[A Red Panda]

First off - I have been extremely irritable for about three weeks now. I'm doing a decent job of keeping it to myself and NOT snapping like my brain consistently wants to... but it's hard and it's draining.

And currently, my biggest ire (as in the biggest thing to piss me off in the past 3 minutes) are all the little positive sayings that float around on fb in pictures.

Things like "As you waste your breath complaining about life out there is someone breathing their last. Appreciate what you have, be thankful and stop complaining. Live more, complain less. Have more smiles, less stress."

And other such things.

I understand the concept, sure. But it's SOOOO infuriating to read them all the time because FFS, if I could just change my brain around I WOULD F****** DO IT. Hell, it's what I am trying to do ALL day EVERY day. I can list loads of reasons why I SHOULD be grateful and happy. But it doesn't mean that I FEEL that way. And then I feel guilt over the fact that I can't change my brain around like these people all seem to think I should be able to!

It just feels really invalidating, because it's like... clearly these people don't understand how depression and this sort of s*** works. If I'm honest with them and show them or talk to them about how I feel, am I going to be considered an ungrateful little s***? Are they going to think that I'm CHOOSING to be this way?? Are they going to tell me that I should just try harder and that things will be better??

It just is frustrating me, and I needed somewhere to blurt it out. I don't like having to lie and pretend to such a huge extent!

[Grindstone]

I understand completely. Positive thinking without meds (for a bipolar person--me especially) contributes to my feelings of failure if I can't pull it off. Reminding myself 'This too Shall Pass' works much better for me. It's more realistic but still somewhat positive.

***** facebook (and tweeter and instantgram and the other interweb social medias). There are plenty of studies showing that facebook makes people more depressed, although that's not the reason I avoid it. Those cheery slogans must be aimed at people who are gratuitously whiny and complain about stupid **** (most people) instead of people with serious mental problems but they still really get my goat. I was just watching the olympics and they kept showing this one USA woman luger dancing around all happy ("to beyonce" they announced) and that even pissed me off. I get really angry at happy, positive people when I'm very depressed (like now), let alone some BS slogan telling me to cheer up.

[hamster-bamster]

An obvious retort would be:

As you waste your breath giving unsolicited advice, ...

And WITH meds as well….
I hate it too. Rant away! Nothing like the sunshine out their behinds crowd to make me want to… well.. get positively negative! And grab a pitchfork.

Originally Posted by A Red Panda

.. (as in the biggest thing to piss me off in the past 3 minutes)...

Thanks for the laugh…

I HATE those damned memes! I think they do more damage than good. Life is not so black & white.

[likewater]

Originally Posted by A Red Panda

First off - I have been extremely irritable for about three weeks now. I'm doing a decent job of keeping it to myself and NOT snapping like my brain consistently wants to... but it's hard and it's draining.

And currently, my biggest ire (as in the biggest thing to piss me off in the past 3 minutes) are all the little positive sayings that float around on fb in pictures.

Things like "As you waste your breath complaining about life out there is someone breathing their last. Appreciate what you have, be thankful and stop complaining. Live more, complain less. Have more smiles, less stress."

And other such things.o

I understand the concept, sure. But it's SOOOO infuriating to read them all the time because FFS, if I could just change my brain around I WOULD F****** DO IT. Hell, it's what I am trying to do ALL day EVERY day. I can list loads of reasons why I SHOULD be grateful and happy. But it doesn't mean that I FEEL that way. And then I feel guilt over the fact that I can't change my brain around like these people all seem to think I should be able to!

It just feels really invalidating, because it's like... clearly these people don't understand how depression and this sort of s*** works. If I'm honest with them and show them or talk to them about how I feel, am I going to be considered an ungrateful little s***? Are they going to think that I'm CHOOSING to be this way?? Are they going to tell me that I should just try harder and that things will be better??

It just is frustrating me, and I needed somewhere to blurt it out. I don't like having to lie and pretend to such a huge extent!

I just want to say, every cloud has a silver lining, if life gives you lemons make lemonade. And it takes more muscles to frown than smile oh and look on the bright side. Heeheeeeheee. Okay, I'm evil and sarcastic. Those sayings are just platitudes. Yeah, they irritate the heck out of me too. There's a valid reason I feel like this, don't tell me everything can be solved if I grin and bear it.

[crookedyoung213]

I have yet to be diagnosed with bi-polar disorder...(although I'm not an oaf who cannot take a step back and try my best to self-evaluate). Hence, I'm currently looking for a psychiatrist. I digress...

I completely get what you guys are saying about the IG and FB memes. As much as I would love to be an optimist and say that things could always be worse, things have always been worse.

When I was fifteen a psychiatrist told my father he thought I had bi-polar disorder and I though it was a joke. I thought it was just another excuse for pharmaceutical companies to make money because who doesn't have mood swings?

I just turned twenty-one last month and I'm tired of not feeling in control of my life. Almost like I'm an outsider watching someone else live my life. I can completely feel myself and assured in myself, then other times I hate myself and do erratic things that I normally wouldn't do. I don't know where this impulsion comes from. it scares the living S**T out of me.

Yet again, I apologize for the digression (I just joined this site so.. yeah). But I concur with this conversation. A consistent optimistic and joyful disposition makes me want to punch someone in the face. There are things in life like my boyfriend and my family that make me happy... but at the end of the day I'm miserable with myself. I don't understand myself. The me that I know doesn't understand the other me... if that makes sense.

[Teacake]

I know.

Makes you want to reply with photos of dead cats hanging on a clothes line and the latest counts of child war casualties and soldier suicides.

The road to hell is littered with cute pictures of fluffy bunnies.

But great art often depicts scenes of tragedy and horror. Most public libraries have hollywoods Productions of Shakeapeares plays in their dvd collection. This is good entertainment that addresses real life issues.

Keep you balanced.

[hamster-bamster]

Oh, I absolutely love the line about fluffy bunnies.

[venusss]

Once a Greek guy told me that I can "decide if I spend time smiling or crying". I was like O.o and asked if he thinks you can smile at any occasion.

Sometimes people complain or cry for reason. As for meds...the only "med" that would make me into rainbow cliche spewing optimist is the MDMA and that's why I refuse to go near it.

I am all for believing in yourself, being grateful, all that. But sometimes life IS hard and one should not be forced to hide behind memes somebody else create to hide thier feelings. I feel it's not even genuine positivity (why repost and not say what YOU are grateful for today). I can stand genuively positive people (because they appreciate and know sadness too). There's very few of them though.

[jason7521]

This thread made me laugh more than once. Thanks!

i'm not an FB user, but yes, i can totally hear you on the positive saying- and just the all together attitude of others... be positive, you've nothing to complain about!. it does annoy me!

i saw a saying last week... if we could think of every day like christmas, how much better the world would be

what?

[A Red Panda]

Yeah... like... I'm glad if they're able to think nicely all the time. Lucky for them! But even when I'm in a great mood I still get upset reading alllll the posts because they're basically telling anyone with MI that they're just not allowed to be themselves or that there's something wrong with us. Like.... I get it. I get that I have a good life - I've got a steady job that I enjoy and I can afford to save up for vacations. That is the good thing in my life. My life could be horrendously worse and I am welllll aware of it. But things telling me or implying that I should be grateful and should smile at every day..... just makes everything worse because it's going "HEY! You aren't doing good enough!"

Bah. Oh well. Woke up in a bad mood already, this will be a fun day....

[venusss]

Originally Posted by A Red Panda

Yeah... like... I'm glad if they're able to think nicely all the time. Lucky for them! But even when I'm in a great mood I still get upset reading alllll the posts because they're basically telling anyone with MI that they're just not allowed to be themselves or that there's something wrong with us. Like.... I get it. I get that I have a good life - I've got a steady job that I enjoy and I can afford to save up for vacations. That is the good thing in my life. My life could be horrendously worse and I am welllll aware of it. But things telling me or implying that I should be grateful and should smile at every day..... just makes everything worse because it's going "HEY! You aren't doing good enough!"

Bah. Oh well. Woke up in a bad mood already, this will be a fun day....

move to Prague. It's perfectly okay, and perhaps it's even required to look miserable and as if you hate the world at all times (but especially on the morning subway!), American ex-pats always wonder about this on their boards and in pubs, why don't we Czech smile. We say we smile when there is a damn REASON.

[A Red Panda]

I really liked Prague! It was a wonderful city.

If I could have an EU passport, I would definitely be living in Europe, instead of being stuck in the isolated North.

[Grindstone]

My favorite antidote to 'Happy' FB placards, photos, etc. is Grumpy Cat or The Far Side. I'll see if I can find a few of my favorites. The only 'Happy' FB stuff I like are funny pics of animals and their people (WITHOUT SMARMY CAPTIONS).

Those things to me are like yellow ribbon stickers on cars. (For troop support) People put them up and feel they've done their good deed for the day.

[Alone & confused]

I'm starting to think that these "hopelessly "optimistic people are the ones with the problems, Not us! To me it seems as though They're the ones who turn a blind eye to all the SUFFERING & EVIL that DOES EXIST in the world today! Just because they live in a "perfect fantasy world" , that doesn't diminish the pain & suffering that We all go through! And until they've faced the same demons that we do, I don't want them telling me a Damn thing about how to get better!

[swheaton]

I wanted to add, that I like fluffy bunnies. .

[~Christina]

Behind all that bullshyt on facebook are some unhappy people that put up that crap to make sure everyone thinks there life in fantastic !!!

I like fluffy bunnies too .... for dinner

[Roblovescats]

I quit FB loooong ago because I got sick of people and how wonderful they are... Look at me I just ran a marathon. Good for you. Look at me I got out of bed and didn't kill myself today. Should be called Fake Book.
About those fluffy bunnies... They scratch you and bite.... Don't let their cuteness fool you. They're like cheer leaders. Nice to look at but down right mean!

~Sent from Dark Side of the Moon~

[BipolaRNurse]

Originally Posted by shattered sanity

i saw a saying last week... if we could think of every day like christmas, how much better the world would be

Two words: GAG ME.

I much prefer this quote directly from my psychiatrist: "You know, sometimes life just SUCKS." A much more realistic view of it, IMHO.

[A Red Panda]

My grammar professor at uni made the best statement to us. She was pointing out to the class that we all CHOSE to take the course. This is what she said:

"My grandmother told me that the only thing you have to do in life is die. If you don't want to eat, you don't have to. If you don't want to breathe, you don't have to. But you do have to die."

I think it has been one of the best things I've ever heard and I repeat it to myself when I'm extremely annoyed with life.

[Trippin2.0]

Some of my fb friends also post those annoying unicorns poop rainbows pics.

Now hopefully you see part of the reason I'm so openly "me" on there.

Whaaah? Those peeps need a reality check from time to time. You can't live your entire life with your head up your a.s.s, FFS its not a helmet!