Part 2 – The Bad
DEREK’S DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional, neither am I giving any medical or legal advice. If you are seeking help from a doctor or an attorney, please consult said professionals. These are my personal thoughts and feelings on the subjects discussed, and my blog is my own personal experiences and journey with mental imbalance. Thank you!
Hello, my fellow imbalanceds (I hope it is okay to refer to you that way. Hey, ain’t no shame in our game)!
As promised I am back with another blog post about THE PAST and my thoughts on how dwelling on it can cause mental imbalance.
The last time I checked in with everyone, I was discussing the GOOD past and my opinion on how even dwelling on that too much can create an imbalance. (Please check out my blog post entitled The Past and Its Link to Mental Imbalance.)
Now, onto the “bad” past.
And let’s be honest, this is the WORST kind – the bad past – because this definitely can flood your mind with all sorts of horrific and distorted images (like the one at the top of this page).
I think it goes without saying that consistent dwelling on the “bad” or negative past can be extremely harmful to your mind. For example, I have ALWAYS replayed certain confrontations with people, be it with family or friends or even strangers, where I am constantly reliving it and getting angry all over again over something that occurred yesterday, last week, months ago or even years ago. My brain, for some reason, just won’t let it go. It’s as if I can fix whatever happened eons ago and give it a different outcome, typically an outcome in my favor. But of course, I cannot. It’s the whole “I wish I had said this” or “I wish I had done that” type of thing. I think you all feel me on this one. We have ALL been there.
I do not like conflict of any kind. So, it is not unusual for me to have an instant replay or loop going on in my head all the time over it.
Negative experiences in my life have caused me to do this instant replay. I see the experience in my mind all over again. I see the people involved. I see the images, the faces, the places, the circumstances, all of it. Over and over and over and OVER in my brain until I feel like I am going to fly into a rage or collapse with pure anxiety. It is as if it is happening all over again! It’s awful! So, as you can see, it is NOT doing me any good.
But how does one get unstuck from this? Well, as I suggested in the last post on the good past, I try focusing on the present moment, either whatever I am literally doing at the moment or just the wonderful things I have going on. Also, when I start to go there and relive that bad past, I simply say STOP! Or ENOUGH! And that usually gets me out of it.
Another thing I do is to distract myself. I play my trumpet. I write. I BLOG LOL! I watch TV. Ain’t no shame in my game, as these are some of the things that shake me out of that instant replay. What works best for you??? Feel free to let me know in the comment section below.
Also, starting today, I will be featuring a product on my blog posts. Just simply click the link below. Today’s featured product is a book entitled High: 6 Principles for Guilt-Free Pleasure and Escape by Jodie Gould.
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All creatures naturally seek pleasure and avoid pain. And when just feeling okay isn’t enough, people (and many animals as well) often seek or even crave something more—to feel high. For millions of years, humans have used alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs to help them feel better, elephants have sought out fermented fruit, and cats have rolled ecstatically in catnip. At the same time, people have found alternative highs without mood-altering substances, through the joy of natural activities such as play, creative expression, and bonding with others.
Thank you for reading this latest post! I will see you all on TUESDAY!!!!
As always,
be mentally WELL!
AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER: There are products on this page. By clicking on the links, you will be redirected to that page at no cost to you. However, I will receive compensation if you purchase something (which I hope you do 😊).
