THOUGHTS IN MIND

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven…” – John Milton

We have all heard of the adage “we are what we eat”. Thoughts are the food of the mind; the fuel that can either generate pleasant feelings or toxic ones. The quality of thinking we engage in and the outcome of our thinking life ultimately give rise to our attitude, our behaviour and how we become as individuals – “we are what we eat … but become what we think”. Our attitude and how we react to our experiences (both external and internal) can either result in joy or in pain. Much depends on the nature of our thoughts. When situations arise – and some situations in our life will be distressing – our thoughts can either increase the intensity of distress (worry and ruminating) or ignore it (denial). Either case takes us away from reality and, in order to deal with any situation realistically, it is important to view things as they really are without additional mental baggage.

Over recent years it is increasingly being accepted that psychological stress (including the thinking and the emotional outcomes of our mental life) is one of the greater health challenges we face today. Science is progressively showing how the role of the mind and the thoughts we engage in have a direct effect on the body. The minute we think something might happen we feel the immediate effect of that thought by either tensing up, finding difficulty breathing or experiencing a racing heart. The activity of the mind also has an effect on our health behaviours. We tend to use negative health habits such as substance abuse to help us “cope” better, even if in effect this is maladaptive and self-destructive because we are eroding our health resources.

There are a plethora of psychological therapies that are aimed with dealing with stress and anxiety in particular. The most researched form of therapy to date which has shown a high degree of effectiveness in dealing with stress-related conditions and anxiety in particular is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). CBT is a term given for a group of psychological approaches used in both prevention and treatment. The aim of CBT is to provide individuals with specific skills that focus on thoughts, emotions and behaviours. These skills will equip the individual with the mental ability to reframe situations that cause distress, modify the emotional reaction and make behavioural choices that support good health.