AIBU to think this is irritating or even dangerous?

[NeopreneMermaid]

Claire's Accessories range of bits and bobs with 'Choose happy' on them. m.claires.co.uk/choose-happy-notebook/shop/fcp-product/53474

I'm not a fan of naff slogans and "inspirational" patronising 'live laugh love' bollocks in general; I find them thr home-decor equivalent of "Cheer up, Love; it might not happen." This one has got me particularly riled and concerned.

I've just reached a point of recovery from more than 25 years of severe depression (along with other MH delights) thanks to finally finding the right combination of meds, therapies and lifestyle changes. The idea that at any point in that time, I could simply have 'chosen happy' is abhorrent and undermines the complex reasons why many people aren't happy. I'd hate for someone going through what I did to see it and feel even worse for not being able to think themselves better.

I might be reading too much into what is a flippant slogan on a cheap product range but the fact it is so flippant suggests to me that this demonstrates how misunderstood MH issues remain, despite improved publicity and the best efforts of Prince Harry et al.

AIBU to think this and WIBU to complain to Claire's?

[Yardley42]

Crosspost OP! Really sorry for everything you went through

And as a side note, I also hate the 'smile love, might never happen' twee-ness of those slogans and my silly cushion is a rare aberration from that! If we're talking about taste levels, YANBU at all!

[headinhands]

I think you'd have cause to complain if it was a slogan that the mental health charity Mind had opted for in their campaign about depression but not the flippant phrase on plastic tat in a tat shop.

[NeopreneMermaid]

Ha! Thanks Yardley (and your cushion 😀). That's a good point too and actually one of the non-meds treatments that has been the biggest help has been keeping a list of all the positive things. It's not choosing to be happy per second but like you say, it's counting your blessings and focusing on the good rather than the bad, which IS a choice.

At my worst, when I started doing the list, it took months to be effective because I couldn't genuinely believe anything on the list or I could add, "but..." to everything, e.g. my DD tells me she loves me but she would say that because she's genetically obliged, or a customer was really pleased but that's only because she hasn't realised I'm just winging it. I don't do this any more but I had to reprogrammed how I thought.

Anyway, this wasn't meant to be about me any more. 😊

[JazzberryPi]

It's a difficult one. I see people on social media post things like this and it really upsets me. "Happiness is a choice". No actually it isn't, happiness is something I struggle with on a daily basis and seeing things like this just reminds me that I have failed somehow or that I'm not healthy.

I don't blame the people that post them as I totally understand their side of it but you are not being unreasonable to feel hurt by it.

Personally I just keep my gob shut because it's not worth arguing with friends over a silly inspirational poster that made them smile.