied’).”
Blind Bruh Moment
Mind Blowing How Accurate This Is!!!
He's Right
As such, having unrealistic expectations of what we’re capable of and being unreasonably demanding of ourselves can lead to “feelings of depression and worthlessness” that in turn “make it harder to reach out for help.” So while it’s perfectly fine to feel sadness, we all need to know when to ask for a helping hand if we find ourselves constantly stuck with only negative thoughts.
Mysterious Ways
Technically he only had eleven true friends. The other one was a toxic backstabber who literally sold him out.
I Feel We Are There Already
Well, It's True Isn't?
Hearing Impaired
You’re Not From Around Here Are You
"Cries In Millenial"
We’re Screwed
We All Panic Sometimes
Group Projects Are The Worst
Sad Truth
they are literally permanently embedded into your head, theres no getting rid of them
Uplifting Quote
Useless Job
So Close Yet So Far
That's Where It Began
London
Please
Totally. I am now halfway through my second health degree and my father still tells me what medical advice he got from the TV, and when I say, "No that is not correct info" he gets irritated, "I watched the thing on TV!!" Yes coz 6-8 years education on the subject has taught me absolutely nothing....What can you do...still love him...
Is Being Short Really That Bad
Sad Truth
In Germany there is the discussion to raise it to 68 and step by step to 70.
I will never get why they think people can work longer just because they tend to live longer. Living longer doesn’t makes anybody strong and healthy again.
Load More Replies...
(USA) I'm 55. I'm looking to start my own business so that I can be guaranteed a job past retirement age. Because atm I can't afford to ever retire.
Globally, retirement should be at age 60 so you can enjoy your golden years. 40 years of work is more than enough to pay for 20 years of retirement.
There are quite a few jobs where people cannot physically continue to do the jobs they used to do, ex. bricklaying, fire-fighting, emergency responding and the like... For those I think a phased-in retirement is the best option with a mentor/trainee phase as part of that so the experienced older folks can teach the less-experienced younger folks.
One of my coworkers just turned 70 and the other is 74. No plans to retire, they'll leave feet first in a pine box.
Yeah, the argument being we tend to live older nowadays but living longer doesn't mean living longer in good health!! We, french people, are critized a lot for going on strikes all the time but what I don't understand is how everyone else is NOT on strike all the time considering the employment conditions around the world... And the worst part is that governements are always showing other countries as examples "in this country they retire at 68, in that country they don't even have a public retirement plan" well, I'm very sad for them and we should not take them as models. I'm just saying...
Get rid of the cap, problem solved. This is one of the HUGE issues that is literally that easy to solve. Get rid of the f*****g cap!!!!
The government just want people to continue working till they die. Then they won't have to pay a pension!!!
It just seems like the plan is to not retire at all, you die first so you provide all you can for society until your last day on earth. You give your life to your work because your life depends on it... But we should all cherish who we are and the lives we have beyond work. Not just work, sleep, repeat, it's too depressing for me even though I love my job and my co-workers, but that can't be what life is all about.
It is being moved to 67, slowly. Will be fully implemented in 2029.
Load More Replies...
Imagine there's no heaven It's easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us And the world will be as one Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed…
Ours (UK) seems to be going up a year every year, people born in the early '50's are watching themselves never retire!
Government retirement benefit agencies just must seem to calculate that because life expectancy is so elevated now, that it must mean we are just healthier, and as a result, must needs be, work for more years than in the past. We actually are not healthier, and cannot afford health to be really frank about it. More people die in the U.S. from overwork than virtually any other "civilized" country in the world.
No kidding. I have had so many reversals of fortune over my lifetime, I will probably work until I die.
Yeah, and Europeans get ample vacation and sick time, not to mention lots of time off for becoming a parent.
In Denmark, it is being slowly raised to 75, or so. I can retire at 73,5 years old... IF I'm not dead by then.
People in the US retire all the time! You have to plan for your retirement and not just depend on the government to support you.
I think in the US it's supposed to be 65 but only for successful people. You have to pay into your retirement fund and match what they take out of your paycheck. Who can afford to do that though?
Actually most people can. People retire all the time.
Load More Replies... 
Thank you government for screwing over the younger generations by accumulating mountains of debt and letting the wealth distribution of the nation become so unbalanced.
Yeah, our country is awful... Like, people have to give money to the government and then they give it back to old people, who did the same thing when they were young... And one day, our own grandchildren will do the same thing for us. It is actual hell. You Americans and anyone from a non-socialist country are extremely lucky.
So our country is awful because we have a Social Security for retirees?
Load More Replies...
My husband is 75. He leaves the house at 5:30 AM to go to work. He works until 5 PM. We employ about 90 people. He is always the first one there, he opens, gets the computer up, and he is the last one to leave. He has NO INTENTION of ever retiring. And yes, he has hobbies and things he likes to do. But, he is no different from a lot of people his age and some older and some younger. Retirement is something you can do any time, but you are responsible for you, not someone else.
Depends from the system. If you are forced (like in my country) to pay hundreds of Euro every month in a pension system, than I expect from the government to operate a system that will work for me as well.
Load More Replies...
it depends on the person, i think 65 is gud enuff but if a person wanna retire early it is still ok
And Don’t Forget Student Loans
It's also because in the US you have to pay thousands of dollars in medical bills for prenatal care and labour and delivery, even if nothing goes wrong. You also get 2 weeks maternity leave, if you're lucky. A lot of people literally cannot afford to *have* a baby, let alone raise a child.
Motivation Is The Leading Cause Of Death On The China/Nepal Border
Life Can Be So Rewarding
So bloody true. The last couple of years has been one hit after the other and we aren't classed as poor. Struggling yes, poor no.
I Don't Know If I Would Trust Him With My Pets
"Millenials Are All Lazy And Entitled!"
Student Loans Put You Through College But Put You Through Debt For Much Longer!!
It Was So Beautiful
Welcome To The Show
I am a millennial (vowels are too expensive to rent) ' 'm ' m'll'n''l? (Ma'am you can't afford those apostrophes) mmllnl :(
Cause Your In New York
Spent $11.75 Growing Tomatoes This Year. Here's My Whole Harvest!
My single beet was a little bigger, but I planted Aton of veggies - got sick and all it takes is one day of neglect for everything to die in AZ summer temps (I’m new at this). I’m surprised your little tomato turned red so soon! Don’t they stay green in early growth? But what do I know - I get oddball things in my “garden” regularly. Going to try a fall planting this year. Your tomato is adorable. Keep trying!
I Wish
I Know It Hurts Sometimes But You'll Get Over It
Note: this post originally had 59 images. It’s been shortened to the top 45 images based on user votes.
This is the most diverse post I have ever seen- stupid stuff, dark jokes, sad stuff and everything, very confusing indeed
facts for some ppl, maybe confusing for others, depends on which country u come from
I think they mean it's confusing because you don't know whether to laugh or cry.
Load More Replies...
Clearly BP is not for you. Maybe go watch Tucker Carlson rant about "the left", or Ben Shapiro ask why crime hasn't been banned.
Load More Replies... 
This is the most diverse post I have ever seen- stupid stuff, dark jokes, sad stuff and everything, very confusing indeed
facts for some ppl, maybe confusing for others, depends on which country u come from
I think they mean it's confusing because you don't know whether to laugh or cry.
Load More Replies... Clearly BP is not for you. Maybe go watch Tucker Carlson rant about "the left", or Ben Shapiro ask why crime hasn't been banned.
Load More Replies... 