Saturday, September 7, 2024

The Neuroscience of Breaking Out of Negative Thinking 

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You just got off the phone with one of your most important clients. The game-changing deal you were trying to close is off. They’re not interested. You’ve just pitched 10 potential investors. They all say they’re “interested” but it’s been two weeks. You refresh your inbox hourly, and yet still no word.

How do you react in these situations? If you’re like most people, your mind floods with negativity. “Maybe our product sucks,” “Why can’t I just get a break?” or “Maybe there’s something wrong with me….Story continues….

Source: Inc.com

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Critics:

Negative thinking can have several causes, including personal factors such as undergoing a traumatic experience. That said, scientists are finding evidence that certain mental health disorders play a critical role in the habitual formation of dark or negative thoughts. Here are some common sources: Upbringing and Childhood Experiences: Early life experiences are instrumental in shaping our thought patterns.

Negative thinking often takes root in childhood, stemming from traumatic experiences, neglect, or negative reinforcements. Psychologists link negative thinking to depression, anxiety, chronic worry and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). But almost all human beings contend with it — even those born with a positive outlook on life. It’s because of the way our brains are constructed.

It’s natural to feel more pessimistic when things aren’t going so well in our lives. Regular or even constant negative thinking can also be a sign of anxiety, depression, stress or low self-esteem. This sounds a bit strange, but negativity can also be contagious. Overthinking things may often cause distress. You can reduce overthinking and rumination by breathing deeply, doing grounding exercises, practicing meditation, jotting down thoughts and breaking them into actionable steps, and focusing on your successes.

Many of us unconsciously use negativity as a defence mechanism. It protects us from things not working out. Our minds use negative thoughts so we’re not blindsided when we’re disappointed. Unfortunately, this anticipated failure or bad luck also prevents us from putting our best foot forward. The best way to do this is to block them out of your consciousness as soon as they enter.

Whenever you are having a negative thought, deliberately think something else. Your conscious mind will simply pick up on the new negative thought and continue to entertain it. Fifthly, practice positive affirmations. medications that help in controlling intrusive thoughts are:

  • Paroxetine (Pexeva)—prescribed only for adults.
  • Fluoxetine (Prozac)—for children above seven years and also for adults.
  • Sertraline (Zoloft)—for children above six years and for adults.
  • Fluvoxamine—for children above eight years and also for adults.

Constant exposure to such negativity can make deep inroads into your bank of positivity, leading you to either become negative—diffident, anxious, and distrustful—yourself, or to become indifferent, uncaring, or even mean towards the negative person. Poorly-managed negative emotions are not good for your health. Negative attitudes and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness can create chronic stress, which upsets the body’s hormone balance, depletes the brain chemicals required for happiness, and damages the immune system.

Negative thoughts can also occur because of stress. According to WebMD, people who are stressed experience “constant worrying” and “being pessimistic or only seeing the negative side.” Other symptoms of stress include racing thoughts, inability to concentrate, poor judgment, insomnia and headaches. Look closely at the feeling, but don’t act on it. See if you can take a step back from the feeling to see it more clearly. 

Paying attention to how you feel can help you accept the emotion and then give yourself permission to let it go. Try writing down what you notice about the feeling. Banishing negativity begins by creating a daily practice of positivity. Establish an enjoyable morning routine that’s inspiring and nourishing. This will set a powerful tone for the day. Your daily practice might include gratitude, journaling, meditation and exercise.

Pessimistic describes the state of mind of someone who always expects the worst. A pessimistic attitude isn’t very hopeful, shows little optimism, and can be a downer for everyone else. It’s natural to feel more pessimistic when things aren’t going so well in our lives. Regular or even constant negative thinking can also be a sign of anxiety, depression, stress or low self-esteem. This sounds a bit strange, but negativity can also be contagious.

You can change your habits, both negative and positive. In fact, as you age, face new challenges, or engage in new routines, your habits may tend to change so you can adapt to the new circumstances. But, there’s a distinction between habits and behaviors. Some things you can try right now to help you see the brighter side of life:

  1. Focus on what you are feeling right now. If you’re sad, feel the sadness. 
  2. Share your feelings with someone close to you. 
  3. Do something nice for yourself. 
  4. Take time to count your blessings. 
  5. Eat well. 
  6. Make social connections.
  7. Give yourself permission. Racing thoughts are often made worse by the anxiety over having racing thoughts. 
  8. Get mindful. Practicing mindfulness can help change your thought patterns. 
  9. Distract yourself. You can sometimes break the cycle by distracting your mind. 
  10. Get moving. 
  11. chedule worry time.

Their studies have shown that prolonged negative thinking weakens your brain’s ability to reason, think things through, and form memories. Look at it this way; negative thinking drains your brain’s resources. On top of that, negativity breeds negativity. It’s like an addiction we don’t even see or recognize. Negative thinking can have several causes, including personal factors such as undergoing a traumatic experience.

That said, scientists are finding evidence that certain mental health disorders play a critical role in the habitual formation of dark or negative thoughts. Negative thoughts can also occur because of stress. According to WebMD, people who are stressed experience “constant worrying” and “being pessimistic or only seeing the negative side.” Other symptoms of stress include racing thoughts, inability to concentrate, poor judgment, insomnia and headaches.

In the last month
Selena Gomez feels ‘sick’ thinking about her past negative self-talk: ‘I had my rock bottom’Page Six 20:05 Thu, 14 Mar 

Mindfulness Gratitude quotes: Cultivate a positive mindset with these inspirational sayingsTransbuddha (Weblog) 12:06 Mon, 25 Mar

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