lately i've been learning about the harm over-pathologizing our emotional reactions can cause. we've all been force-fed this belief that we should be happy as a baseline and anything outside of that realm is mental illness. well, what if we understand that our default emotion doesn't have to be joy, and maybe our overwhelming upset at the world is completely rational. i mean, we're living in traumatic times! maybe we're not all that ill, we're just reacting appropriately to the world around us. just something to think about.
there's a lot more to it of course and it gets into the murky waters of the field of psychology and the dsm, but maybe we don't need a diagnosis or a pill, we need a gentler, less traumatizing world. that's a generalization of course, i have diagnoses and take pills (sometimes). but it's kind of nice to think that maybe this is just a rational response to living when the world feels like it's ending.
I can agree 100% I don't want to take pills and i have a hard time telling my doctor that because she never stops to let me talk so I keep taking them and none have worked for me.
but also, neurodivergence isn't mental illness, it's just a different wiring of the brain. and things like ptsd are acquired neurodivergence, so in some cases being nd is still a physiological response to being traumatized.
hi sorry to jump into the conversation but are you saying PTSD has an overlap of being both a neurodivergence and also a mental illness? Because from what I've seen in people who I know I feel like it is also a mental illness
Every emotion is valid! If everyone was happy all the time, it would just be bizarre. It’s the human experience to ride life’s rollercoaster and experience a full range of emotion. 💕
While it's true we live in some troubling times and happiness certainly isn't a baseline, it isn't necessarily a reason to not aspire to be or feel better and seek help if we need it.
oh i never said that lol. it's just good to have it in the perspective that there isn't necessarily something wrong with US, and it's not a personal failing. we live in constant turmoil and that impacts us beyond our control or fault sometimes
I have never gotten anyone to understand this, especially doctors who are asking if I'm depressed (or just outright assuming I am because I'm in a wheelchair). No, I've never been depressed, but I HAVE reacted appropriately to traumatic, life-altering events and conditions. I'm sad sometimes because that's how emotions work
Completely valid AF. I never thought of it that way but you are completely right. Why is it that if we aren’t happy all the time, we are seen as broken? Why isn’t it okay that we feel all our emotions? Why is it that we must shut off all our other emotions to conform to reality and only see sunshine and rainbows?
yeah, and what's up with all the genuinely toxic positivity? ignoring reality for the sake of being "happy" doesn't make it better. that's the best way to avoid making progress towards a better future
I so feel this.. sometimes I say I have anxiety but I was diagnosed in spring of 2020 when my entire world felt like it was revolving around taking care of my psychotic dad singlehandedly (amidst a pandemic). I can't imagine anyone NOT having a reaction of anxiety. But I am very grateful for meds because they helped a lot (and also helped me gain weight which made it so I could have a baby finally! So blessed with my little boy)
i just had to leave work because i had a breakdown. this makes me feel a lot better about it. it’s getting really hard to cope with the world around me and honestly the validation this gave me could probably push me through the next month.
i feeeeeeel that, i had a breakdown last night myself. the good news is that we're not in this alone. there are some great resources on social media for feeling less godawful and alone in the midst of all this chaos.
☝ This content is generated by our users and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision
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ivylee
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lately i've been learning about the harm over-pathologizing our emotional reactions can cause. we've all been force-fed this belief that we should be happy as a baseline and anything outside of that realm is mental illness. well, what if we understand that our default emotion doesn't have to be joy, and maybe our overwhelming upset at the world is completely rational. i mean, we're living in traumatic times! maybe we're not all that ill, we're just reacting appropriately to the world around us. just something to think about.
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☝ This content is generated by our users and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision