If you've been anywhere near downtown Washington, DC this summer, you've probably seen them. Buses wrapped in fiery orange graphics, plastered with the bold question:

"Can buried memories trigger stress?"

The words roll past on K Street, glide by Dupont Circle, and wait at traffic lights along UStreet. The message is impossible to ignore -- especially in a city where stress feels almost like a second language. But beyond the striking visuals, the ad is not just a campaign. It's a reminder of the book that has been offering answers to stress and trauma for more than seventy years: Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health by L. Ron Hubbard.

Stress in the Capital City

Washington has never been known as a calm city. Federal deadlines, political showdowns, high rents, and Metro delays all contribute to a kind of daily pressure cooker. In 2025, that pressure shows up in the numbers: Google's most searched mental health questions include "How should I handle stress?" and "How do I stop a panic attack?"

For many, the question on the bus hits close to home. Buried memories, unfinished grief, and unresolved trauma are more than philosophical ideas. They are lived experiences -- often carried quietly until a stressful day or a triggering moment brings them roaring back.

The Dianetics Difference

While mental health apps and therapy platforms compete for attention today, Dianetics stands apart as the only workable mental technology that has consistently produced results since its release in 1950. L. Ron Hubbard's groundbreaking work introduced the idea that the mind is divided into two parts: the analytical mind and the reactive mind. It is the reactive mind -- filled with painful or traumatic recordings of past experiences -- that triggers stress, anxiety and even irrational fears.

The technique outlined in Dianetics provides a practical method for addressing those "buried memories" directly, reducing their harmful influence and freeing individuals to live with greater clarity, confidence and well-being. This is not a theory. Millions have used Dianetics technology to improve their lives, making it one of the most enduring movements in mental health history.

By the Numbers: A Global Bestseller

Since its first publication in 1950, over 22 million copies of Dianetics have been sold worldwide. It has appeared on bestseller lists 28 times, a rare achievement for any book, let alone one dealing with mental health. Generations of readers -- from college students to professionals to families -- have turned to it for tools to deal with the stress and trauma of daily living.

Why It Works in Washington

For Washingtonians, the timing of these buses feels almost uncanny. DC is a city of ambition, but also one of burnout. Federal employees, nonprofit staff, students at Georgetown and Howard, and entrepreneurs across the city share one thing: a constant buzz of pressure. In that environment, it doesn't take much for stress to tip into something deeper.

Seeing a bus ask about "buried memories" isn't just advertising. It's a reminder that there is an effective way to deal with the hidden causes of stress. For many, Dianetics offers answers that other methods have not -- practical tools to get to the root of the problem, not just manage the symptoms.

The Larger Conversation

Critics may debate its methods, but the results speak for themselves. For more than seven decades, Dianetics has given people a way to confront the effects of trauma and stress directly. In a culture where mental health is finally becoming a mainstream conversation, it is striking that the oldest and most widely practiced approach is still gaining new readers every year.

And perhaps that's why the buses stand out so strongly. Amid endless talk about mindfulness, teletherapy and "wellness," here is a book that has already helped millions and continues to do so today.

What It Means for 2025

So what should we take from this? For one, that mental health awareness is no longer confined to clinical settings or awareness months. It's part of the everyday environment, as visible as traffic lights and street signs. For another, that real, lasting solutions are out there -- and Dianetics remains at the center of that conversation.

Whether you roll your eyes, snap a photo, or quietly think about your own stress on the way to work, the question is hard to ignore. And maybe that's the point.

In Washington, DC -- where pressure is high and memories run deep -- Dianetics has once again put mental health at the forefront. After 75 years, it remains the only mental technology that has stood the test of time, continuing to change lives one reader at time.

More information can be found at getridofyourreactivemind.org

Photo: Metrobus in Downtown Washington, DC

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