"But I bet MY misery loves company more than yours does, your misery ain't 'bout dat life!"
No this is not the latest Facebook game, even though it kinda is if you are friends with delusional people. What is Misery Wars? Oh, I guess you want me to tell you. Well, ok. Misery Wars is when you tell someone a hardship or health issue you are dealing with and they have to trump it with some equally or more tragic contrived event. There is a relative of mine who is the master of this. She is related by marriage… o_0 and lets just say ever since I was a kid she has created a lie world around her just to snatch up all your sympathy and well wishes. Can you tell I feel some kinda way about this person? Anyway here is a made up, but totally plausible example of a conversation with a Misery Warrior.
me: Yeah, I have had the nastiest cold, I think it may actually be bronchitis
Attention Seeking Loony Person (ASLP): Oooh child, that ain’t nothing, last year I had “the asthma”, emphysema, and the flu all at once…
me: ooh for real, well yeah I am gonna go to the doctor and see what they say
ASLP: Girl I hope it ain’t lung cancer like I had last week, I think I caught it from one of the folks as the Shelter where I volunteer and donate 95% of my paychecks to.
me: [holding back tears of laughter] Yeah, I heard that cancer was going around, and folks been getting gout of the lungs too, so you better be careful. I just hope I am better for my Vegas trip.
ASLP: Oh Vegas? Hmph, that ain’t nothing compared to when we went to the Moon last week. If you ain’t been to the moon you ain’t bout dat life!
Oh, I forgot to mention that Misery Warriors will also steal your joy when talking about a success story, vacation, or concert. Oh yes, you will not get any positive or negative attention when around one of these life sucking forces. I dare you to try. Don’t worry, I’ll wait….. Do you know any folks that are Misery Warriors, please share.
*falls out*
I know many ppl like this… I could write my own blog post in your comment.
But I won’t. I’ll just say, I used to avoid the break room at work because of a woman I worked with (she wanted me to have Fibromyalgia because she did – not really, just in her head & she wanted to share, how nice!), 2 of my Mom’s sister’s are like this, the youngest has been chasing disability for YEARS and the oldest is now “dying of a brain tumor”. *rolls eyes* Then there’s my Dad’s Mom who is always sick, or needing something… but she really just has a gambling addiction. DRIVES ME CRAZY. LOL
You know my ex-sister-in-law? When did you visit Cincinatti?
For real… “Yeah, I heard that cancer was going around, and folks been getting gout of the lungs too, so you better be careful.”
I am overyou.com
Man, YES. Why folks gotta be going for the gold medal of conversation is beyond me…