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.
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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
Oof
"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
same for me too! and it caused me to not hear everything else read out loud.
Same! I had such anxiety about speaking in class but I was always reading above my age group. There were kids that stumbled over words I thought were easy and they had no problems. What was wrong with me? I have no problems now, 30+ years later lol
Load More Replies...Same here! But sometimes I got mixed up or a kid skipped their turn so I had to read a different text instead and messed up.
Wait...someone else did this too?!?! I thought I was the only one! I should probably find an online support group now.
I have amazing reading comprehension, got a masters degree in political theory, I can't read "See Spot Run" out loud. I completely skip over words and just stumble through the whole thing, suddenly can't sound out words I have said every single day all of my life. Reading aloud is a skill that not every one has. I suck at it. You would never know I read upwards of 100 books a year, you would assume I couldn't read at all.
I'm somewhat of an a**clown , but my ability to laugh at myself has been my truest saving grace. Don't fear mistakes. Literally everyone makes them. The US built a spacecraft and it was a collaboration between countries. When it went into space it exploded immediately when it left Earth's atmosphere.They built it incorrectly because one was using metric measurements and one was using US standard , and all those geniuses didn't notice. Mistakes are ok , and they're a lot less painful when you can laugh about it
I'd just do thar because I often didn't pay attention and just wanted to remember which part was mine
I did the same but motsly because all the other kids read too slowly and I was bored and wanted to read ahead. So I counted what part will be mine to not be lost when it was my turn.
I spent most of those days with the principal, because I refused to make a fool of myself. I could read better than most in my class, but my speaking abilities made me look like the slowest of the school. I hated them for trying to force me to do what made me uncomfortable but chose to refuse to take part in their psychological torture rather than “just do it like everyone else “. I was an still am fully aware of my limitations. It’s a shame adults don’t care about that when it comes to children.
My friend did that for me actually, because in the morning I was always having a hard time staying awake and keeping my eyes open, so when my turn came he'd give me a discret nudge and point his finger to the line in the book I was supposed to read.
I volunteered to be the first to read. This got me out of answering questions. Soon I got good at reading out loud.
I thought my anxiety started in adulthood but my sister told me she took me to the ER when I was like 6 because I had an anxiety attack. I was like oh I’ve always been this way okay. Then I remembered other anxiety attacks and I was like oh yeah I forgot
I am Asian and we did that as well. Although in case of my class, it was almost always math. I never had to do it for reading out loud or anything like that but we had math quizes often on the board and if you solved the equation wrong, you'd be humiliated in front of everyone. In Asian societies, teachers are respected and you won't dare to cross them.
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
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
Hitting A Little Too Close To Home
Economic Generation Gap
Doesn't Look Like An Improvement To Me
I'm Not Surprised At The Stupidity
Two Problems In Life
Fun Fact
R.i.p
Keeping It Cool...
Poor Bastard
Rip Gam Gam
Pretty Much
Teachers In The 90s
At the risk of repeating myself from the last time this appeared on a BP post - the teachers weren't *lying*. Teachers in the 90s didnt have crystal balls to predict the future. A Nokia 3200 cost over £750 in 1993, which didnt exactly suggest they would be affordable to everyone (and this was a brick phone that didnt even have a calculator function). Knock it off with saying 90s teachers should've foreseen the iPhone.
Target Only
Uno
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...