[pachyderm]

I thought this blog post was interesting in how it discusses some of the problems with brain "plasticity" and how sometimes concentrating too much on the bad stuff can run away with us:

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/mindfu...-and-the-ugly/

[fieldofdreams]

I read that today too, Pachyderm. I submitted a comment (but it's still awaiting moderation) about it because that's not good news for those of us who are intensely focused on negative childhood issues and unpleasant memories in long-term psychodynamic therapy. If our brains are already wired to look for danger and to pay more attention to unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and events, then it seems we'd be reinforcing and strengthening those neural connections that lead to even more automatic negative thinking. I'm not liking that idea a whole lot.

[perpetuallysad]

That's a very interesting article. It seems like an uphill battle to change things though. But it gives me hope that things seem to be able to actually change.

[BlueMoon6]

I really liked this article. In other words, when we practice being mindful of our mind, the negative thoughts, fear or whatever, we can re-wire our brains and our reflex reactions by making the effort to practice thoughts that work for us. It sounds easier than it is! But when I tell myself I am safe in situations that trigger ptsd reactions, and I can manage to do it enough, maybe over time I can feel actually have a feeling of being OK in those situations.

I am sort of working on this kind of thing with ftt. I have reactions, sometimes strong ones to the spring weather. I am hoping the more I tell myself I am safe outside or in my family room when the weather is spring-like, I will feel more comfortable. I hope.

[jexa]

I like this a lot. I think what Blue said is true -- it is not going back and digging up the past and just HURTING all over again that helps! It is forming new associations -- getting triggered and not running away teaches us that it is okay to face fear. And then what "fires together" is fear AND holding our ground! Purposely focusing on negative, negative, negative, and causing ourselves pain should CERTAINLY not be the focus of therapy -- we should celebrate, in therapy, that we faced our fears and no longer fear them so much! Therapy can be difficult, but should end up being joyous -- in the way that we leave therapy saying, look what I did! I kicked my mental illness in the butt!

[zooropa]

Originally Posted by jexa

I like this a lot. I think what Blue said is true -- it is not going back and digging up the past and just HURTING all over again that helps! It is forming new associations -- getting triggered and not running away teaches us that it is okay to face fear. And then what "fires together" is fear AND holding our ground! Purposely focusing on negative, negative, negative, and causing ourselves pain should CERTAINLY not be the focus of therapy -- we should celebrate, in therapy, that we faced our fears and no longer fear them so much! Therapy can be difficult, but should end up being joyous -- in the way that we leave therapy saying, look what I did! I kicked my mental illness in the butt!

I asked my T pretty much this exact question at my session this week, and her response was pretty much exactly what you said, Jexa.

I asked her "is this helping? because it FEELS like torture..." referring to the process of confronting traumatic memories in session, being triggered, then calming down again.

Her response was "yes, it is helping. This IS the work we are doing. Every time you can feel those emotions that you have been avoiding for so long, every time you can face them and then tell yourself 'I am safe, I am ok' it is part of the process of healing"

[Sannah]

This reminds me of one of my favorite treatment tools, the Strengths Perspective. You take what is good and working and build on that. Of course you can't just use one tool and you also have to confront triggers and stuff............

Originally Posted by BlueMoon6

I really liked this article. In other words, when we practice being mindful of our mind, the negative thoughts, fear or whatever, we can re-wire our brains and our reflex reactions by making the effort to practice thoughts that work for us. It sounds easier than it is! But when I tell myself I am safe in situations that trigger ptsd reactions, and I can manage to do it enough, maybe over time I can feel actually have a feeling of being OK in those situations.

I am sort of working on this kind of thing with ftt. I have reactions, sometimes strong ones to the spring weather. I am hoping the more I tell myself I am safe outside or in my family room when the weather is spring-like, I will feel more comfortable. I hope.

what is FTT? I have seen it posted a few times.. I know what pdoc is but FTT? please share

generally, i do agree with the article and it is important to be mindful of our thinking as it does affect us. of course this isn't anything new as people have been saying it for ages. anyone remember norman vincent peale's the power of positive thinking?

i'm not so sure i agree that this part i've quoted below is true for all people though. seems to be a rather sweeping statement to me. i know plenty of people who are just optimistic most all the time.

The other part of this news is that our brains are wired to look for danger and pay more attention to the unpleasant than the pleasant.

the brains tendency to give more weight to the unpleasant for evolutionary and adaptive reasons.

it's the negative thinkers who don't seem to flourish or adapt well imo. i see the positive folks as the ones who are better off adjusting to life's difficulties. jmo

[jexa]

Originally Posted by bloom3

it's the negative thinkers who don't seem to flourish or adapt well imo. i see the positive folks as the ones who are better off adjusting to life's difficulties. jmo

I think they're saying that in the past paying attention to the unpleasant was adaptive.. it prepared the fight or flight response and protected us. Now it's not adaptive but it doesn't effect us evolutionarily (negative thinkers still survive and produce offspring).

Originally Posted by jexa

I think they're saying that in the past paying attention to the unpleasant was adaptive.. it prepared the fight or flight response and protected us. Now it's not adaptive but it doesn't effect us evolutionarily (negative thinkers still survive and produce offspring).

thanks for explaining jexa. that makes a bit more sense. it still seems to me that it is more the reaction or response to the unpleasant that was adaptive rather than actually looking for or focusing on the negative. being prepared is a good thing but i see that as being smart and practical not necessarily because one is thinking negatively. i guess being more of a negative thinker myself i have a hard time seeing how this sort of thinking was ever beneficial.

[pachyderm]

Originally Posted by jexa

I think they're saying that in the past paying attention to the unpleasant was adaptive.. it prepared the fight or flight response and protected us. Now it's not adaptive but it doesn't effect us evolutionarily (negative thinkers still survive and produce offspring).

I'm not sure being of a more pessimistic nature is not "still" adaptive. Living organisms typically have a range of characters, and depending on the circumstances some of them will be more adaptive than others, but the most adaptive may change when the environment changes.

[sittingatwatersedge]

Originally Posted by pachyderm

I'm not sure being of a more pessimistic nature is not "still" adaptive.

A certain fundamental wariness, a cautionary viewpoint? I think so yes

[BlueMoon6]

Ftt is my therapist who had a flat tire for my first appointment. So, she is flat tire therapist (ftt) and my previous therapist sat behind a big, abnoxious DESK and I call her desk-t (dt for short).