Sorrow, regret, grief, and agony are not ailments in need of a magic pill

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Tuesday, November 28. 2017

Sorrow, regret, grief, and agony are not ailments in need of a magic pill

Life has its vales of tears, but also its hills of delights and, very rarely, its mountaintops of joy. Sometimes I wonder whether the mandarins of my profession seek to pathologize all negative emotions.

Nobody promised you a rose garden. That was Eden. Learning to bear emotional pain, like bearing some physical pain, is part of life. It never hurts, of course, to have somebody or something accompanying you with that.

An essay: Bad chemistry. It’s impossible to love life when sorrow is treated as little more than garbage that needs to be disposed of by way of a ‘happiness pill’

Happiness pills are everywhere. Alcohol. Cocaine. Heroin. Meth. Fentanyl. Marijuana. They are widely used.

Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss in Psychology, and Dr. Bliss at 14:25 | Comments (8) | Trackbacks (0)

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“I am certain that I never did grow in grace one-half so much anywhere as I have upon the bed of pain.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

#1 Oldblood on 2017-11-28 15:06 (Reply)

Happiness pills are everywhere. Alcohol. Cocaine. Heroin. Meth. Fentanyl. Marijuana. .

Don't forget the best of all: SEX!

#2 B48 on 2017-11-28 16:40 (Reply)

I don't understand the attraction of Alcohol. Cocaine. Heroin. Meth. Fentanyl. Marijuana. While I have tried alcohol I never enjoyed it. When I was young (18, 19 through 20 something) never figured you were supposed to actually enjoy it I assumed it tasted bad and the challenge was to drink it and the hangover the next day was simply another challenge to deal with. I never saw any enjoyment in alcohol at all. But as I got older I did indeed see people enjoying drinking or at least acting as though they enjoyed it. I gave it up in my mid 20's mostly because it negatively impacted my real addiction which was fitness and sports. But honestly I'm still stumped about what the attraction is. As for drugs I have never tried any drug except those that were prescribed. I don't understand the attraction of these either but of course I recognize my ignorance having never tried any. But seriously, what is the attraction of pot? I have seen people on/using drugs and honestly they did not appear to be enjoying themselves.

#3 GoneWithTheWind on 2017-11-28 18:29 (Reply)

You are fortunate.

#3.1 Bird Dog on 2017-11-28 19:54 (Reply)

Because it takes you out of yourself. It takes you away from the here and now.

If you were ever burned repeatedly with cigarettes as a child, raped over and over by a family member, whipped on the legs until the skin split. Well, you might understand the attraction.

People honestly don't know how common this all is unless you work in the field.

Sorry about the graphical language. I know you didn't know.

#3.2 David on 2017-11-28 22:43 (Reply)

Yes, people traumatized may well long for Poppies, fields of them...and those who have not suffered, should not judge. But (terrible abuse or the horrors of war and crime aside) I think the point is valid about not pathogizing aspects of suffering that are part of the human condition. And even times when our selfish, limited hearts are forced to call upon God. Not that God is an SOB, but that we tend to be wise in our own conceit until beset, desperate (no atheists in foxholes):

“He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.”
—Aeschylus

#4 Retriever on 2017-11-29 14:49 (Reply)

Am I the first to notice the link begins with “file:///C”?

#5 ErisGuy on 2017-11-30 06:47 (Reply)

As they say in AA, there's no chemical solution to a spiritual problem--unless the problem is continuing to live while suffering, and the solution is to die. Temporarily or permanently.

#6 Texan99 on 2017-12-02 11:00 (Reply)

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Tuesday, November 28. 2017

Sorrow, regret, grief, and agony are not ailments in need of a magic pill