Blog Post: Don’t over think it. Cognitive Distortions can be harmful.
An essential idea is that cognitive distortions can become a habit. These toxic thoughts are so automatic and habitual that they become accepted as the basis for thought. The cognitive theory states that the emotional stress reactions that we experience are not from an outside threat but are our internal perceptions. We are constantly activating our stress in response to our thoughts and emotions. However, by recognizing our thoughts using mindful awareness, we gain the power to change them. This recognition empowers us to take control of our stress and well-being. There are three pathways between stress and disease. It is best to improve self-care and participate in healthy behaviors. Increase adherence to medical treatment and change the activity of the biological pathways of disease resistance.
Some common obstacles that prevent people from cognitively working with thoughts are that we experience stress as it occurs. We underestimate our ability to cope, forgetting to use coping strategies, including family, social communities, and religious organizations. These support systems are not just helpful, they are crucial in managing stress. They provide a sense of reassurance and community, reminding us that we are not alone in our struggles. We may think that asking for help when needed is a sign of weakness or an inability to cope. We need to improve our secondary appraisals. We can ask ourselves why stuff happens. Lifecoachele.com can help. As a partnership, we can learn to use an explanatory style, stating that things do not happen to just me. We learn to live with it and deem there is nothing we can do to resolve the situation. We can practice mood shifting at that moment. Challenge your habits of mind, and do not take it personally. Avoid the selected attention that this is only happening to you. Try to learn that it is not "all or nothing." We cannot read minds about what others think and do not try to see into the future. Save fortune telling for the fair.
There is helpful support. Lifecoachele.com is a way to train yourself to think differently. Try keeping a journal. You can note a particular instance that caused you to experience undue stress and identify the thoughts that went with it. There is reframing, a powerful tool that reassembles the situation, creating an opportunity for a solution. It takes the problem out of its current context or frame, replacing it with another way of looking at that situation. This practice instills a sense of hope and optimism, showing that there is always a different perspective to consider. Another support practice is to keep an activity schedule and rate your mood each hour of the day. Try this strategy for one or two 24-hour periods. Using relaxation responses and focused concentration therapies works well in a quiet environment and creates a passive attitude. This will lead to better emotional stability and balance. Homeostasis will be obtained.
