Skip to main content

Are You Happy Yet? UP and DOWN metaphors


Are You Happy Yet? 

UP and DOWN metaphors


It’s common knowledge that news sources thrive on negative news. Afterall, we are hardwired to respond to threats as a matter of survival. Unfortunately, a torrent of bad news can produce sadness or even depression.

Depression as a word fits the up-down metaphor as if our brains had a vertical structure for moods where up is good and down is bad. In banter with my cousin Stan (RIP) his response to “how are ya” was “still above ground.” On leaving, I’d say “I’m going underground” as he delivered me to my London tube station.

Religious folks use up and down metaphors for heaven and hell, which I always thought was funny for those DOWN under (Aussies).

When things are DOWN, we often characterize them as LOWER, CUT, NOT WORKING, BROKEN, AT THE BOTTOM, and ON THE GROUND. When people in important positions leave, they STEPDOWN. And naysayers warn the arrogant that they should watch out for a FALL.

If you consume news, check out the DOWNPOUR in recent days.


Back to the news. 

The financial markets are DOWN this day, month, and year. Lately, many retirement accounts are LOWER. The newsies report stocks SLIDE because of SLOWDOWN worries.

The US budget is being CUT DOWN as quickly as possible. 2

The US Congress is trying to avoid a SHUTDOWN, which may result in LOWER voter support. The DEADLINE is Friday. 3.

The US government staffing numbers are DOWN due to layoffs, which can obviously be depressing. 4

A picture in today’s news showed an empty space at Toronto airport where young tourists usually queue for trips to the US. Air travel is DOWN as a result of the trade wars. 5

Around the world, soldiers and civilians reach the ultimate DOWN as for example recent deaths in Syria and Ukraine reveal. 6, 7


Pathways to happiness

Many of the depressing events in the news are horribly sad for those personally affected by the reported events. The pain of loss when loved ones die can persist for years. Financial ruin with or without job loss can be very difficult to overcome. In such cases, family, friends, communities are vital to recovery. And often, professional healthcare providers are needed.

But for those who are not in the direct line of fire, to avoid the subtle and not so subtle mood-destroying stimuli, we’ll need to take control of our news diet. Some ideas for changing to an UPBEAT LIFE-GIVING WELL of BUBBLY.

INCREASING intake of positive news stories.

Listening to UPBEAT music.

Reading UPLIFTING essays and stories.

INCREASING time with positive people.

INCREASING walking and other types of exercise

INCREASING expressions of gratitude

INCREASING giving time or resources to others when possible

INCREASING expressions of care for others. A call or text or visit can make someone’s day.

INCREASING the consumption of laughter

INCREASING eating well

INCREASING sleep if needed

INCREASING stable recessionary-resistant investments less susceptible to market swings like CDs if possible and with professional advice as needed.

Avoiding news media broadcasts where we have no control over broadcast selected stories.

Avoiding negative talk shows.

Blocking negative news stories in social media feeds.

Blocking DOWNBEAT feeds in social media.

Controlling Metaphors

It takes some effort to recognize metaphors and the influence they have on how we frame life.

For example, marketplace selloffs are opportunities to buy quality investments at good prices for those who understand markets.

Recognizing the DOWN words and related concepts can help us control persistent negativity by blocking, turning off, or avoiding such stimuli as may be reasonably possible.

It takes some practice. And sometimes a psychotherapist can help reframe life events. Decades ago, I learned to pay attention as patients revealed the narratives linked to anxiety, depression, and other distressing ills.

When you catch on to the UP - DOWN metaphors, try thinking of other confining metaphors like TIME = MONEY and ARGUMENTS = WAR.



References

2. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/06/gop-budget-medicare-medicaid-cuts

3. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/congress-races-avert-government-shutdown-friday-deadline-rcna195312

4. https://www.delawareonline.com/story/money/business/2016/01/04/dupont-workers-learning-their-fate-today/78255924/

5. https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122177874464270823&id=61558124703468

6. https://apnews.com/article/syria-alawites-sectarian-killings-coast-assad-hts-610cdee1d5762d3ecb75c700fb7cf5f2

7. https://abcnews.go.com/International/deadly-russian-attack-overnight-ukraine-kills-11-injure/story?id=119583522



Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD is Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He retired from a clinical practice and was credentialed in clinical neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. His website is  www.suttong.com

 

See Geoffrey Sutton’s books on   AMAZON       or  GOOGLE STORE

Follow on    FACEBOOK   Geoff W. Sutton    

   X  @Geoff.W.Sutton    


You can read many published articles at no charge:

  Academia   Geoff W Sutton     ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton 

 

Dr. Sutton’s posts are for educational purposes only. See a licensed mental health provider for diagnoses, treatment, and consultation. 




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

EASTER: VARIATIONS IN BELIEF

Differences in Religious & Spiritual Beliefs Relevant to the Easter Story By Geoffrey W. Sutton, Ph.D. at suttong.com Like most Christians, my wife and I attend an Easter Service. And, a s usual, the media rise to the Spring occasion with Bible stories, comments from various religious leaders and a few atheists—just to keep things balanced. Other religions are on the back burner until Monday. So many statements of beliefs come from the Easter events.  For now, here’s a sample of some core beliefs from various sources. God: 51% believe in God as in the Bible Statista (May, 2023) reported US belief "in God as described in holy scriptures" at 51%. Another 22% reported a belief in a higher power or spirit. Pew researchers from 2021 find 58% believe in God as described in the Bible and another 32% believe in a God or Higher Power.  Belief in God is obviously a core belief. U.S. belief has declined to 58% having no doubt God exists and another 17% have do...
Post a Comment
Read more

9 Beliefs of Christian Counselors

Updated 26 Feb 2018 What Christian Counselors Believe, Value, and Practice Part I: Beliefs I once asked a conservative evangelical Christian Chaplain how he handled counseling when he was pretty sure a dying patient was not a Christian and, according to his tradition, would soon spend eternity in hell. He sincerely said he would have to think about that question. A female health care provider told me she switched jobs so she could work with children rather than seniors, because she believed that, unlike the elderly, children would go to heaven if they died. In this case, her Christian beliefs appeared to have a cause -effect influence on her career. Counselors normally focus on the needs of clients and help clients find solutions in a supportive setting. Theoretically, rapport ought to be enhanced when counselors and clients share common values and beliefs.  Why ask what Christian Counselors Believe? The primary reason ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Turing Test and Chat Psychotherapy 2025

  Where are we now? The Turing Test, originally called the "Imitation Game," is a concept proposed by Alan Turing in 1950 to address the question, "Can machines think?". Instead of trying to define the complex notion of "thinking," Turing suggested a practical test to determine whether a machine could exhibit behavior indistinguishable from that of a human (Vation Ventures.com). How it works Participants: Three individuals participate: The Interrogator (Judge): A human whose goal is to determine which of the other two participants is human and which is a machine. Human Participant: A human who aims to convince the interrogator that they are human. Machine Participant: A computer program that strives to imitate human conversation and responses so effectively that the interrogator cannot reliably distinguish it from the human participant. Communication : All three participants are isolated from each other and communicate solely through a text-based interf...
Post a Comment
Read more