
Anxiety, fear, stress occupy an increasingly important place nowadays, not in the discussions we have, but in our minds. We watch the news and see how the whole world seems to be going in a direction we do not know or anticipate yet and this fact arouses insecurity, fear, anxiety, and stress in many of us.
In recent articles I have addressed the topic of overcoming and eliminating stress, fear and anxiety and I have listed several effective ways to achieve this in a short time. Among these ways is the exit from the vicious circle of negative thoughts and behaviors, in order to enter a virtuous circle, in which the mind is no longer the enemy, but the closest ally and supporter.
How does the vicious circle of negative thoughts and behaviors appear?
You may have already noticed how a single stressful event in life can trigger a whole series of fears related to similar situations or somewhat close to the original one.
A single strong and repeated thought in the form of fear is enough to "contaminate" the whole mind and can have a significant impact on the way you think and then act. Starting from that thought that nestled in your mind, situations that you previously managed very well, become unbearable and the object of your fear no longer leaves your mind and very often you “pay” for it with your peace of mind. It is just like in the salt lick story. You see nothing but the lick of salt that could fall, that is, the evil you fear.
These oppressive, negative, and fearful thoughts give rise to sensations and a state of nervousness. When your mind is overwhelmed by fear or anxiety you feel a state of stress, you have a lump in your throat, you are having a headache, your heart beats faster, your breathing is chaotic, you sweat. I have already listed all the signs of fear and anxiety in the article about the 5 simple steps to overcome your fear and anxiety
Having these altered perceptions because you actually see things through the filter of the thought that triggers fear or anxiety, you do not see reality as it really is. It's like wearing glasses with green lenses, then you see everything green, even if in real life not everything has this shade. So, seeing everything through the filter of sensations, states and feelings triggered by fear, your behavior is also altered, changed. And then you prefer to lock yourself in your comfort zone and defend yourself, continuing to maintain the same thoughts or similar thoughts that increase your negativity and trap you even harder in this vicious circle in which other negative thoughts arise.
So this is the vicious circle of the mind in which you start from a negative thought that gives rise to sensations that lead to states and feelings, which in turn change our mood and implicitly our behavior; this change increases our negativity and gives rise to other negative thoughts which in turn induce certain states, perceptions and so on, repeating the stages with an increasing magnitude in a vicious circle.
What are the biological causes of anxiety?
The biological causes of anxiety are well known and widely studied today. These studies show that our mood is strongly influenced mainly by two neurotransmitters: GABA and serotonin.
When you do not feel like yourself and you realize that you are in this vicious circle of anxiety, the level of these two neurotransmitters is certainly low. In the next article I will talk about some natural ways to increase their secretion.
How do we get out of the vicious circle of negative thoughts and behaviors and make it a virtuous circle that has a positive influence on more and more areas of life?
Do you know the shape that water takes when you throw a stone in it? This is exactly how the ever-widening concentric circles are the ones that analogously permeate the entire previously anxious mind with positive thoughts. Of course, whenever you throw the stone, these circles start around it. So, the trigger for positivity is at the center - in our analogy. And the center or core of the vicious circle is that negative thought, full of anxiety and fear; not the whole final suite of negative thoughts, but ONE thought. Therefore, getting out of the vicious circle is done by intervening on a thought, one at a time. Not on several.
What quality do we need to get out of the vicious circle?
Our quality as an observer is especially important here. We all have this quality because we always notice what is happening around us. We can also observe our thoughts, only here we need a little more attention. And once you notice the thought that gives rise to fear or anxiety, you do not have to do anything at all. Just watch it exactly as you look at the clouds in the sky, coming and going. You do not cling to them, you don't take them home, you just notice them. If you proceed in the same way with that thought, you just notice it and let it pass, you also preserve the energy that you would otherwise waste in the vicious circle of negative thoughts. And once you have more energy available you have even more clarity in seeing the solutions to the situation you are facing. This is the starting point of a new relationship with your mind, which thus transforms from the enemy that kept you in the vicious circle, into an ally that opens your virtuous circle.
If you need help in finding these solutions, contact me, because short-term coaching, focused on solutions, which I practice helps us increase our self-awareness in any situation, thus immediately finding the solution for the challenge - which you might call a problem - that we have.
2 Comments
Buna ziua! As dori si eu sa vorbesc despre cum sa scap de gandurile negative, pe care le am dupa o disputa cu un anumit ” coleg”, de la serviciu.
Buna ziua, Cristina!
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