It’s been quite a while since I wrote a more personal blog. It’s no secret that I have always struggled with negativity, couple that with sensory processing issues and it’s an even bigger nightmare. It helps when I can get my thoughts out because then in my mind, I know I’m not alone.
It takes a lot of effort for me to move negative thoughts away. I go back to when I was a child and think about how difficult those times were. It would take me weeks, months even years to change my negative thinking. I got busy, I would forget about them for a little while, but I had to keep busy.
Being brought up in a negative environment didn't help. In times of stress, negative thoughts come back. They were challenging, powerful, frustrating and upsetting. As a child, I had a little help from my mum, who would sometimes sit at my bedside telling me to count sheep, or she'd give me something positive to think about, but none of it worked and we'd end up going around in circles.
I usually had to find something to occupy my mind for the negative thoughts to dissipate and that’s not easy either, because I have Sensory Processing Disorder.
Negative thoughts can cause a turmoil in my head, if I let them.
I try to occupy my mind with activities like doing chores, reading, or listening to a motivational podcast.
Thanks Maria. Yes in theory it sounds so easy, but in practice it's not. I really don't find it easy.
Given that you and I also have a disability to deal with, it makes trying to get rid of negative thoughts even more difficult. It's easy to feel low. Do you find distraction helps?
Yes I think distraction helps a bit. Of course the negative thoughts don't go away. But if I just sit there and wallow on them it doesn't make things better.
Thanks Maria. Yes I have found the same thing. Any negative thoughts tend to lie dormant whilst I am busy.
I usually have to drown any negative thoughts, by bringing more positive thoughts into my mind and that's not easy to do. When I am around negativity, it is easy for my mind to slip back into negativity.
When I entertain negative thoughts for too long, I develop redness, swelling and acne-like breakouts on my face; it's called Rosacea. Laser like focus on my problems, anxiety and lack of exercise helps trigger my symptoms.
So I try to relax and realize that some things are completely out of my control. But most of what I worry about hasn't happened yet and probably never will and that is the irony of it.
Thanks Tim. I've been there, got the tee-shirt too!
I have worked out that when we're not emotionally centered in the present moment, it's easy to dwell on the future and think about the past and that's when we're at our most stressed.
You're right about the irony. The mind can talk itself into so many things, which invariably don't happen, but that doesn't stop us thinking they will.
I agree with you that in order to reduce breakouts, we must limit our stress and those stressful situations.