San Diego native Dana Putnam told friends yet again this week that exercise is “better than therapy”, suggesting that she must have some pretty light trauma, if any, to make that kind of assertion.
“I just feel like I can work out all my problems with a really good, solid workout,” Dana said, to a group of friends who remained silent. “A monthly gym membership saves me hundreds in therapy!”
Friends kind of nodded and attempted to change the subject, quietly agreeing she must not have had a complicated relationship with her parents or really suffered much at all.
“I get it – exercise makes me feel better in general and helps with my depression,” says friend Anita Carillo. “But for it to totally replace therapy? I’m sure her biggest trauma is that one of her grandparents died or something.”
Dana, who grew up in a stable, upper-middle-class home, somehow avoided abuse, neglect, or assault of any kind – but is definitely sure she has PTSD from the time she got dumped by her boyfriend of six months.
“Running really helps me deal with that,” Dana added.
“It’s not like I can fault Dana for never having dealt with the trauma I’ve dealt with – that’s not her fault,” says friend Jarrod Smith, who enjoys both weightlifting and regular therapy. “I just wish she could understand that her problems are pretty small compared to most people, and some people require different solutions than the one that worked for her.”
“Plus, I found out her grandparents and all her childhood pets are still alive,” Jarrod added. “That’s actually crazy.”
Friends agree that Dana is absolutely going to lose it when something hard eventually happens to her – and they have great recommendations for a therapist when it does.
