THAUMATURGIC THINKING

When you're down, smile and think positive, joyful thoughts. Soon the rest of the world will fall in line. You'll be happy for real!  Everything will be wonderful! -- Yeah right. The disturbing part is how many people buy into this airy-fairy thinking. They probably believe in unicorns and magic rainbows, too.

Since I've been on Facebook, (I'm fairly recent) I've noticed so many walls filled with such La-la-la pie-in-the-sky platitudes which are basically lies. Also I've found people don't like me harshing their mellow with an injection of reality.

After spending several years in group therapy, I can only shake my head in disbelief. I knew individuals who suffered from chronic depression so severe, no amount of therapy or medication could help. They would find these type of platitudes both arrogant and ignorant. I know I do! -- Many people have valid reasons for being unhappy and have far more serious problems than these shallow minds can comprehend.

Below are a few examples that make me want to give these jabber-monkeys a hard pinch with a pair of hot tongs.

"If you want to be happy, choose to be!" -- Oh please! No one chooses to be unhappy, unless they're a masochist! We don't always have control over our lives! Some people were born into abusive situations and have never known anything else! Abusers are highly skilled in manipulation and brainwashing! They destroy from within.

Another equally ignorant phrase is, "Don't let negative people rent space in your head." -- Hey, they aren't RENTERS! They're more like fortified SQUATTERS, who refuse to be moved with dynamite!

Nowadays, I consider myself a happy person. Looking back, I can see exactly why I was depressed. Granted, I didn't always make the best decisions. Yes, I would change things if I could go back, knowing everything I do now! -- Sorry, I don't own a magic crystal ball! But I felt I made the best decisions given my circumstances and state of mind.

There was a time in recent history when I had forgotten what it felt like to be happy. I read once that happiness is a relatively modern concept. Centuries ago, people would have found the idea silly! In third world countries, they still do. Survival is their main priority!

"You're as happy as you make up your mind to be! So stop evoking negative thoughts!" read one Facebook posting.

For the edification of this person, evoking negative thoughts is INVOLUNTARY. -- There are many triggers in our everyday life!

Example, in my teens I knew an ugly Betty; (This bitch was every bit as ugly on the inside!) she was overly critical and LOVED to correct me in front of other people. Whenever I said I was mad, she would condescendingly reply, "Dogs go mad, people get angry."

I heard this so often, to this day, whenever I'm about to use the word MAD in a sentence, I hear a recording of her saying, "DOGS GO MAD, PEOPLE GET ANGRY," in that condescending voice of hers.

Actually MAD and ANGRY are synonyms in our modern world. Bitchy Betty was just another arrogant ignoramus! This short, ugly troll is probably still wondering why I no longer wanted a friendship with her when our school years ended. I only regret not exorcising her sooner.

This is just one of numerous recordings that go off AUTOMATICALLY in my head. My cranium is often blasting full volume with negative ones from Mommy & Daddy! I can't remove them, because they're permanently implanted. However, through therapy I've learned to mute and replace them with recordings of my own. But it took me decades to accomplish this.

Pain must be confronted and worked through in order to heal. Pretending it's not there is about the most unhealthy thing you can do!

Useless advice from clueless people is awash and floating all over the place on Facebook.