‘Mood Hoover’
Every client has the potential to challenge me and teach me. Today, I was taught the term,
‘Mood Hoover’. This piqued my curiosity as I believe myself to share DNA with at least one such person. I contemplated it’s meaning in relation to the term ‘Fun Sponge’ although I’m not sure they could be considered synonyms as, according to Margaret Atwood, “context is all.”
Various google searches reveal that a ‘mood hoover’ may do any or all of the following, consistently:
· bring negativity into a group or environment
· deplete the energy and enthusiasm of others
· contribute to poor morale, low performance and a toxic culture.
· obsess over doom and gloom
Other group members may react with apathy initially and later, confusion. They may feel impotent to challenge the mood hoover, (who remains in their personal comfort zone), for fear of conflict and reprisal, and in order to protect a sense of equilibrium for themselves and the group. But if nothing changes, nothing changes.
So, how should one respond when approached and asked,
“Am I a mood hoover?”
As counsellors we’re not here to give advice although I’m often seeking some from the highly esteemed cast of characters in my life:
Original Laura- best friend since high school, senior staff nurse in charge of, “properly mashed up victims of RTAs,” and font of all parenting knowledge, delivered concisely and directly:
“I prefer ‘Mood Dyson’ and it’s high time you vacuumed up your own mess.”
Slee Bags (also a Laura)- lady with whom I lunch, truth seeker, non-conformer, all around reliable good-egg and highly trustworthy:
“You are a SMART Mood Shark, obviously tracking and undermining my every attempt to increase efficiency and productivity, risking the detriment to the experience of all customers, if another team member doesn’t fix your mistakes. They will likely never dare tell you they hoovered up your shit on their own time.”
Carlos- husband (introduced to me by original Laura) finance manager for a private multinational company, generator of spreadsheets:
“Yes. Lighten up you miserable t**t.” How that’s translated into Mandarin isn’t really his main concern. A lot gets lost in translation and that’s probably why he prefers numbers to words.
Auntie Amy, sister-in-law (my most normal relative if such a thing exists) and best known for Swiss levels of neutrality:
“I would pretend I hadn’t heard the question and excuse myself to take a phone call.”
John, my supervisor, fellow therapist, lecturer and Celt, reflector on theory:
‘Why are you asking me? Let’s not put my opinion of whether you’re a mood hoover in the way of whether you think you’re one. Is it useful to you to be a mood hoover?’
And then there’s me.
“It sounds as though you’ve been reflecting on how others’ view you. We could explore the value you place on others’ opinions of you in various contexts.
