Duck Syndrome Part 3
In October (18th blog post) I referred to “Duck Syndrome” which is a new way of saying people are out of control under the surface and faking a smooth and calm existence on the surface. We can self-diagnose that we have Duck Syndrome if you: “feel frazzled, panicked, overwhelmed, or waiting for the shoe to drop” - Janelle Baldwin October 18th, 2021, Blog Post Duck Syndrome. This is not a real syndrome or documented mental health crisis, it’s something we can all suffer from when we decide to take everything one and control our world. If we’re honest, we can all say that we’ve been guilty of this at one time or another.
Remember…Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world…” Why? You’ll end of frazzled! God has a better plan, it’s time to learn His Will for your life and receive His peace.
In the era of social media and Instagram, we can project a fake image of who we want to be rather than who we actually are. ... Duck Syndrome refers to that image of a duck we see effortlessly gliding across the water.
I read an article by George Gerber called Duck Syndrome: What’s Beneath the Water? - 1/29/20 2:10am. He writes, “According to Student Wellness Center director Caitlin Barthelmes, Duck Syndrome is a concept that affects many Dartmouth students. While Duck Syndrome is not a formal diagnosis, it can still affect a student’s wellbeing. When students have misperceptions about the realities of their peers’ behaviors, their decisions and behaviors can easily be affected, according to Barthelmes. “
Isn’t this so true? If we think someone is getting through life easier than us, we tend to fake it so look as smooth. We don’t want to show weakness, and many people know they need a Savior, but will NOT call Jesus Lord. They still want to run their lives, do it there way and make their own truth and decisions. This only leads to internal discord, strife, struggling and a life without peace.
“When it comes to something like feeling as if everyone else is having no challenges or transitions or stress, it could cause the feelings of isolation or lack of belonging, and we know that those two things can be associated with a decrease in mental health or increases in stress and not great wellbeing,” Barthelmes said.”
George Gerber goes on to write, “I know when I’m having a bad day, I look less put together, so it throws me off if I see someone that is put together,” Dunbar said. “When you are struggling, it’s easier to look around and see the flawless side of everyone and see how effortless it is for them. When you’re having a bad day, it can make it more extreme.” “However, just because someone sees other people doing well doesn’t necessarily mean they are suffering from Duck Syndrome. According to Dunbar, Duck Syndrome doesn’t really affect her because she found a community of people that is willing to share their real feelings, so she doesn’t get stressed out about it.”
I also read about a study of Stanford students that stated:
“Most people care about their brand, they spend the time to carefully craft the image they present to the world. Social media's impact is two-sided, we send and we receive. You will learn about interesting ways companies interact with us and influence our behaviour. We each have the potential to influence our network through our social media presence. How often do our friends share their struggles, all-nighters or sad moments from a heartbreak? The "perfect" doesn't exist but unfortunately, it's all that we see on social media.”
In the original article I quoted, “Barthelmes said, “she believes that making intentional choices about what will serve your wellbeing is a good compass to base your actions on, rather than what you think you should be doing or what others are doing. “
That is exactly my point – we can CHOOSE who we listen to, serve and fill our minds with.
You’ll find that verse in the Holy Bible in Joshua 24:15
So, how can you get past duck syndrome you ask? It’s all about reducing your symptoms. Today’s action step is: Put effort into learning how to cope, lean on God and give Him your cares! Easy to say but hard to do! Keep praying and laying your burdens down. Stop paddling so fast when life is tough. Go to Him in prayer, He will hear you and rest at His feet. He is there in every circumstance if we acknowledge Him. Believe it or not, He sees your feet going a million miles an hour; He is asking you to slow down, give Him a chance and He’ll help you get rid of your “duck syndrome”. He says be anxious for nothing! NOTHING means nothing.
I’ve created a worksheet that you can use to identify your “duck syndrome” thoughts and then fight back against them.
