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Think Positively to Avoid Stress and Depression

Guest post by: Iris Barrow

Article Overview: Thinking negatively can have serious consequences if we don’t do something to change it. This article explains how we get into a pattern of negative thinking, and how it affects the mind and body. Iris Barrow gives practical advice on how to think more positively to lift mood and energy levels, become more focused, and achieve your goals. A more positive thinking pattern can help avoid stress and depression. Apply the simple technique consistently and in three weeks, you should notice an improvement.

Think Positively to Avoid Stress and Depression

Negative thinkers are ‘sitting ducks’ for depression

You call a couple of friends and ask them to a party. Neither knows many of the other guests but you think it would give them a chance to meet some new people. The first friend jumps at the opportunity saying, “Yes, I’d love to! Even though I’m bound to feel a bit nervous at first, it’s a great opportunity to perhaps make new friends”. The other responds, “I think I’ve got something else on. Anyway, I’m no good around people I don’t know and will just end up making a fool of myself”. It’s easy to see which friend is the negative thinker. Persistent negative thinking can make you a ‘sitting duck’ for depression. I have treated hundreds of cases of depression and high stress and I can tell you, I’ve never treated a case of even mild depression where the person wasn’t a negative thinker.

How we think or feel can alter body chemistry. Certain hormonal secretions are released into the body when we think positively, boosting our energy levels, mood, mental alertness and ability to focus well. When we think negatively for a long period of time or are stressed, different biochemical changes occur in our body that can cause us to feel low in energy and mood. We may have difficulty concentrating and motivating ourselves. Eventually we may neglect our eating, fail to take exercise, and perhaps avoid social situations. These can be symptoms of depression.

Negative thinkers – the downward spiral

Negative thinkers might be all right for a time, but eventually a major change or unexpected event can cause the additional stress that will tip them into depression. Even consistent greater-than-normal pressure can do it. It’s like sitting perched on the edge of a cliff then having a powerful gust of wind push you over.

The most common type of depression is reactive depression which is simply a reaction to too much stress. Often, it is the way we deal with stress rather than the stress itself that can propel us into a downward spiral. The positive thinker is more likely to weather the stress, look upon it as a challenge, perhaps even see an opportunity for a fresh start, or a change of direction. The negative thinker, on the other hand, will likely feel defeated by the stressful situation or event, and won’t be able to see any light at the end of the tunnel. Undoubtedly, the way we think impacts on our quality of life.

Negative thinkers - how they get that way

The good news is that while it takes a long time to change a thinking habit pattern – after all, we have been thinking the way we have for a very long time now – within three or four weeks of replacing a negative habit with a positive, we can have experienced a significant breakthrough.

Have you ever asked yourself the question: how come I started thinking negatively in the first place?

The answer is simple and lies in our childhood patterning and conditioning. Children are like huge sponges. They soak up everything. The negative communication doesn't necessarily have to be directed at them. They pick up all the cross-currents from the interaction of adults around them. They ‘soak up the vibes’ as it were, and these are imprinted on their subconscious mind without them ever being aware of it happening. They then translate what they have observed or heard (again a subconscious process) into the following type of message, “So this is how you be an adult, you are depressed (Grandma was), you worry, (Dad did), you are fearful (Mum was), you expect the worst (Uncle did) and you are despairing (Grandpa was). (Note: this is a hypothetical family)

This is the template the child draws up and then proceeds to follow. In their growing-up years, and later as an adult, they live it out and reinforce it even more. After all, this is how they have learnt to be an adult, isn’t it? People often feel more comfortable with what’s familiar, even if it is not necessarily a good way of being.

Everyday we get a fresh shot at life

We will now look at one of the keys to changing our thinking habits from negative to positive.To correct this wrong thinking we need to banish negative thoughts from our mind as they arise, and immediately replace them with a positive realistic counterpart. Of course, some factual thinking regarding negative issues is healthy – an ability to see the realistic consequences of a situation or action. For example, when faced with a major illness, it’s not healthy to ignore our negative feelings of fear, sadness, loss and so forth. This is how we begin to establish a more positive thought pattern.Next time you say or think something that is negative, replace it with a positive.The negative thoughts or comment may be something like, “What’s the use of applying for a managerial role? I don’t have the formal qualification they’re after, will be older than the other applicants for sure, and it’s a waste of time going to all that effort for nothing.”

Pick yourself up and reframe your response in a positive way. Look at what you might bring to the role rather than what you don’t have. Think of ways you can stress the advantages to the recruiter of experience and wisdom. Talk yourself up, not down. Instead, say something like, “I could have a really good chance of getting that managerial role. I may not have the formal qualification they’re after, but I have a long and successful trackrecord, and a lot of practical on-the-job experience. I have excellent references to back me up. The time I put into the application will be well spent.”

Positive thoughts will generate more confidence and be reflected in our entire demeanour. Others like being around positive people. It makes them feel good too. Continue reframing your thinking and you usually notice an improvement within three weeks. The people who have taken this advice and put the work in, have found that once they start to experience the rewards, they are even more motivated to think positively.

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Article Tags: confidence, consequences, depression, energy levels, mind and body, negative thinking, positive thinking, stress



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