Timeless Wisdom From The Uninitiated

[ghost]

The uninitiated are those people who have not experienced a severe and debilitating mental illness.

Some have simply had the good fortune and/or good judgement to avoid catastrophe; others have had minor brushes with what they term 'depression' or 'anxiety' - like when they were six years old and their pet goldfish died. It is this latter category that is usually the most eager to impart their timeless wisdom to the likes of you and I.

The following is a short list of some of the most inspiring ‘words of wisdom’ that have been offered to me by the uninitiated over the years. I have also included a few suggested responses that I wish I had had the mental alacrity to think of at the time...


1. “Everything is reversible.”

Response: My car is reversible. If you stand behind it I will demonstrate.


2. “What doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger.”

Response: What if it just kills you really, really slowly?


3. “You have to think positive.”

Response: I do… I think I’m positively f*cked!!!


4. “Everybody goes back to normal eventually.”

Response: Hmmmm… I think there’s a few hundred thousand Vietnam Vets who may disagree with you there.


5. “Everybody has problems.”

Response: True… But not everyone’s dying from a f*cking anxiety disorder!


6. “You will get better…………………… because you want to.”

Response: ...I also want a house on the beach; a maserati, and a date with Sienna Miller. Can I expect those to be arriving soon as well?


7. “Trust me… there is a ‘light at the end of the tunnel.’”

Response: Yes, I believe it’s called the 'oncoming train.'


8. “You need to get yourself a hobby.”

Response: I’m sorry, but I fail to see how gluing a plastic plane together is going to restore millions of dead nerve cells in my brain.


9. “You just need to smile more :smile:”

Response: I may look sad on the outside... But on the inside, I’m grinning like a f*cking baboon.


and finally…


10. “You need to GROW UP and PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER!!!”

Response: Who you tryin to get crazy with ese? Don’t you know I’m loco? (best delivered in a Mexican accent; holding a baseball bat)



Many thanks to all those uninitiated people who have contributed to this thread…

…cause there’s nothing better than sound advice from people who have no idea what the f*ck they’re talking about.

 

[Cryptantha]

Oh man, I've heard SO many of these. "Get over it!" is one of my favorites. "You LOOK fine, what's wrong!?" is my next favorite. Gah! So easy for them to give their advice without believing what I say. Those responses made me laugh though.

 

[chguise]

Love your list. Responses even better. I'm not a PTSD sufferer, but I had a traumatic brain injury and my favorite words of encouragement were "You're lucky to be as high functioning as you are." That amazing observation came from my neurologist.

 

[helena]

Priceless!!

(Very relevant too after just surviving Christmas with the relatives)

:smile:

 

[Grainne]

Ah Ghost. You've done it again. Not only did you make me smile, you make wonderfully clear (and often hilarious) points. This one...

7. “Trust me… there is a ‘light at the end of the tunnel.’”

Response: Yes, I believe it’s called the 'oncoming train.

A keeper. I'm posting it on my office wall as we speak. lol. tks.

 

[a3a2]

Oh, ghost, these are so great!!!! Thank you!!!! Can you come up with a response for "just think about the good times" or how about "you can't think that way"?

 

[amethist]

I have seen some where, can't remember where or when, about the light at the end of the tunnel.

There should be a light at the end of the tunnel. But someone keeps blowing the f*cking candle out.

This made me howl with laughter the first time I read it.

Amethist

 

[rjtransient]

When I smile, people have reason to be worried.

"Look on the bright side. Things could always be worse!"
"That IS the bright side."

"When you smile, you actually start feeling happier!"

Love and LIGHT.

 

[naturalfirebrand]

The one I hate is "It was a long time ago, get over it". If it was that easy I would have already done it.

 

[SunnyBrookFarm]

Ghost -
Thanks for the smile - Growing up surrounded by mental illness, passing the gene down, and having C-PTSD I have a laundry list as well (I'll try to keep it short):

1. She would feel better if she got up and went out looking for a job (said to my daughter immediately after being hospitalized for a suicide attempt).

Right - because the stress of finding somewhere to apply, a job interview, and then the possibility of starting a new job will certainly no longer make her feel like she wants to die........stupid me.....why didn't I think of that?

2. Can you tell me honestly that your childhood bothers you every day?

I can honestly tell you to take your normal happy childhood and stick it up your arse, because obviously you have no clue what my childhood was like and I truly appreciate your concern.

3. You can't dwell on these things.

Well since we call it "these things" instead of ABUSE, I can tell that denial is your middle name, if it's all the same to you, I prefer to stop being in denial and deal with it!

4. What's wrong with you? (Said in a hateful, snap yourself out of it way)

I know what's wrong with me, I have a medical diagnosis, do you have one for being an insensitive jerk?

Thanks again Ghost -

 

[rjtransient]

3. You can't dwell on these things.

Well since we call it "these things" instead of ABUSE, I can tell that denial is your middle name, if it's all the same to you, I prefer to stop being in denial and deal with it!

Well said.

I'd like to add a belated thanks to Ghost and to everyone who mentioned the phrase "Get Over It" (a.k.a. Grow Up And Pull Yourself Together). That's one of my all-time favourites. Am I paying you fifty bucks an hour?

 

[tryintobreathe]

Thanks Ghost, those were all great. I LOVE the term Uninitiated! Thank you so much for helping me laugh, I really needed it!

Jen