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Its intensity varies, but sadness is a normal human emotion that fills us in upsetting, painful, or disappointing situations.

Feeling blue doesn't necessarily mean you are doing something wrong. Rather, it helps us come to terms with the harsh side of reality and move on.

And the Instagram account 'Mad Sad Not Good' is trying to normalize it.

Using the universal language of memes, it shares relatable jokes about everyday struggles, fostering a sense of solidarity and understanding among its followers.

More info: Instagram

#1

Mad-Sad-Not-Good-Memes

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cat
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8 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i can't be the only one who vaguely misses 2020, in a weird sort of way. edit: the amount of people upvoting this is sad, i'm sorry so many people are so stressed with life right now. stay safe, i love you all, try to prioritize yourselves 🩵

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DUN DUN
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Learning about America's health policies, education policies, cost of livelihood gave me nightmares, BRO WHY DO YOU HAVE TO PAY A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR AN AMBULANCE????

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To learn more about the things that we feel, we contacted London-based psychiatrist and author of 'You Are Not Meant To Be Happy. So Stop Trying,' Rafa Euba.

"Sadness is a natural emotion that we are meant to experience during certain periods in our lives," he told Bored Panda. "It is normally intermittent, like all our other emotions, and will come and go depending on what's happening at any given time."

"Sadness is more persistent during periods of adaptation to a loss when it will help us gradually reset our mind in response to that loss," the psychiatrist added. "The sadness we feel when we fail to achieve a certain goal, or that associated with unrequited love, may also help us re-evaluate our ambitions and lower our expectations. Sadness makes us withdraw and reflect for a while, which may result in better planning."

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Even though it can knock us down, we shouldn't mistake sadness for depression. "Sadness is an emotion, which often comes combined with other emotions, both negative (like anxiety) and positive," Euba highlighted. "Nostalgia, for instance, is a generally pleasant emotion, even though it includes within it an element of sadness."

"In contrast, depression is a clinical condition, an illness that needs to be treated," he said. "In depression, negative emotions spiral out of control, generating enormous suffering. A depressed person feels sad and anxious constantly and for long periods of time, and typically finds it difficult to sleep, or to enjoy anything in their lives."

"So while emotions are fleeting and have functions that help us live our lives, a depressive illness has no function. It is a malfunction."

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It's difficult to say just how much sadness is normal, as there can be a lot of variation in how different people process emotions, but, for example, a survey of 2,000 British adults discovered that on average, they spend three months a year in a glum mood, equating to 96 days a year, or eight days each month.

Interestingly, the new year doesn't start on a good note either, with a quarter feeling at their lowest during January.

#11

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cat
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the stress i felt from procrastinating that task for so long overrode any joy i would feel from completing it, sorry

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Top winter gloom inducers include the weather, shorter days with dark mornings and evenings, and feeling cold. 

Spending time with friends and family is the top way people combat January blues, followed by listening to music, resting, and going outdoors.

That being said, the average person spends just under an hour a day outdoors in winter and estimates only 44 minutes of that is in direct sunlight.

Furthermore, one in five only gets between 1 and 15 minutes a day under the winter sun’s rays.

#14

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Deborah B
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

New Gig work opportunity - "Mobile valet" Like uber, but you summon a valet, who gets dropped off at your destination, takes your car, and drives around Toronto or finds a parking space until you message them, then meets you, hands your car back, and charges you $25 per hour. Valets have QR badges you scan when you give them your keys. You get a $2 per hour discount if you select to let them pick up and drop off other valets to gigs with your car during your booked window. For an additional fee, they can take your car to be washed, and/or detailed, charge the battery and drop off your drycleaning. The evening service includes a "Drive me home" option for drinkers, where the valet drives you home in your own car and gets collected by an uber. It's cheaper than downtown parking, a door to door service, and you never have to look for a parking space again.

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Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Connecting flights. Not everyone is flying to Cincinnati. Many of them are flying beyond Cincinnati. "Beyond Cincinnati" is the name of my new work in progress post-apocalypse novel.

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But just as sadness is a natural emotion, so are its remedies. Dr. Shelley James, director at Age of Light Innovations, said that bright light, especially in the morning, can help boost your mood in three naturally powerful ways: by helping the brain to regulate mood hormones, supporting alertness, and making it easier to fall asleep.

James noted that simply getting outside into natural daylight can sometimes be enough to top up your mood, as it boosts your body even when the sun isn't breaking through, as well as giving you a chance to get a little exercise.

"If you feel sad occasionally, bear in mind that this is just a natural emotion that is very much a part of our lives," psychiatrist Rafa Euba added. "Think of it as 'mental weather,' a natural fluctuation that will pass soon and will probably be replaced by a different emotion."

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"Remember too that despite what you see in social media, we are not really meant to be consistently happy. Humans will always struggle with intermittent difficult emotions, which are there because of a set of very powerful biological and evolutionary reasons, so they are not going to go away any time soon."

#23

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Anyone-for-tea?
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

After reading “Dean’s Big Book of Answers” I cried when I didn’t understand how many years it was going to be before the Sun exploded, thinking it was going to be sooner. I don’t know if I would be as upset now!

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However, if you suspect that you might be depressed, Euba advises you to seek professional help. "Treatment and therapy will help, and you will then be able to experience the normal range of human emotions (including occasional sadness) without the burden of your depression."

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For more similar memes, check out our first publication on 'Mad Sad Not Good.'

#25

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KinoEel
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not about the specifics of friendship, just that those “friends” happen to be people

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#27

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Frankie
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One reason for this is because people in the past could not predict bad weather the way we can now, and one major reason for all the sunken ships is because they kept going through that area during hurricane season. They have about 6 hurricanes a year, usually between June and November

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#35

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Michael Fernandez
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“If he watches Friends reruns one more time, Imma lose it.” (I proceed to watch another Friends rerun, wondering why I’m hearing screaming from the bushes outside).

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Joe BaggaDonuts
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

~~~ Let us be lovers we'll marry our fortunes together ~~ I've got some real estate here in my bag

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#39

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Little Wonder
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My fun fact at one team building thing was "I work at the library" which would have been a super fun fact, if it wasn't a library staff team building thing.

Parmeisan
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had a similar one. My go-to is "I like to make video games in my spare time" but then we were doing a meet-and-greet at a game jam so I was like, "I make games! Oh right so do all of you. Well, I'm out of ideas."

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irissii (she/them)
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

does anyone else completely forget everything about themselves when asked questions? like somebody will be like "what's your favourite movie" and my brain goes "I HAVE NEVER WATCHED A MOVIE IN MY LIFE"

LandAhoy
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The best way to deal with these questions is to have a designated answer, it doesn't necessarily have to be true, just something that sounds cool.

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Sonja
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So, heres my fun fact about me. You know, sometimes when I'm... Oh, wait, have you ever... No, never mind. Anyway, socks, right? They're like... But back to the point, did you... Well, actually, forget about that. So, goldfish... Oh, wait, did I mention... Um, never mind.

Passerby
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In an interview for a master program at university, I once told the interviewers that my parents are still alive when they asked me to introduce myself.

Nonna_SoF
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is nothing fun about me... also I have clinical depression.

FunOldGuy
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Say something like, "I am a researcher from another planet. My mission is to spend a human length lifetime among you observing your behavior. The information I report will determine the future of your species." Pause for two beats, then say, "So far, it's not looking good."

T J R
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I use the same fun fact, but panic when I realize that most of the people in the room already heard it and I have to come up with a new one.

Auntriarch
Community Member
8 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Luckily I had some warning of this, so I could think of something good but actually true

Natty Tempest
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I made my own sword. Not fun enough? I was accused of cheating in a game by getting 105% acuuracy on my shots.

Tracy Wallick
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Make that fun fact something completely out of pocket. They can't verify if it's true or not, so make it crazy but somewhat plausible for the best results.

FROGS!
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If someone asks me I just say “I can be a dinosaur” and then they ask me to do it so I do it then they look at me funny so I do it again then they laugh

okpkpkp
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The dental hygienist asked me what I did for fun and I said (everybody can join in) I don't have any fun. She was taken aback so I said I garden. Lots of fun, I know.

The.Butterfly.Effect.530
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The categories are drug use, criminal history, abusive ex, nonfunctionality, and songs I know all the words too..

Kimbowa
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have no fun facts, my life has been one tragedy after another.

A girl
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My fun fact last time I was asked was "I know A LOT about centipedes". Why? "You must study your enemy to defeat them"

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#41

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Libstak
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Then they're doing a s**t job cos unhappy leads to unalive for lots of us.

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#43

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Kris
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Its important to have lots of glasses with water around, in case of aliens

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#49

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cat
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

well, well, well, if it isnt the consequences of my own decision to stay up til 4am

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#50

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Libstak
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8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No matter what flashes before your eyes as you die, you won't live to regret and wish it was something else so what's the issue?

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Note: this post originally had 80 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.