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RE: Psychology Addict # 40 | How do You React to Your Own Negative Thoughts?

in #psychology6 years ago

Oh, wow.. Your style of writing keeps getting better with every article. It is obvious that you enjoyed writing it, which makes me enjoy reading it!

On the topic

I would say that most of the times I am Damian. I tend to keep negative emotions and thoughts for a longer time than I would like to. But here I would like to make a clarification or an attempt to add another perspective to your story.
Sometimes people feel/act like Damian, because of their self-observation, not because of cognitive impairment. (When I say people I actually mean myself also, because I am projecting at the moment.. Oops 😅)
Anyway my point is that sometimes too much self analysis and reflection actually makes you more anxious which leads to overthinking and reexperiencing negative thoughts and feelings over and over again.

Depending on what these thoughts are related to (could be something short term related like family argument, work problem, exam etc.) When that is the case the negativity and anxiety fade away when the event is not present anymore or lost it's significance.

But when these negative feelings and thoughts are related to something on the long term (traumas, personality problems) things are getting really serious and unpleasant for the one experiencing them. He actually becomes the victim of himself- his self-reflection the mechanism build to analyze and help him becomes an enemy, emerging suddenly then disappearing. This cursed circle of psychological process within a healthy individual (referring to your definition at the very beginning) could lead to some quite unpleasant conditions like anxiety disorders (Ocd, panic attacks) and depression.

Damian should allow Laura to appear more often, because her presence is healthy for him. BUT she can only do so if he allows her. If he is happy he would invite her himself and they would build a beautiful and healthy world (the person's complete fully functioning personality).

For me, Damian is mostly present, searching for answers in the negative emotions and thoughts reliving them and looking at them from different perspectives. After he is done, sometimes he discards them, but more often he keeps them locked into his wooden chest, because sometimes he thinks he would need them, transformed into defensive reactions to similar situations which created them originally. Laura would only come if invited or when she finds an opportunity to sneak in, while Damian is distracted. She would clean his mess and try to hide his wooden chest, but as Damian returns, he always finds it, chases her away and continues his work...

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@dysfunctional ... will you stop talking about me ... lol. @abigail-dantes such a well written post and consequential conversations. I find Im now thinking of people Ive known and which road they take. As I work my way through my own book of life I find that reading such posts and studies make me sit and analyse my C.Ptsd condition. Although Damian and Laura are generally happy and well adjusted Suzan struggles to be. However, learning that there are alternatives leads the thoughts to look for a roadsign to a way out of the cow field and into the dairy. Let the cows ruminate while I learn to take milk and make ice cream.
Thank you for your contribution to the well being of your fellow humans.

Thank you for sharing this incredible insight here on my feed @suzanrs. I love your analogy! Yep, let us leave the ruminating to the cows and spend our energy on making and enjoying ice-cream 😃 ❤

What a most wonderful comment @dysfunctional (very psychoanalytical!) 😊 The perspective you presented here makes me wonder whether there actually is a fine line between self-observation and rumination.

Does self-observation becomes rumination when it enters this state?

makes you more anxious which leads to overthinking and reexperiencing negative thoughts and feelings over and over again.

Does rumination give way to self-analyses/observation

when the negativity and anxiety fade away when the event is not present anymore or lost it's significance.

therefore allowing the person to think clearly and objectively, and then welcome the Laura part of the self?

Further, it would be interesting to speculate whether Damian resists to Laura's actions (eg. clean his mess), and inviting her in as a result of rigid thinking.

Oh! thank you for giving me the opportunity to reflect on this from this perspective Dysfunctional, I read your comment with a smile on my face in awe of your train of thought.

Your last paragraph is beautiful, an this is why I am so passionate about my writing here. Because there are people like you (and many others), who I have the privilege to interact with and learn from ❤

Therefore allowing the person to think clearly and objectively, and then welcome the Laura part of the self?

That would be ideally speaking. Sadly that's not the case in reality.. I personally think that Damian does not allow Laura to take over by herself. They must live in peace with each other..

Your article provoked my thoughts and comments, so thank you. :)

Hey @dysfunctional
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