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A former QAnon believer answers all your questions about how the cult really works

How they lure people in and how he got himself out.

Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash

Several years ago, you wouldn't have known what QAnon was unless you spent a lot of time reading through comments on Twitter or frequented internet chat rooms. Now, with prominent Q adherents making headlines for storming the U.S. Capitol and elements of the QAnon worldview spilling into mainstream politics, the conspiracy theory/doomsday cult has become a household topic of conversation.

Many of us have watched helplessly as friends and family members fall down the rabbit hole, spewing strange ideas about Democrats and celebrities being pedophiles who torture children while Donald Trump leads a behind-the-scenes roundup of these evil Deep State actors. Perfectly intelligent people can be susceptible to conspiracy theories, no matter how insane, which makes it all the more frustrating.

A person who was a true believer in QAnon mythology (which you can read more about here) recently participated in an "Ask Me Anything" thread on Reddit, and what they shared about their experiences was eye-opening. The writer's Reddit handle is "diceblue," but for simplicity's sake we'll call them "DB."

DB explained that they weren't new to conspiracy theories when QAnon came on the scene. "I had been DEEP into conspiracy for about 8 years," they wrote. "Had very recently been down the ufo paranormal rabbit hole so when Q really took off midterm for trump I 'did my research' and fell right into it."

DB says they were a true believer until a couple of years ago when they had an experience that snapped them out of it:

"It was a couple of posts made by Q on the chans that seemed highly suspicious because of how ignorant they were of technology. Q posts often had weird syntax as a kind of code

- Kind Of [writing like this] as if there was [a secret] in using brackets To Tell The Truth.

One morning Q claimed to have shut down 7 FBI super computers (named after the seven dwarves no less) via satellite hacking and all the rabid fans ate it up, claiming that "their internet was running a little bit faster)

FBI Super Computer ::SLEEPY::[[OFFLINE]]

alarm bells went off in my head because, come on, that's not how any of this works. Using elementary school syntax form To SpeLl a [[Secret Code ]] felt fishy, and claiming your email in rural Montana loaded faster because seven super computers got shut down by remote hacking was a bridge too far for me. I realized that most of the Q believers I had seen were Boomers with no idea how technology works or people my age with no idea how computers operate. That day, I Googled Q Anon Debunked and got out."

If simply Googling "QAnon Debunked" were enough to get QAnoners to deprogram themselves, why don't more of them do it? That's the tricky part. DB explains several elements to Q belief that keeps people in it. A big part of what primed DB to accept conspiracy thinking was a fundamentalist Christian upbringing.

"Theories about evil evolution, science denial and The End of The world rapture return of Christ stuff is all pretty crazy too," wrote DB, who moved to a more progressive version of Christianity after leaving QAnon behind. "There's a strong link between the two."

There's also some "perverse comfort" in conspiracy theories like QAnon, DB wrote, "because of the false sense of order and purpose it brings to the world. Either the world is a boardgame chess match between Good and Evil forces working behind the scenes, and you might be a pawn but at least you are on The Right Side or you admit that the world is a mess, nobody is in charge, there is no grand battle of good and evil behind the scenes and your life has less purpose and order than you hoped."

They also said overconfidence and arrogance play a big role in people staying in the QAnon world, as well as the belief that you are the one engaging in critical thinking while everyone else is a mindless sheep.

"At this point the problem isn't Q, it's gullible people who lack critical thinking skills and gain a massive ego boost in thinking they have secret in that the sheeple don't know," DB wrote.

"Worth noting, conspiracy thinking hooks the brain because it feels like critical thinking. Even though it isn't."

That piece right there really is key.

As another user explained, the "do your own research" concept works to reinforce conspiracy theories while making people think they're coming to conclusions on their own, thanks to the way search engines and social media algorithms work:

"The idea behind the 'research' is that you are more likely to believe a source if YOU stumble upon it yourself vs if I tell you -go watch this video.

So if I tell you Hillary is a lizard person, watch this video ... It's easy to watch and dismiss me as a crazy that saw a dumb video. BUT ... if I tell you Hillary is a lizard person, but don't take my word for it - google it yourself.... and you come across hundreds of videos and articles about Hillary being a lizard person - that makes it all the more believable. Especially since there's so many articles saying Hillary is NOT a lizard person. If it wasn't true, why would people be making videos and articles 'debunking' it?

And the debunk articles are appearing higher in searches than the articles saying she is. Why is that? Is big tech in on it to ....and you see where this is going.

So their 'research' is just a way of manipulating people."

DB shared that it was hard to admit that they'd been played by a baseless conspiracy theory. "It's NOT easy realizing you've been conned, been a rube, been taken in," they wrote. "It was massively humbling to realize I'd been a sucker."

However, they are also surprised to see how much "crazier" QAnon has gotten, as when they left a couple of years ago they were "certain it would all be over soon." They weren't a "storm the Capitol" kind of believer, but rather a "snicker quietly to myself in my bedroom because those sheeple don't know the truth" type.

DB explained that they keep themselves away from the edge of the rabbit hole now by embracing doubt and different ideas and have added "some fucking worldview humility" to their life.

"The problem with fundamentalist religions, cults, and conspiracy theories is they all demonize doubt and are all so absolutely certain that they have the total truth of reality figured out. I hold my beliefs much more humbly now, I acknowledge that I could be wrong," they wrote.

"I read more widely and expose myself to the ideas of others, so that I don't end up in an echo chamber."

As for how to help others get out? DB said that arguing with a QAnon adherent, especially online, is a waste of time—and their simple explanation for why makes perfect sense:

"I don't think they can be reasoned out of beliefs they were not reasoned into."

There's no way to rationalize with irrational beliefs, unfortunately. DB suggests if you have loved ones who've fallen down the rabbit hole that you maybe try asking them questions using Street Epistemology techniques (which you can read about here), avoid confronting and trying to reason with them (because it's simply not effective), and continue loving them (while setting boundaries about what you're willing to listen to) so they have a stable place to land if and when they are able to extricate themselves.

You can read the entire Reddit thread of Q and A here.

As frustrating as it is to see people we know fall for kooky conspiracy theories, seeing that it's possible for someone to get out offers a ray of hope that they aren't necessarily gone for good.

This article originally appeared on 1.26.21

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Joy

Hunger in affluent communities: How a Silicon Valley food bank is fighting food insecurity

We can all help fight hunger nationwide with one simple shift in the way we grocery shop.

Photo credit: Canva

Food insecurity is an issue in communities across the United States.

When people hear “Silicon Valley,” hunger isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. Instead, most think “global tech hub” and “wealth.” Named after the silicon used in computer chips, this renowned region is home to nearly 3 million residents and is famous for offering some of the highest salaries in the United States.

Given Silicon Valley’s association with wealth, it’s easy to overlook that not everyone living there is affluent. The high cost of living in the area makes it challenging for those without high-paying jobs to make ends meet. Many residents, including those who work full-time, struggle with basic living expenses.

That’s why Second Harvest of Silicon Valley helps provide food to more than 500,000 people across Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent inflation have prevented many families from getting ahead, making the food bank’s role crucial in providing access to nutritious food.

However, the high cost of living in Silicon Valley is also affecting Second Harvest. Despite the evident need in the community, the food bank had to close its largest warehouse in June 2024 due to rising rent costs.

Volunteers help sort food bank donations.Photo credit: Canva

"Every single week, we receive more than 85 tractor-trailer loads of food. All of that food gets handled at our warehouses and goes back into the community," Second Harvest of Silicon Valley CEO Leslie Bacho told NBC. "Unfortunately, this is our largest facility that we are closing, so we're having to just figure out how we can have that work get done other places."

To help maintain the flow of food, the Albertsons Companies Foundation Nourishing Neighbors Program and O Organics gave Second Harvest of Silicon Valley a $200,000 grant. And they weren’t the only organization to receive funding. Thirty nonprofits received a total of $30,000 in grants during the O Organics $30K in 30 days campaign this past summer to help ease food insecurity. Hunger is an ongoing issue that requires continuous funding, and initiatives like these help ensure that food reaches those in need.

How can we all help make sure people get the food they need?

There are so many worthy organizations that need support to fight hunger, and there are numerous ways to help, from making direct donations and organizing food drives to volunteering. Enhancing these efforts, O Organics provides an easy way for everyone to contribute consistently by simply changing how we grocery shop.

Every time you choose an O Organics product, you not only provide nutritious food for your own family but also help someone facing food insecurity. Through the “Fight Hunger. Serve Hope” program, O Organics has contributed nearly $14 million over the past two years to reduce food insecurity, enabling 56M meals and counting to help fight hunger in local communities.

O Organics helps fight food insecurity.images.albertsons-media.com

Doesn’t organic food cost more than non-organic?

People often assume that organic food is more expensive, but that’s not always true. Many organic products cost the same or even lower than their non-organic equivalents, especially when comparing private label brands like O Organics to national products.

O Organics has products in every aisle of the store, making it easier than ever to find organic products that suit your family’s needs. Purchasing O Organics products also helps support organic agriculture. Small changes that benefit both the planet and its people can add up, and simply choosing one product instead of another can make a significant difference.

No matter where people face food insecurity, whether in Silicon Valley or communities across the U.S., we can all find ways to help. Learn more about how O Organics is helping fight hunger here and look for the O Organics brand at your local Albertsons Companies grocery store, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, ACME, Shaw’s, Jewel-Osco and Tom Thumb.

Internet

Do we ever really die? One woman's immortality theory is blowing people's minds

Forget the Matrix. This theory is next level.

www.youtube.com

Quantum immortality?

Might we never really pass on into nothingness? Has the world ended many times before? Are we in fact doomed to spend eternity unknowingly jumping from one dimension to the next? According to one TikTok theory, the answer is yes. And it's blowing millions of minds worldwide.

Joli Moli (@joli.artist) is quite used to spooking and perplexing viewers with conspiracy theories and alternative hot takes. In her video titled "Apocalypse...again," Joli introduced the concept of Hugh Everett's quantum immortality.

@joli.artist ##mandelaeffect ##apocalypse ##atworldsend ##quantumphysics ##quantumimmortality ##ChimeHasYourBack ##manyworlds
♬ Horror, suspense, weirdness, ghost, UFO - Zassh

Fans of the Marvel "multiverse," are quite familiar with this concept, where instead of experiencing death, "your consciousness just gets transferred to a parallel universe where you survived," the TikTokker explained.

Joli admits that this might burst the bubbles of those seeking the "sweet relief" of a widespread apocalypse. "If the quantum immortality theory is correct," she deduced, "you're just going to wake up in a parallel universe with no memory of the fact that you just survived an apocalyptic event."

According to Joli, the only sort of clue or hint you'd get that you might have woken up in a parallel world would be "new Mandela effects." You know, the strange phenomenon where all of a sudden there are two completely opposing memories of historical events? Yeah, quantum theory says that if you remember Curious George having a tail, you probably died in another universe.

Driving her point home, Joli added: "What I'm basically implying here is that in our reality, apocalypses happen every day … after the inevitable apocalypse occurs, you're going to wake up the next day in a new reality, and the next thing you know, you're going to find yourself on Reddit talking about 'since when did Pizza Hut have two Ts?!' Arguing with people who are native of this new reality, talking about 'it's always had two Ts'."

I for one would never want to live in a Pizza Hutt universe. Blech.

Still not sold on the theory? Joli has further arguments: "You don't believe me? Okay, it's been about 65 million years since the asteroids allegedly took out the dinosaurs. ... So you mean to tell me that in the last 65 million years, no other asteroids have come through the neighborhood, taken us out? You think we're just that lucky, huh? No other super volcanic events in 65 million years? We're just out there in space just dodging asteroids by luck, right? Earth doesn't have a steering wheel."

Hmmm. That's a good point.

Joli concluded with the upbeat sentiment that "Earth is probably always being taken out, and our consciousness just keeps getting transferred to another parallel universe, and another one, and another one. For all you know, the apocalypse maybe already happened last night…"

So far, in this reality anyway, the video has 4.9 million views. And—as to be expected—the video left many feeling uneasy.

One user commented, "Ok, I'm actually kind of freaking out right now coz I'm not the conspiracy typa guy, but you're like eerily making sense."

A few resorted to sarcasm as a defense mechanism (understandably), like this Twitterer: "Thanks I was overdue for another existential crisis."

The discourse got so intense, people were reporting physical side effects from the stress. One person wrote: "The thought of never being able to actually die is extremely depressing, and it's giving me a headache."

Another added, "Bruh, I'm just done with this anxiety. My body [is] emotionally [and] physically TIREDDD."

One commenter, who clearly had their priorities straight, wrote: "You're over here talking about extinction level events and I'm having to check on the two Ts in Pizza Hut."

It wasn't all gloom and doom though. According to indy100, some saw the potential of eternal life as a comfort against the loss of loved ones, while others finally got to make sense of their "world-ending" dreams.

If you have watched the original TikTok and are filled with burning questions, Joli posted a follow up Q&A video. A small disclaimer: You might be left with even more questions.

Though we may never really know what awaits us on the other side, it is interesting to think that we might live in a multiverse with infinite second chances. And whether or not this theory floats your metaphysical boat, it's fun to contemplate on one of life's biggest mysteries.

This article originally appeared on 10.18.21

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Woman discovers 'secret' note from her late father is actually his final Dad Joke

Making his daughter lovingly roll her eyes one last time.

Adolfo Felix/Unsplash & stephanie vacher/Flickr

It's a plot point ripped right from the pages of a mystery novel or a Hollywood script. A parent tragically passes away, but not before leaving behind a life-changing note for their child. The note could reveal a secret, bequeath a surprise inheritance, or send them on a journey of self-discovery via a series of increasingly elaborate clues.

TikTok user northernsass recently found exactly such a note after her father passed away. What was inside was, well, exactly what you'd expect from a dad.

Almost exactly.

"My father passed away unexpectedly and as we were cleaning out his house, I found this ominous note shoved in the very back of his dresser," the caption on the video read.

She then shows the note, which reads:

"Do not read unless you want the answer."

I mean, how could you not open it?!

@isyabootay
One last joke on me i guess. 🙃 #fyp#notes#fypage#brickbybrick#dad

"My dad was a simple, straightforward man," the captioning continues. "Hardworking and honest so this is completely out of character for him."

Inside the note, slowly opened by shaky hands, is some kind of map, and a sequence of numbers.

Northernsass quickly realizes that inside her father's last message to her is:

The secret to beating the triangle peg game at Cracker Barrel.

Yellow and blue pegs in a wooden pyramid board kendiala/Flickr

No final confession of fatherly love.

No surprise fortune left behind.

Just one last Dad Joke from beyond the grave.

Now to be fair, that peg game is really hard — so this is pretty valuable information. But maybe not what northernsass initially had in mind.

However, this wasn't her first rodeo with her dad's jokes.

"The dad jokes are embedded in my DNA at this point," she wrote in a comment below the post.

Seeing the note, and the daughter's reaction to it, tells you everything you need to know about the man and their relationship. More than any earnest, heartfelt note could possibly convey.

The video went viral to to the tune of 4 million views, and a comments section full of love and admiration.

Did you know that a researcher once conducted a study on the importance of dad jokes?

The results were signifi-cringe.

(Sorry.)

In reality, this actually very real study showed that repeated exposure to corny humor had a surprising impact on kids as they grew up.

"According to the researcher, kids continually exposed to eye-rolling humor build up a natural immunity to judgement and embarrassment, and become adults who feel empowered to be themselves," ABC7 wrote about the study.

So while northernsass's father's final message might seem silly — and let's be clear, it is — that's exactly the thing that makes it so heartwarming.

Dad's aren't always the best at sharing feelings and having big, emotional heart to hearts. But we show our love in different ways, and we love to teach. The dad joke is the ultimate culmination of love and teaching — so what better way could there be to say goodbye?

Plus, the Cracker Barrel code is useful: another thing dad's love. Northernsass is, as she writes, now armed to "flex on the senior citizens during Sunday brunch."

fatherhood

Health

Hospice nurse shares the 'one sign' that someone is going to die 'in a few weeks'

Most people don't believe it happens.

via Canva

A nurse and a man in hospice care.

Death is the final mystery that we all must face and it’s natural to be scared about going through the process. However, a new video by a hospice nurse shows an excellent reason for people to feel comfortable facing the unknown.

Julie McFadden, aka Hospice Nurse Julie on YouTube, has witnessed over a hundred deaths, says that people are often comforted by friends and relatives who have passed away in their final days. She says that when people begin experiencing these visions, it’s a sign that they will be passing away within a few weeks.

McFadden is also the author of the bestseller, “Nothing to Fear.”

"Here's one sign that someone is close to death that most people don't believe happens,” Julie began the video.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

"Usually a few weeks to a month before someone dies, if they're on hospice, they will start seeing dead loved ones, dead relatives, dead pets. This happens so often that we actually put it in our educational packets that we give to patients and their families when they come on hospice so they aren't surprised or scared when it happens,” she continues.

The experience is called visioning; although no one knows how or why it happens, it’s common among all her patients.

"We don't know why it happens, but we see it in definitely more than half of our patients," she continues.

People often believe that the visions are caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. However, Juie says that isn’t true. “Because when it does happen, most people are alert and oriented and are at least a month from death, so they don't have low oxygen," she said.

The good news is that the visioning experience is always comforting for those who are nearing the end. It often involves relatives who come from the other side to let them know everything will be okay and encourage them to let go and pass away. People also experience being taken on journeys with loved ones or having sensory experiences from the past, such as smelling their grandmother's perfume or father’s cigar.

Christopher Kerr, a CEO of Hospice & Palliative Care, an organization that provides palliative care in Buffalo, New York, says that the relatives that often appear in these visions are people who protected and comforted the dying parent when they were alive. So, they may see a parent who nurtured them but not one they feared.

Kerr has extensively studied the mysterious phenomena that happen when people die but has no real explanation for why the visioning experience happens. “I have witnessed cases where what I was seeing was so profound, and the meaning for the patient was so clear and precise, that I almost felt like an intruder,” he told BBC Brazil. “And trying to decipher the etiology, the cause, seemed futile. I concluded that it was simply important to have reverence, that the fact that I could not explain the origin and process did not invalidate the experience for the patient.”

It's comforting to know that for many, the final days of life may not be filled with pain and fear but instead with a sense of peace and joy. While we may never fully understand the reasons behind these mysterious visions, if they bring calm during such a daunting time, we can simply be grateful for their presence. They’re kind of like life, in general. In the end, we may not really know what it was all about, but we can be happy that it happened.

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Pop Culture

Real therapists share 11 'therapy speak' words everyone's using wrong

If someone can't remember something, they're not 'gaslighting' you.

A recent Reddit thread (rant?) that posed the theory: "Gen Z misuses therapy speak too much" seems to have really struck a nerve. The initial post inspired nearly three-thousand comments from people fed up with the way more and more people are casually tossing around words and phrases that sound like they're pulled directly from the mouth of a psychiatrist.

The rise of therapy speak has been swift and noticeable, especially in younger people. It's true that more people than ever are actually going to therapy and are more aware of mental health terms, but it's also true that even more people are learning about mental health and therapy words from TikTok, YouTube, and other social media. Some estimates indicate that over 80% of mental health content on TikTok is inaccurate!

I asked therapists and psychologists to tell me about some of the most commonly misused and misunderstood "therapy speak" buzzwords, and here's what they had to say.

1. Gaslighting

A figure holding a gas lantern Jeremy Bishop/Unsplash

The dictionary definition of gaslighting refers to purposeful, longterm psychological manipulation.

It really bugs psychology experts how this one has been co-opted (even though it's not an official clinical term).

"There are some terms being weaponized ... but one word, in particular, is gaslighting. That word has very serious implications and is often part of an abuse cycle.

"Now we’re accusing anyone who recalls something differently than us or who challenges us as 'gaslighting' us. I think that contributes to this idea that we’re not strong enough, not capable enough, too delicate to be called out, challenged, or doubted. In any way. Ever. This is doing no one any favors. - Leah Young, LPC at Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center Clinical Manager

2. Anxiety

Some people believe others use "anxiety" as an excuse, these days, for not wanting to do things that are uncomfortable.

Whether or not they do, it would help if we could all agree on the definition!

There's a difference between feeling anxious and having anxiety. Anxiousness can be managed and overcome, while anxiety is a long-term problem that must be treated.

"Having some anxiety is a normal thing—having an anxiety disorder is much different since it impedes everyday life and decisions," says Tirrell De Gannes, a licensed clinical psychologist.

3. Trauma / PTSD

When we're using the same term to describe going to war and having an argument with your parents, something has gone wrong.

'"This term is increasingly used to describe upsetting events or experiences. Not all upsetting events will cause a trauma response," says Audrey Schoen, licensed marriage and family therapist.

"And not everyone that experiences a traumatic event will develop PTSD. PTSD happens when the brain is unable to complete the processing and consolidation process after a traumatic event, and the effects can be severe and long lasting."

While we're at it, remember that "trauma bonding" is something that happens between someone and the person who abuses or mistreats them — if someone tries to relate to you based on a difficult experience you both shared, that's totally normal and not trauma bonding!

4. Narcissist

At some point, everyone who acts like a jerk to us became a "narcissist."

Let's leave the diagnoses to the professionals, OK?

"'Narcissist' has become a catch-all for selfish behavior, losing its connection to the clinical diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder," says Caroline Fenkel, Chief Clinical Officer at Charlie Health.

5. Toxic

a poisonous mushroom Sergei Gussev/Unsplash

"Toxic [is improperly used] to describe ineffective or unhelpful people or relationships. Or to describe someone who wasn’t for us after all. I’ve worked with patients who describe someone as toxic simply because that person started setting boundaries. This is another example of overusing a word to mean that we just don’t like something," says Leah Young

"Labeling every difficult interaction or disagreement as 'toxic' overlooks the complexity of human relationships. ... Simply writing someone off as 'toxic' doesn’t leave room for growth, understanding, or healing," says Joseph Cavins, licensed marriage and family therapist.

6. Unsafe / uncomfortable

"If a tween or teen is in trouble we often we hear them say they feel 'unsafe' or 'uncomfortable.' In reality, the adults in their lives are holding them accountable for inappropriate behavior," says therapist Jocelyn Bibi.

"Sitting in uncomfortable feelings is really challenging, and being told you did something wrong and reflecting on it is tough, particularly for tweens and teens. It seems like saying they feel 'unsafe' is a way out of these tricky conversations, whether it is a conscious action or not."

7. Triggered

"Triggered", the close cousin of "trauma" that the media loves to misuse!

"[Words like triggered] are often misapplied to situations that cause discomfort rather than true psychological harm. This happens in part because social media spreads these words quickly, without always providing their proper context," says Caroline Fenkel.

A trigger, in psychology, refers to something that sets off overwhelming distress and can relate to things like substance abuse or PTSD flashbacks.

8. ADD / ADHD

"Often used to describe someone that is easily distracted or tends to be a little scattered at times. The important distinction is that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that interferes with a persons functioning or development.

"It’s more than just being easily distracted, and can significantly affect someone’s academic or work performance, daily functioning, and relationships," says Audrey Schoen.

9. OCD

"Often people will use this to describe things they are particular or rigid about. Or someone that is more organized or likes to something a certain way. OCD involved recurring, intrusive thoughts of behaviors that are often uncomfortable or problematic to the person and its accompanied by a great deal of anxiety," says Schoen.

10. Bipolar

"This is often used in reference to someone having a mood swing or being moody. It might also be used to describe someone who is reactive or gets upset easily," says Schoen.

"Bipolar is much more serious and involved periods of severe mood changes. During manic episodes a person might feel euphoric, have intense racing thoughts, and engage in incredibly risky behaviors without any thought of the negative consequences. Depressive episodes may include intensely low mood and even suicidal ideation. The swings of bipolar can be significant, longer lasting, and may not have a clear trigger."

11. Boundaries

police tape 'Do Not Cross' David von Diemar/Unsplash

People think of drawing boundaries as a healthy habit, and it is — but only if you know what it actually means.

"For example, say you do not eat meat. You go to dinner with friends and they order food with meat. A boundary is not to say 'I do not eat meat so no one around me can eat meat that is my boundary.' That is not a boundary-that is control," says Alex Banta, Clinical Director and therapist at Thriveworks.

"A boundary would be if you decide that you cannot be around people eating meat, you do not go to the dinner. A boundary is something you set related to your own behavior."

Alex adds that while therapy speak words like "boundary" are popular on social media, they can sometimes be used to justify unhealthy behavior.

"Controlling behavior gets wrapped in the term 'boundary' and suddenly the unhealthy behavior is allowed."

Sometimes these therapy-speak words are used casually in-jest, or in a self-deprecating jokey way. Other times, they're seriously misapplied. But there might be a small upside to the rising prevalence, or mainstreaming, of these words. Even if there's a ways to go when it comes to educating people on using them properly.

"More awareness means more conversations around mental health, and I can say that’s a positive shift. The key is education, making sure people understand the terms they’re using so they can apply them correctly and compassionately," says Joseph Cavins. "There’s always an opportunity to turn awareness into deeper learning, and that’s where we, as mental health professionals, can step in."

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Family

15 tweets that only married people will understand

Even the perfect marriage (if that exists) would have its everyday frustrations.

Photo from Twitter.

A typical... frustrating day.

Being married is like being half of a two-headed monster. It's impossible to avoid regular disagreements when you're bound to another person for the rest of your life.

Even the perfect marriage (if there was such a thing) would have its daily frustrations. Funnily enough, most fights aren't caused by big decisions but the simple, day-to-day questions, such as "What do you want for dinner?"; "Are we free Friday night?"; and "What movie do you want to see?”

Here are some hilarious tweets that just about every married couple will understand.