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Have you or anyone you know ever experienced any of the following symptoms?
- Made fun of strangers for their physical appearance
- Talked negatively behind a friend's back
- Played a prank on a friend in the name of humor
- Spread rumors that damaged someone's reputation
- Purposely criticized a friend to fuel their insecurities
- Demean someone's character or confidence
- Dismissed a friend's feelings
- Tormented, embarrassed or harassed a friend or stranger in public
You may also experience other symptoms such as: verbal diarhhea, inability to keep secrets, insincerity, lack of compassion and tolerance, challenges in giving others compliments, closemindedness, jealously, fear, insecurity, joy in seeing others in agony and scarcity.
If you have said yes to any of these, then you or someone you know may be suffering from AMGS - Adult Mean Girl Syndrome. It can also be known as Adult Mean Guy Syndrome, as this pyschological ailment does not discriminate between genders.
What is AMGS?
AMGS is prevalent in today's culture and can be easily found anywhere - in the workplace, among circles of friends, within families, and worst of all it is highly sensationalized in the media. From shows like the Bad Girls Club to The Housewives of 'Enter Major City Here', we see horrific displays of AMGS among women. With shows like this on the air, it's no wonder why we see so many heartbreaking stories of teen suicide due to bullying.
Let's face it, no matter how much we may think our kids can think for themselves (and many of them do), they also learn by watching what we as adults do. And if they see adults treating one another with little to no respect, guess what? They will do the same because they think if it works for us, then it must work for them.
The Cure.
Obviously there is no psychological condition called AMGS and all joking aside, women's bad behavior towards other women truly does absolutely nothing for the advancement of women in today's society. No, let's take it one step further; it does nothing for our society as a whole. If anything, it makes us look back asswards. It's disturbing that some take Darwin's concept of survival of the fittest to mean that cutting down someone's existence will make them better, if not the best, above everyone else.
So what is the cure for AMGS? Treatment and rehabilitation can include respect, kindness, compassion, empathy, humility, abundance, generosity, sincerity, tolerance, acceptance. Combatting AMGS isn't easy, but it's also not impossible. Those who know their boundaries and learn to speak up for themselves and others will not only survive AMGS but overcome it. By simply choosing not to accept AMGS in our lives, we make room to create a nurturing community of friends and family who will encourage your further development and growth.
Ever thought of taking your own advice Miss AMGS?
ReplyDeleteWhen I first received this comment posted by an anonymous individual, I hesitated to approve the post and make it public. But as the day wore on, I decided to post it in hopes of turning this negative energy into a great opportunity for my readers, myself and perhaps even this anonoymous person to learn about how to handle confrontation and conflict. As a writer and as someone who encourages people to be authentic, I decided I wanted to post all comments; good, bad or indifferent and address them accordingly.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I would like to thank you, Anonymous for your comment as it proved to be a perfect example to the point of my article. It is much easier to criticize and be bold when you're hiding behind a mask. It takes courage to confront issues head on and conflict is a sticky wicket to maneuver that not many people are brave enough to attempt to resolve. It is very clear there are some issues here which may require some self reflection on your part. I encourage you to continue to follow and read my blog with the intent to learn alternative ways to practice more peaceful, non-violent communication styles with those whom you choose to interact with and guide you down a more positive path towards building richer and deeper relationships that will bring you the clarity and abundance you are searching for.
I couldn't agree with Kimmilyn more. Certainly, none of us are perfect, but I hope for their own sake, anonymous comes forward, shows their true self and maybe starts to work on their own issues.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who suffers from Adult Onset AMGS (I'm Kidding, I have been a bitch all of my life), I half to say that I never try to hide behind the screen of Anonymous, or try to blame anyone else for what I say or do. Kim thanks for the post. I think we all suffer from AMGS at times, we are human not perfect. The goal in life is to try to improve upon ones former self, not try to be better than everyone else. Anonymous, I hope you feel better now that you got that out of your system. I am guessing you don't.
ReplyDeleteGreat article Kim. Appreciate the insight and your authentic self showing up not only on the blog but also in the commentary.
ReplyDelete