How The Mind Deals With Death And Negativity
November 5th, 2007A new study sheds some light on how your mind combats negative events like death.
A study to be printed in the November issue of Psychological Science says that when faced with negative events (like your own death) the mind automatically triggers happy feelings. This is done as a sort of defense mechanism to keep us from falling into a depression due to the setbacks we encounter in our daily lives.
In the study, students were broken into 2 groups, one asked to contemplate their own death and the other to imagine dental pain. Afterwards, they were put through explicit emotion tests as well as implicit emotional tests. The study found:
There was no difference in scores between the groups on the explicit tests of emotion and affect. But in the implicit tests of nonconscious emotion — the wordplay — researchers found that the students who were preoccupied with death tended to generate significantly more positive-emotion words and word matches than the dental-pain group.
What does this mean? Our mind may just have an immune system that aids us in our psychological battles of facing rejection, aging, and the like. So, as we go through our days and inevitably face our challenges, remember - our mind is trying to help us! Use this fact as your first step towards building a strong positive outlook and getting the most from life. On that note, you should also check out the American Monk - some great (and free) lessons for developing your mind.
November 6th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
I would like to know if you have a program that can remove the negative thoughts and experences that someone grew up with as a child. I have a mother that is so negative today I can’t stand to talk to her or be around her. I have tried everything to stay positive but it is very hard. Do you have a answer to the problem?
November 7th, 2007 at 5:49 am
You might want to check out EMDR (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMDR).
November 7th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
I like what you’re doing with your blog. Keep up the awesome work. Great Post!
Love & Gratitude,
Tina
Think Simple. Be Decisive.
~ Productivity, Motivation & Happiness
November 8th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
This is a very interesting article, showing how complex our brain and mind are - probably much more than we thought. I guess we’re to expect many more exciting discoveries. Thanks for posting this.
@ John
You might also want to take a look at EFT (www.emofree.com or http://theamt.com) and EmoTrance (www.emotrance.com). These are highly effective modalities in the field of Energy Psychology.
The core of the problem is that emotional reactions get in our/your way - and the brain produces them much faster than the mind can react!
Especially EmoTrance is great for emotional transformation.
November 9th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
“One choice can be made that will make countless decisions unnecessary.”
“All The Power In The Universe Is Powerless . . . without Your vote!”
This article reminded me to use the key and open my front door and believe in the possibilities before I see them . . . itod .f110907
November 13th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
I use Silva for 13 years so I made many stories by mind in a such real life.Alfa level is a magic way to change everything you wont,if you believe.When I heard that my illness will go further end worst,I decided to believe in myself so no one illness will bi stronger that I am.Now I help to others.
Many people in the world think negative,fall down in front of problems,so,than there is no way to win the combat.Mr.Karmanski,did you try to go to deep level and forgive to your mother,making the pictures,
of laugth,love each other?Also,mental communication on the waves of love,or before talking to her,the technic of glass of water?Something will happen,I am sure.
We must teach our children by positive sentences and expecting the best answer from Universe.
November 21st, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Very interesting article!