People Are Sharing The Things That Others Underestimate The Seriousness Of, And Think We Should Talk About More
Sometimes, for whatever reasons, we think of something as not that serious and that we can hold off on dealing with it. For example: Someone putting off going to the dentist because of toothache from a cavity, and when they do end up going they have to get a root canal because they didn't go in sooner.
And recently, Reddit user 300teethgirl touched upon this topic when they asked: "What do people heavily underestimate the seriousness of?"
The thread got thousands of responses. Below are the top and best comments:
1."High blood pressure. It's the silent killer for a reason."
"I'm 38. Was diagnosed with high blood pressure and put on medication. That was my wake-up call. Lost 40 lbs, improved my diet, started exercising. Went back to the doc about 7 months later, and now I'm off the meds. She said I was a rare success story.
Was not going to f' around with that — especially for my kids."
2."Breaking up with a friend. This whole 'clean out your social life, everyone is toxic' thing these days has gone way too far. You should be willing to put up with people's foibles. Friendships are not limited in number the way monogamous partners are, so you shouldn't be dumping them for every little thing. It's brutally painful on the dump-ee. Save friend breakups for really serious problems."
3."Sleep deprivation."
"Oh yeah. I suffer from insomnia on and off ever since I was a teenager. This weekend I had it so bad I felt almost murderous. Despite being so tired I was frantically walking around and felt like punching stuff inside my own home. Not good."
4."Water damage. I work in construction and the number one cause of claims is water damage. Roof leaks, wall leaks, concrete damage, you name it. Water is the worst enemy of building."
"Someone in construction/repair once told me: 'Water ALWAYS wins.' It finds its way into everything."
5."Not having a will."
"More importantly: a living will. Make sure your wishes are well documented. If you’re ever in a situation where you cannot speak for yourself, you need to make sure healthcare professionals know what to do. You’d be shocked to hear what family members do to I keep their loved ones alive for various reasons — some of them more nefarious than others."
6."The content you post to the internet."
7."Infections. Especially urinary tract infections. They can kill you."
"Sinus and teeth too. I have heard doctors call it the 'triangle of death' about that area because those infections can easily go to your heart or brain."
8."The 69% reduction of animal populations since 1970."
9."Loneliness and how it impacts pretty much everything in your life."
"I went through a very bad period of loneliness and isolation many years ago. I remember starting to feel like I didn't even exist as a human being. I think connection to others is a huge component of survival even, so it kind of makes sense."
10."Cross-contamination in food prep. I’ve run into SO many people who just don’t understand why it’s an issue. And it shocks me every time."
11."Driving. People recklessly throw those multi-ton machines around on the roads like it's no big deal."
"I'm a careful driver. I'm not dangerously slow or nervous twitchy, I drive the speed limit or a few miles over, give people plenty of space, and don't run red lights. Passengers (usually guys tbh) get SO ANNOYED and tell me I drive 'like an old lady.' Well, old ladies get to be old by not dying in car accidents."
12."Cleaning out the lint trap of the dryer. I watched a neighbor’s house burn down because of this."
"I had a chimney sweep clean out the dryer duct, it was nearly clogged. He recommended that I hit it with a leaf blower annually."
13."Water/the ocean, those that grow up around it understand. Those that don't just assume they can swim. Another dangerous assumption is that because there are life guards/supervision, it is safe. You can drown in a few seconds. Also, there isn't many risks that you just jump into. People understand not to jump/walk into fire or jump/walk off a cliff but will be willing to jump/walk into deep water."
14."Vitamin B12 deficiency."
"Doctor here. Certain vitamin deficiencies can cause neurological damage, vitamin B12 deficiency is a relatively common vitamin deficiency and can cause a condition called subacute combined degeneration."
15."Slipping and falling. They get included in compilations of 'funny' videos, I see it and I cringe. Having slipped on ice and broken my wrist a few years ago, it was a very painful and scary experience — not funny in the slightest."
"My GF slipped on loose carpeting on some steps in a house we were renting a few months ago. She’s only just now starting to get back to normal, and she still has to go to physical therapy twice a week for the foreseeable future."
16."Maintaining your health throughout your life."
"Preventative care is key, as well as broadening your definition of 'preventative care' as you get older."
17."Skin cancer. Melanoma, in particular. Sunscreen can go a long way in preventing it, but people routinely go out in the sun without protection. It's also important to have your skin checked regularly with a melanoma, especially if you have any suspicious moles."
"It's a flex for a lot of people to say they 'never wear sunscreen.' Coworker said she didn't believe that she could get skin cancer, meanwhile, her husband was getting biopsies done on his face."
18.And lastly: "Addiction to social media."
You can read the full thread of responses on Reddit.
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
