[badmouse]

My doctors are full of stories that they tell to give me hope and inspiration.

But those stores make me feel even more depressed. I'm glad others have had good things happen, but it just reinforces in me that i have problems and it will take a miracle to make things better - waiting for miracles is sad.

Do you like those kind of stories?

[smmath]

I think they are okay, as long as I am feeling fine. If I am depressed those stories do nothing for me. I also hate it when people tell me that I am not the only one who feels like the way I do. those things do not help me.

[Pierro]

I can totally see where you are coming from. Dont get me wrong, I am glad some get to feel great but I dont find any "inspiration" in it if I am down. I think in fact the opposite. Maybe I am just envious!

[ImNotHere]

Honestly I hate inspirational story's, my response to those are "well good for them". I know when my therapist does it is so i realize that people can over come a lot and get better but personally i just feel hopeless/helpless/damaged beyond repair and struggle to relate to anything in those stories.

oooh. I know what you mean. It's a good thing my T doesn't talk about that sort of thing haha. I'm really glad that other people can make it out but sometimes I'm just really not in the right mind set to hear about them and suddenly become motivated. But when I do think about it, I guess it still gives me hope in a way because if other people can survive it maybe I can too.

[GlassCageOfEmotion]

Originally Posted by badmouse

My doctors are full of stories that they tell to give me hope and inspiration.

But those stores make me feel even more depressed. I'm glad others have had good things happen, but it just reinforces in me that i have problems and it will take a miracle to make things better - waiting for miracles is sad.

Do you like those kind of stories?

It's strange you say this because I just posted something kind of inspirational and that's not my usual mentality. I'm a writer and usually prefer to read and write very dark stories with humor. To me if something sounds "too good to be true" it usually is....and I appreciate a more realistic approach to optimism.

If I'm feeling in the "well good for you" response mechanism (and I've felt that way for a few days now until recently), I try to recognize there is something that triggered my spirit of negativity. Instead of pondering on my losses and what I could have, I try to see what I do have. Then if I can't even see that... I turn to humor. It could be Pinterest for some funny meme photos or quotes from comedians, or silly videos on YouTube...but I try to do something to neutralize that feeling of lesser-than. It doesn't always work, but it has helped most of the time on my cruddy days. Maybe it could help you, too.

Humor is also a type of defense and coping mechinism that I think is very effective if regularly sought out to neutralize feelings of depression and hopefully prevent it.

[-jimi-]

I surely don't feel inspired by those stories. What is expected? Listen to a story and then run out and hug everyone yelling jumping around and suddenly life is sooo greaaaat?

Urgh.

[mulan]

I'm in the place I can think, there seems to be more people sticking with it, than get out of it. I find it quite amusing when they say you can't get help, but the only help you seem to get, its trying this and that and that, and waiting for better days... Right now I'm not believing anymore in my help, so I think those stories are lies they tells you. You can compare yourself to other people...they had a story similar to yours, they had the same coping mechanisms as you did, they had the same symptoms, they were depressed as long as you, they had the same genetic background, they had your way of thinking and rationalize things? I guess not, so no thank you, don't lie to me. Good for them, but I'm not them.

[LadyShadow]

Eh, good for them. I'm glad it worked out for them. But since I am feeling like crap they don't really help. I totally understand.

[Clara22]

I refuse inspirational stories when they are based on disabled people. We call it "inspiration porn".
i am pasting a link to an article on inspiration porn i liked The Squeaky Wheelchair: It's Not My Job To "Inspire You": People with Disabilities and the Problem with "Inspiration Porn"

[venusss]

I usually try to view them as "if they can, I can too, human spirit is strong".

[gayleggg]

I agree that most inspirational stories leave me feeing inadaquate and more depressed that before. I usually avoid reading them, unless it's an animal story I'm glad other people get better but their way usually doesn't help me. I know miracles can happen but probably not to me.

[venusss]

I don't think inspirational stories work on "miracles". The ones I read were about human strenght

[Clara22]

I think the majority of them are not good. To me, behind them, there is this assumption that "it is all about attitude". And we know that it is not true.

[venusss]

Originally Posted by Clara22

I think the majority of them are not good. To me, behind them, there is this assumption that "it is all about attitude". And we know that it is not true.

imho, attitude is important though. Without it... you will get nowhere, eh

it depends on if the person is sincere. If they are just "wired" to always be positive - then I appreciate and am somewhat jealous of their positive outlook on life. If it is superficial - then it makes me want to puke.

I guess, depending on my frame of mind, inspirational stories make me feel better. For some reason, that happens when I'm feeling more positive and hopeful about the world. Today I'm feeling very negative and depressed, so hearing about someone's success would only make me feel worse.

[Clara22]

VenusHalley and all,
I believe Venus comment is valid for mild depression or behavioral problems. But when we have a major depression it is very difficult (almost impossible) to pick a good attitude. I would like to share this: when i had my car accident (I was 17) and acquired a permanent severe physical disability, I could pick a good attitude at the end of the day. I did by myself. I am not going to talk about all I went through or about my achievements despite the many surgeries, paralysis, and so on. Much later in life, I underwent severe depression and to me the most important thing to get out of depression was not my attitude but the skillful psychiatrist I got including the meds she put me on. It is my understanding one cannot pick a good attitude when under severe depression. Precisely, dysfunctional attitudes are one of the symptoms of severe depression.

Going back to the original post, I do not like doctors that come with inspirational stories, to me that is not OK. I may accept successful approaches and case studies, they can show us that to try techniques that have worked with other patients . If a professional come with an inspirational story to me, it is a red flag. This is my take on it.

OK, thanks a lot for listening

[-jimi-]

There is one thing I hate more.. its the "If I can do it, anyone can!"

That makes me feel like the biggest loser..... before I realize they were never as messed up as they thought.

I stumbled on the right med for me and it made all the difference. It feels like luck rather than something I did. Sure I'm happy it happened, but it wasn't a personal thing, it could have failed me and helped someone else.. instead of the opposite (the same med failed my friend who is still in deep depression).

[Smellyfinger]

They're alright. I get why they tell you these things but it's still a little out of reach, for me at least.

I'll like inspirational stories once something good happens to me lol

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

[ifthespiritmovesme]

How about "It could be worse" stories. Me, going through a very hurtful time with my grown daughter and my T saying something about people who have children who try to kill them....
Sounds belittling to me.

[-jimi-]

I don't get the "it can be worse". If you are a little African girl that has to take care of her baby brother being an orphan, not get enough nutrition and has to sell her body.... some people have it worse! Some are in the similar situation but has HIV and being allergic to the only food she can afford.

So... people have it worse... just makes me SAD for them. I don't go HA-HA they have it worse.

If they say it can be worse, I read that it can GET worse which is true. And I don't particularly like that thought either!

The only one I can truly agree with is If there is life there is hope. Because that doesn't include things must get better but that they MIGHT. Also... pretty obvious once you are dead there is no hope.

[Akua]

Hmmm...inspirational stories is just a negative for me. Happy people do nothing for me,I don't like talking to people. I know they are trying to help, but it doesn't so I walk away...far away.

[badmouse]

Thank you all for the very interesting responses. It really helps.

[Nammu]

Originally Posted by Clara22

I refuse inspirational stories when they are based on disabled people. We call it "inspiration porn".
i am pasting a link to an article on inspiration porn i liked The Squeaky Wheelchair: It's Not My Job To "Inspire You": People with Disabilities and the Problem with "Inspiration Porn"

Thanks for this. I was at a conference and we talked about this. No matter if it is a physical disability or a mental one the public thinks these unique people in movies represent all disabled people and that if one person can overcome their disability everyone should be able to do it. " so
pull up your bootstraps and be more like that exceptional person, not just an ordinary regular person trying to cope). I hate that.