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Big “just stop being sad” energy
“Have you tried just not having anxiety?”
this is why psychiatrists are useless most of the time–they’ve never experienced what you’re going through.
‘just have fun’ lol.
the entire reason you have anxiety is that you’re incapable of achieving that mindset. it takes A LOT of work to undo all those crossed wires.
this advice is like dumb shit in a hollywood movie, like when good will hunting is cured because he gets a hug and someone tells him that ‘it’s not your fault.’
I think it is unironically very funny that you used a toxic positivity Instagram post from “mr.psychologist” (not even a doctor, mind you) as evidence that psychiatrists (also not psychologists) are useless. Psychiatrists are the people who just diagnose your disorders and their role in treatment is largely oriented around referrals or pharmacology.
Psychotherapists, which is what I reckon you mean, are in fact quite skilled at building up that “mindset,” through empathy and practice, but they of course have to actually be psychotherapists for it to work. Yes, it is a lot of work. Many people seek out psychoyherapy and arrive at a social worker/counsellor that is trained more to keep you from killing yourself than mending long-term pathological patterns or psychological disorders.
I feel like this comment indicates a need to seek out a psychotherapist if you have the means to do so, it is worth it if you give it a shot.
I have a suspicion I would not be taking this blood pressure medication if my anxiety didn’t spike whenever I go to the doctor
Thanks I’m cured
>Just don’t worry bro lol
I guess I don’t want to shit on this advice too much, for non-pathological anxiety it can be helpful. Reframing situations to be less intense is a useful tool in your mental toolbox to alleviate stress.
However, pathological anxiety isn’t really related to the importance ascribed to a situation. Here’s some things that cause my anxiety to be an issue:
- Self-flagellation - Let’s spend the afternoon, evening and all night reliving every mistake I’ve made since childhood.
- Ego dystonic intrusive thoughts - “If you cut your throat with a sharp enough knife it won’t even hurt.” Thanks brain, very helpful.
- Nothing at all - “Hey who wants to have a panic attack for absolutely no reason? You do!”
I don’t think “Do it for fun” is amazing advice for these situations. I’ll stick to my meds and my doctor’s advice.
What if I don’t think those things are fun?
I’m supporting my family for fun!
Dreading that colonoscopy? Woo-hoo! Make it party time!
Also remeber, that the other person is either masking or also “doing it for fun”.
Edit: i mean it with “person”. Ghouls and zombies don’t count.
Think heart surgeons follow this mantra?
Heart surgeons when the patient’s heart explodes and they’re out of mega babboon hearts to use.
Yes and take a breath or two and smile as you do!
From time to time I get into this headspace and it really make my life easier, it is just hard to get to the zone.
“Do it with fun or not at all”
This is free advice from a medium expensive counselor who mostly works on insurance reimbursement:
Most modern pop psychology is finding a way to repackage “try not to think about it” into more palatable terms because a great deal of “mental illness” is directly attributable to systemic issues that have no end in sight
Yeah, so much of that fringe pseudosciency pop psychology self-help stuff says shit like “don’t be a victim” and that just has “erasure of systemic violence” written all over it.
It’s so concerning how many people seem to be eating that shit up though. I think it has a lot to do with the large-scale drop-off of empathy we’re seeing. “Toxic positivity” does that.
This shit is being pushed by the marketing industry working for profit, not clinical researchers trying to improve patient outcomes. It drives me insane to see it catching on…
systemic issues that have no end in sight
Some would disagree, just ask scientists how long the current trajectory can remain.
It’s easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.
It’s more that capitalism is causing “the end of the world”. Between now and the total deaths of all life on earth, I remain hopeful that there will be some positive systematic change before it gets too far.
My moneys on us getting revenge during the death rattle.
The US is normal is now as old as ((the average lifespan of a civilization))
We can hope, and make our moves for something better
That was probably true about the divine right of kings, hundreds of years ago. Things change
It changed because private citizens were able to join together and accumulate enough wealth to match the private treasuries of a local monarch and fund private armies to act as revolutionary elements that threatened their local monarch with overwhelmingly disproportionate strength and forced them to capitulate.
Yes, because science can be used to show measurable ways the world is actively ending right now.
I’m not a therapist but I’ve certainly visted more than my share.
“try not to think about it” is pretty much the antithesis of modern therapy.
directly attributable to systemic issues that have no end in sight
this part is true.
Broadly there are several potential solutions:
Firstly, changing the way that we think about events. If my company is insolvent would that mean I’m a bad business person or would it mean the economy is a mess. This is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - changing the behavior of our thought processes.
Secondly, accepting that things might go wrong and not being paralysed by that fear. My company might become insolvent, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if it did, I’m going to take action to mitigate that problem. This is Acceptance Commitment Therapy - accepting the risk of bad things and committing to some kind of action.
Thirdly, living in the moment, observing thoughts both positive and negative coming and going. This is mindfulness.
In summary, anxiety or worry is a healthy and normal part of human existence. We’re hard wired to avoid threats and we do that by foreseeing risks and planning around them. Trying not to worry is how the healthy and normal experience becomes debilitating.
I’m sure a real therapist will be along any moment to tell me all about how wrong my summary is. I’m ok with that.
“Doc, I feel like I’m always being watched and the world is hurdling towards ruin”
1976: you’re paranoid and crazy
2026: sometimes being well-informed can be mentally taxing and you need to take a break
I think the advice is true for things you can not realistically change. But finding out if you can’t change it or why something is bothering you is key here.
For me existential dread was a sign of my body to take the next step and start a family.
I think the post is great advice not communicated clearly.
Don’t try making yourself believe important things are unimportant, practice.
Apply for a job you don’t want or need. Get documents when you’re already qualified for a fast track and could skip at any time. Do the long procedure just to see if it was possible had the other ways not worked out.
Have something changed that really doesn’t matter.This is calling for bureaucracy training.
I’m sure the end of most of these issues is in sight through the right scope!
because a great deal of “mental illness” is directly attributable to systemic issues that have no end in sight
But absolutely nothing in the screenshot is attributable to systemic issues that have no end in sight 🤔 Anxiety around the things he listed can literally be cured through just doing them, aka exposure
A job interview that determines if you will have food this week is a systemic issue
