Are You Having 'Disney Channel Problems'? The Viral Theory That Can Help You Prioritize Your Issues

Have you ever made a gallon of salad dressing when you meant to only make enough of the mixture for a single serving? That exact conundrum is the example given by TikTok content creator @nikkinasty, whose explanation of a phone call she received from her boyfriend left her pondering how much weight should really be given to the various things we often perceive as significant problems — even though they aren't. Her boyfriend's extra dressing ended up leaving her with a eureka moment about what it means to have "Disney Channel problems." The thought-provoking concept has nearly as much depth to it as her boyfriend had extra dressing. 

The Disney Channel is one of the television stations operated by the Disney machine, with a core demographic target of kids ages five to 14. Its programming schedules are filled with both television shows and original movies, many of which tend to have ridiculous storylines, according to Screen Rant. The quirky, absurd, and outrageously comical plots with flamboyant backdrops and overly colorful wardrobes are clearly geared toward connecting with kids who haven't yet experienced life's more serious problems, such as trying to make ends meet, supporting a loved one with a life-threatening illness, and other dilemmas which can exist in adulthood.

Before you turn molehills into full mountain ranges, take a moment to step back, take a deep breath, and consider if the issue you're currently facing could be a Disney Channel problem. The TikTok concept boils down to the simple question of whether or not your concern could be part of a storyline, or even the entire plot, for an episode on the Disney Channel. To get an idea of just how wacky storylines can be on the Disney Channel, some iconic series include the stories of a teen pop star who goes incognito to fit in as a regular student at school in "Hannah Montana," and a family of wizards — including Selena Gomez — who must disguise their powers in "Wizards of Waverly Place."Again, the content is meant for kids who haven't yet reached high school, so it makes perfect sense that the shows are lighthearted, unrealistic, and silly. So if your problem can also be described as such, it's likely a Disney Channel problem.

In your own life, asking yourself if you're facing a Disney Channel problem is a way to gain perspective, as @nikkinasty emphasizes in her TikTok explanation. Without this, it can be easy to fall into traps of catastrophizing or overthinking, which can lead to stress levels that negatively impact your health. Anxiety, fatigue, nausea, depression, headache, and issues with memory, sleep, and appetite are signs that your stress over an issue has become toxic.

Describing your issue as a Disney Channel problem is not meant to invalidate your experience nor is it a definitive marker for determining the actual severity of any situation you may be enduring. Should you find yourself panicking over having accidentally made a gallon of salad dressing, having forgotten to change your wig before work so now you're at risk of your coworkers discovering that you're a secret A-List celebrity, or you did something more realistic like forgetting about returning an important message, consider the likely ramifications with perspective instead of through overthinking and catastrophizing. It can be easy for your mind to convince you that, after a minor and likely common mistake, you're going to be fired, will never be employed again, and therefore will lose access to food and shelter rendering you doomed for the rest of eternity. Putting things into perspective helps you to realize there is likely a reasonable solution to the problem, and also reminds you that you are human and humans make mistakes.

Obtaining perspective when you're stressed, overwhelmed, or all-consumed by a situation doesn't only relieve your anxiety, but it can help you cope with what you're facing and encourage the development of a facts-based plan to move forward rather than remaining stuck in an emotionally-driven spiral, according to Psychology Compass. Seeking perspective can provide you with clarity and better judgment for coping with what's in front of you.

When you're in the throes of an all-consuming situation, you may feel like your mind is filled with fog or like you're stuck in a tornado that won't stop spinning. Stopping everything in its tracks at this time to seek perspective, especially if you don't know where to begin the process, may just require as much magic as shows on the Disney Channel have folded into their storylines. Though it can feel easier said than done, it's definitely possible to stop yourself when you begin to become overwhelmed by an experience and to step back in the pursuit of perspective. The secret is less magical and more practical — you simply need to know tactics for gaining perspective before you're in the midst of an overwhelming situation. Moreover, you should practice techniques for seeking perspective during times when you aren't stressed over a major concern.

Some options to help ground you include: writing in a journal, utilizing the support of a therapist, and practicing naming the emotions you feel when you're overwhelmed and then separating them from the facts of a situation. Just because it feels like the world is ending, that doesn't mean it actually will. An asteroid isn't about to crash into Earth. Practice rejecting thought patterns of all-or-nothing and replacing them with open-ended internal dialogues with yourself, and take the words "never" and "always" out of your inner monologue vernacular. 

Returning to the Disney Channel's wacky storylines, engaging in laughter is one of the best ways to calm your nervous system so that you can seek perspective rooted in clarity and facts, whether you've identified your circumstances as a Disney Channel problem or a real adult-sized issue. Mayo Clinic reveals that laughing can increase oxygen flow to your organs and work towards the betterment of your physical, mental, and emotional well-being by relieving acute symptoms of stress while simultaneously decreasing anxiety and increasing mood-boosting emotions like joy and happiness. The next time you begin to feel a concerning issue consume you, particularly if your mind begins to concoct fictional stories of worst-case scenarios, pull out your phone to watch a comedic clip, swap jokes with a coworker, or think of a funny memory that you know makes you laugh. 

Laughing your way to a calmer body and mind, while lowering your blood pressure, decreasing a rapid heart rate, and reaping the benefits of lessened muscle tension, can provide you with the proper setting of clarity and calm mindset that you need to invoke the perspective-seeking techniques you've been practicing.