tag:theconversation.com,2011:/au/topics/rumination-19843/articlesRumination – The Conversation2024-03-04T23:54:16Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2239732024-03-04T23:54:16Z2024-03-04T23:54:16ZHow can I stop overthinking everything? A clinical psychologist offers solutions<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579459/original/file-20240304-18-36ogm6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C336%2C2995%2C1661&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/asian-indian-businessman-taking-ride-work-242436511">szefei/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As a clinical psychologist, I often have clients say they are having trouble with thoughts “on a loop” in their head, which they find difficult to manage. </p>
<p>While rumination and overthinking are often considered the same thing, they are slightly different (though linked). <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/nov05/cycle">Rumination</a> is having thoughts on repeat in our minds. This can lead to overthinking – analysing those thoughts without finding solutions or solving the problem. </p>
<p>It’s like a vinyl record playing the same part of the song over and over. With a record, this is usually because of a scratch. Why we overthink is a little more complicated.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-we-wake-around-3am-and-dwell-on-our-fears-and-shortcomings-169635">Why do we wake around 3am and dwell on our fears and shortcomings?</a>
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<h2>We’re on the lookout for threats</h2>
<p>Our brains are hardwired to look for threats, to make a plan to address those threats and keep us safe. Those perceived threats may be based on past experiences, or may be the “what ifs” we imagine could happen in the future. </p>
<p>Our “what ifs” are usually negative outcomes. These are what we call “<a href="https://ccbhc.org/hot-thoughts-what-are-they-and-how-can-you-handle-them/">hot thoughts</a>” – they bring up a lot of emotion (particularly sadness, worry or anger), which means we can easily get stuck on those thoughts and keep going over them. </p>
<p>However, because they are about things that have either already happened or might happen in the future (but are not happening now), we cannot fix the problem, so we keep going over the same thoughts.</p>
<h2>Who overthinks?</h2>
<p>Most people find themselves in situations at one time or another when they overthink. </p>
<p>Some people are <a href="https://www.apa.org/monitor/nov05/cycle">more likely</a> to ruminate. People who have had prior challenges or experienced trauma may have come to expect threats and look for them more than people who have not had adversities. </p>
<p>Deep thinkers, people who are prone to anxiety or low mood, and those who are sensitive or feel emotions deeply are also more likely to ruminate and overthink. </p>
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<img alt="Woman holds her head, looking stressed" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579447/original/file-20240304-22-b9wamx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579447/original/file-20240304-22-b9wamx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579447/original/file-20240304-22-b9wamx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579447/original/file-20240304-22-b9wamx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579447/original/file-20240304-22-b9wamx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579447/original/file-20240304-22-b9wamx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579447/original/file-20240304-22-b9wamx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">We all overthink from time to time, but some people are more prone to rumination.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-white-tank-top-NW61v3xF0-0">BĀBI/Unsplash</a></span>
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<p>Also, when we are stressed, our emotions tend to be stronger and last longer, and our thoughts can be less accurate, which means we can get stuck on thoughts more than we would usually. </p>
<p>Being run down or physically unwell can also mean our thoughts are <a href="https://healthify.nz/hauora-wellbeing/m/mental-health-and-your-body/">harder to tackle</a> and manage. </p>
<h2>Acknowledge your feelings</h2>
<p>When thoughts go on repeat, it is helpful to use both emotion-focused and problem-focused <a href="https://link.springer.com/referencework/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9">strategies</a>. </p>
<p>Being emotion-focused means figuring out how we feel about something and addressing those feelings. For example, we might feel regret, anger or sadness about something that has happened, or worry about something that might happen. </p>
<p>Acknowledging those emotions, using self-care techniques and accessing social support to talk about and manage your feelings will be helpful. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-be-kind-to-yourself-without-going-to-a-day-spa-223194">How to be kind to yourself (without going to a day spa)</a>
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<p>The second part is being problem-focused. Looking at what you would do differently (if the thoughts are about something from your past) and making a plan for dealing with future possibilities your thoughts are raising. </p>
<p>But it is difficult to plan for all eventualities, so this strategy has limited usefulness.</p>
<p>What is more helpful is to make a plan for one or two of the more likely possibilities and accept there may be things that happen you haven’t thought of. </p>
<h2>Think about why these thoughts are showing up</h2>
<p>Our feelings and experiences are information; it is important to ask what this information is telling you and why these thoughts are showing up now. </p>
<p>For example, university has just started again. Parents of high school leavers might be lying awake at night (which is when rumination and overthinking is common) worrying about their young person. </p>
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<img alt="Man lays awake in bed" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579451/original/file-20240304-16-is53tt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579451/original/file-20240304-16-is53tt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579451/original/file-20240304-16-is53tt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579451/original/file-20240304-16-is53tt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579451/original/file-20240304-16-is53tt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579451/original/file-20240304-16-is53tt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579451/original/file-20240304-16-is53tt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Think of what the information is telling you.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/dramatic-portrait-dark-attractive-depressed-worried-1721465689">TheVisualsYouNeed/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Knowing how you would respond to some more likely possibilities (such as they will need money, they might be lonely or homesick) might be helpful. </p>
<p>But overthinking is also a sign of a new stage in both your lives, and needing to accept less control over your child’s choices and lives, while wanting the best for them. Recognising this means you can also talk about those feelings with others. </p>
<h2>Let the thoughts go</h2>
<p>A useful way to manage rumination or overthinking is “<a href="https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/Options.pdf">change, accept, and let go</a>”. </p>
<p>Challenge and change aspects of your thoughts where you can. For example, the chance that your young person will run out of money and have no food and starve (overthinking tends to lead to your brain coming up with catastrophic outcomes!) is not likely. </p>
<p>You could plan to check in with your child regularly about how they are coping financially and encourage them to access budgeting support from university services. </p>
<p>Your thoughts are just ideas. They are not necessarily true or accurate, but when we overthink and have them on repeat, they can start to feel true because they become familiar. Coming up with a more realistic thought can help stop the loop of the unhelpful thought.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-remember-embarrassing-things-ive-said-or-done-in-the-past-and-feel-ashamed-all-over-again-190535">Why do I remember embarrassing things I've said or done in the past and feel ashamed all over again?</a>
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<p>Accepting your emotions and finding ways to manage those (good self-care, social support, communication with those close to you) will also be helpful. As will accepting that life inevitably involves a lack of complete control over outcomes and possibilities life may throw at us. What we do have control over is our reactions and behaviours.</p>
<p>Remember, you have a 100% success rate of getting through challenges up until this point. You might have wanted to do things differently (and can plan to do that) but nevertheless, you coped and got through. </p>
<p>So, the last part is letting go of the need to know exactly how things will turn out, and believing in your ability (and sometimes others’) to cope.</p>
<h2>What else can you do?</h2>
<p>A stressed out and tired brain will be <a href="https://mentalhealth.org.nz/resources/resource/stress-and-how-to-manage-it">more likely</a> to overthink, leading to more stress and creating a cycle that can affect your wellbeing.</p>
<p>So it’s important to manage your stress levels by eating and sleeping well, moving your body, doing things you enjoy, seeing people you care about, and doing things that fuel your soul and spirit. </p>
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<img alt="Woman running" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579455/original/file-20240304-26-vgg0bd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579455/original/file-20240304-26-vgg0bd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579455/original/file-20240304-26-vgg0bd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579455/original/file-20240304-26-vgg0bd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579455/original/file-20240304-26-vgg0bd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579455/original/file-20240304-26-vgg0bd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579455/original/file-20240304-26-vgg0bd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Find ways to manage your stress levels.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-remember-embarrassing-things-ive-said-or-done-in-the-past-and-feel-ashamed-all-over-again-190535">antoniodiaz/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Distraction – with pleasurable activities and people who bring you joy – can also get your thoughts off repeat. </p>
<p>If you do find overthinking is affecting your life, and your levels of anxiety are rising or your mood is dropping (your sleep, appetite and enjoyment of life and people is being negatively affected), it might be time to talk to someone and get some strategies to manage. </p>
<p>When things become too difficult to manage yourself (or with the help of those close to you), a therapist can provide tools that have been proven to be helpful. Some helpful tools to manage worry and your thoughts can also be found <a href="https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Anxiety">here</a>.</p>
<p>When you find yourself overthinking, think about why you are having “hot thoughts”, acknowledge your feelings and do some future-focused problem solving. But also accept life can be unpredictable and focus on having faith in your ability to cope. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-years-resolutions-how-to-get-your-stress-levels-in-check-34539">New year's resolutions: how to get your stress levels in check</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223973/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kirsty Ross does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A stressed out and tired brain will be more likely to overthink. Deep thinkers, people who are prone to anxiety or low mood, and those who are feel emotions deeply are also more likely to overthink.Kirsty Ross, Associate Professor and Senior Clinical Psychologist, Massey UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2084672023-06-29T20:01:22Z2023-06-29T20:01:22ZSome Ozempic users say it silences ‘food noise’. But there are drug-free ways to stop thinking about food so much<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534228/original/file-20230627-19-26ek8k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=441%2C12%2C3648%2C2133&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/thirsty-woman-standing-front-fridge-drinking-2199248609">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>“<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/21/well/eat/ozempic-food-noise.html">Food noise</a>” or thinking about food constantly is not helpful to anyone’s mental health and wellbeing. </p>
<p>When we become obsessed with any one line of thought (in this case, food), we can become consumed by it and it’s very hard to think about anything else. This can be very distressing. </p>
<p>Some people taking the diabetes drug Ozempic for weight loss have <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/21/well/eat/ozempic-food-noise.html">reported</a> a sudden silencing of food noise and cravings. But there are other ways to maintain a healthy balance when it comes to our internal food monologue. </p>
<h2>One track thinking</h2>
<p>Thinking about food constantly is a common feature of an eating disorder. Indeed one of the main <a href="https://butterfly.org.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/">criteria</a> for diagnosis of eating disorders is a preoccupation with the weight, shape and size of one’s body. A person may use control, or lack of control, of food to bring their body in line with how they perceive it should look. </p>
<p>A person with anorexia nervosa severely restricts their food intake to the point where their body is starving. As a result of this deprivation, their brain <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-8223(96)00161-7">constantly thinks</a> about food.</p>
<p>People with binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa are also consumed by thoughts of food <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2009.03.005">including</a> when they’ll eat, what they’ll eat, obtaining food and where they’ll eat it. </p>
<p>But it’s <a href="https://eating-disorders.org.uk/information/the-effects-of-under-eating/">not just</a> those with eating disorders who can be obsessed with food. If we are dieting, undereating, restricting our intake of food or overeating, we can be consumed by thoughts about food.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn08n63sQwI","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<h2>An easy fix?</h2>
<p>As a clinical psychologist, I have treated many clients and helped people with eating disorders who can not stop thinking about food. They have often tried medications and drugs to try and stop <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3312901/">ruminating</a> over food, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1461145711000460">usually to no avail</a>. </p>
<p>Or they are prescribed medications to reduce appetite, in the case of binge eating and obesity. These might work and help the person lose large amounts of weight, only for them to put it all <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/weight-regain-after-stopping-ozempic">back on again</a> when they stop taking the drug.</p>
<p>Weight loss drugs should only be used under <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss-drugs/art-20044832">medical supervision</a> and some diet pills <a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/prescription-medications-treat-overweight-obesity">can affect</a> the heart, breathing, blood pressure and brain. </p>
<p>Ozempic (and similar drug Wegovy) use the ingredient semaglutide drug to <a href="https://theconversation.com/ozempic-helps-weight-loss-by-making-you-feel-full-but-certain-foods-can-do-the-same-thing-without-the-side-effects-201870">induce feelings</a> of being full or satisfied. Side effects of semaglutide <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/sites/default/files/auspar-semaglutide-201030-pi.pdf">can include</a> nausea, bloating, constipation and diarrhoea.</p>
<p>So, it’s important to work on developing a healthy relationship with food and your body. Often a combination of psychological therapy and seeing an accredited dietitian is needed. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ozempic-helps-weight-loss-by-making-you-feel-full-but-certain-foods-can-do-the-same-thing-without-the-side-effects-201870">Ozempic helps weight loss by making you feel full. But certain foods can do the same thing – without the side-effects</a>
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<h2>Working out what’s driving it</h2>
<p>With clients, I start by working on what’s driving the food obsession. Is it due to eating too little? Not eating regularly enough? Having strict rules and what you can and can’t eat? </p>
<p>It’s important to establish regular and adequate eating so your body and brain are well-fuelled and you can make sensible decisions around the food you consume. </p>
<p>Our biology ensures that when we are hungry we will <a href="https://theconversation.com/chemical-messengers-how-hormones-make-us-feel-hungry-and-full-35545">think about obtaining food</a> for survival. It can make us anxious or “<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-the-science-of-hangry-or-why-some-people-get-grumpy-when-theyre-hungry-37229">hangry</a>” and it can be hard to concentrate or focus on anything else but food. Then when we eat, our brain stops sending messages to eat and we can focus again. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="woman bites bread with topping" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534229/original/file-20230627-23-wfx2kc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Eating well and regularly can help us develop a healthier relationship with food.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-restaurant-cozy-warm-sweater-wholesome-1914593563">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>The <a href="https://ceed.org.au/resources_links/raves-a-step-by-step-approach-to-re-establishing-normal-eating/">RAVES model</a> of eating is used for people with eating disorders to help them be in tune with their body, respond to its needs and establish healthy behaviours. It’s about helping a person understand where their food rules have come from, debunk myths around eating and dieting, and challenge unhelpful ways of thinking about food. </p>
<p>Many people with and without eating disorders have <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-i-work-with-people-with-eating-disorders-i-see-many-rules-around-good-and-bad-foods-but-eating-is-never-that-simple-188803">food rules</a> around what they can and can’t eat, when and how much and this just sets us up to be obsessed with food. Once you allow yourself to eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full and have the foods you enjoy, you free your brain to think about things other than food and eating. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-i-work-with-people-with-eating-disorders-i-see-many-rules-around-good-and-bad-foods-but-eating-is-never-that-simple-188803">When I work with people with eating disorders, I see many rules around 'good' and 'bad' foods – but eating is never that simple</a>
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<h2>A healthy food mindset</h2>
<p>A person who has a healthy relationship with food listens to their body’s needs. They don’t have food rules around what they can and can’t eat and they feel comfortable in their body. </p>
<p>They can reject media and advertising around dieting and idealised bodies and they are respectful of their body. When I work with clients we work on listening to your body, respecting its needs and treating it well. This is called having a <a href="https://www.australianacademicpress.com.au/books/details/219/Positive_Bodies_Loving_the_Skin_Youre_In">positive body image</a> and is an important part of treatment for people with body image and eating issues. </p>
<p>It is often a person’s perception of their body that influences their eating. Learning to accept your physical self as well as treating the body well, with good nutrition, builds a <a href="https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/general-information/ten-steps">positive body image</a>. </p>
<p>If you are concerned about your relationship with food or your body, seeing your GP for a referral to a psychologist or dietitian is advised. <a href="https://butterfly.org.au/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7uSkBhDGARIsAMCZNJuqKyBW0wInQwCp3fMyLn6xcft6NrLdVZdiuouauwoKJm_Xq9L0BV8aArGYEALw_wcB">The Butterfly Foundation</a> is also a great source of support for information on eating disorders. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CnVSr--qisn","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208467/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Vivienne Lewis does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It’s important to establish regular and adequate eating so your body and brain are well-fuelled and you can make sensible decisions around the food you consume.Vivienne Lewis, Assistant professor – Psychology, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1987312023-05-05T12:14:36Z2023-05-05T12:14:36ZMindfulness, meditation and self-compassion – a clinical psychologist explains how these science-backed practices can improve mental health<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521937/original/file-20230419-16-ly31ug.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C7951%2C5304&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Studies show that consistent meditation practice is key.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/peace-relax-and-happy-mindset-of-a-woman-from-royalty-free-image/1421420537?phrase=meditation%20sitting%20in%20chair&adppopup=true">pixdeluxe/E! via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Mindfulness and self-compassion are now <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/payout/2017/09/29/mindfulness-is-more-than-a-buzzword-a-look-at-the-neuroscience-behind-the-movement/?sh=55bb4905372f">buzzwords for self-improvement</a>. But in fact, a growing body of research shows these practices can lead to real mental health benefits. This research – ongoing, voluminous and worldwide – clearly shows <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191332">how and why these two practices work</a>. </p>
<p>One effective way to cultivate mindfulness and self-compassion <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.11.006">is through meditation</a>. </p>
<p>For more than 20 years, as a <a href="https://www.seattleu.edu/artsci/about/directory/profile/rachel-turow.html">clinical psychologist, research scientist and educator</a>, I taught meditation to students and clinical patients and took a deep dive into the research literature. My recent book, “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/706228/the-self-talk-workout-by-rachel-goldsmith-turow-phd/">The Self-Talk Workout</a>: Six Science-Backed Strategies to Dissolve Self-Criticism and Transform the Voice in Your Head,” highlights much of that research. </p>
<p>I learned even more when I evaluated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2021.1878306">mental health programs</a> and <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2023/01/04/how-teach-practicable-mental-health-skills-classroom-opinion">psychology classes</a> that train participants in mindfulness and compassion-based techniques. </p>
<h2>Defining mindfulness and self-compassion</h2>
<p>Mindfulness means purposefully paying attention to the present moment with an attitude of interest or curiosity rather than judgment. </p>
<p>Self-compassion involves being kind and understanding toward yourself, even during moments of suffering or failure. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006">Both are associated</a> with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025754">greater well-being</a>.</p>
<p>But don’t confuse <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2008.00537.x">self-compassion with self-esteem</a> or self-centeredness, or assume that it somehow lowers your standards, motivation or productivity. Instead, research shows that self-compassion is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167212445599">linked with greater motivation</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2013.763404">less procrastination</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01566-5">better relationships</a>.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Could mindfulness meditation be the next public health revolution?</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Be patient when starting a meditation practice</h2>
<p>I didn’t like meditation – the specific practice sessions that train mindfulness and self-compassion – the first time I tried it as a college student in the late ‘90s. I felt like a failure when my mind wandered, and I interpreted that as a sign that I couldn’t do it. </p>
<p>In both my own and others’ meditation practices, I’ve noticed that the beginning is often rocky and full of doubt, resistance and distraction. </p>
<p>But what seem like impediments can actually enhance meditation practice, because the mental work of handling them builds strength.</p>
<p>For the first six months I meditated, my body and mind were restless. I wanted to get up and do other tasks. But I didn’t. Eventually it became easier to notice my urges and thoughts without acting upon them. I didn’t get as upset with myself. </p>
<p>After about a year of consistent meditation, my mind seemed more organized and controllable; it no longer got stuck in self-critical loops. I felt a sense of kindness or friendliness toward myself in everyday moments, as well as during joyful or difficult experiences. I enjoyed ordinary activities more, such as walking or cleaning. </p>
<p>It took a while to understand that anytime you sit down and try to meditate, that’s meditation. It is a mental process, rather than a destination. </p>
<h2>How meditation works on the mind</h2>
<p>Just having a general intention to be more mindful or self-compassionate is unlikely to work.</p>
<p>Most programs shown to make meaningful differences <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000268">involve at least seven sessions</a>. Studies show these repeated workouts <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00668">improve attention skills</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S31458">decrease rumination, or repeated negative thinking</a>. </p>
<p>They also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2016.10.001">lessen self-criticism</a>, which is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.12.069">linked to numerous mental health difficulties</a>, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S31458">depression</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.1918">anxiety</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23284">eating disorders</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1348/014466509X479771">self-harm</a> and <a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23284">post-traumatic stress disorder</a>.</p>
<p>Meditation is not just about sustaining your attention – it’s also about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2011.03.013">shifting and returning your focus</a> after the distraction. The act of shifting and refocusing cultivates attention skills <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S31458">and decreases rumination</a>.</p>
<p>Trying repeatedly to refrain from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2016.10.011">self-judgment during the session</a> will train your mind <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2016.10.001">to be less self-critical</a>. </p>
<p>An interconnected group of brain regions called <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/default-mode-network">the default mode network</a> is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.98.2.676">strikingly affected by meditation</a>. Much of this network’s activity reflects repetitive thinking, such as a rehash of a decadeslong tension with your sister. It’s most prominent when you’re not doing much of anything. Activity of the default mode network is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsv132">related to rumination, unhappiness</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.02.003">depression</a>. </p>
<p>Research shows that just one month of meditation <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.01.044">reduces the noise of the default mode network</a>. The type of meditation practice <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1112029108">doesn’t seem to matter</a>.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Don’t be discouraged if your mind wanders as you meditate.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Establishing the formal practice</h2>
<p>A common misconception about mindfulness is that it’s simply a way <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735417699514">to relax or clear the mind</a>. Rather, it means intentionally paying attention to your experiences in a nonjudgmental way. </p>
<p>Consider meditation the formal part of your practice – that is, setting aside a time to work on specific mindfulness and self-compassion techniques. </p>
<p>Cultivating mindfulness with meditation often involves focusing on paying attention to the breath. A common way to start practice is to sit in a comfortable place and bring attention to your breathing, wherever you feel it most strongly. </p>
<p>At some point, probably after a breath or two, your mind will wander to another thought or feeling. As soon as you notice that, you can bring your attention back to the breath and try not to judge yourself for losing focus for five to 10 minutes. </p>
<p>When I was just getting started meditating, I would have to redirect my attention dozens or hundreds of times in a 20-to-30-minute session. Counting 10 breaths, and then another 10, and so on, helped me link my mind to the task of paying attention to my breathing.</p>
<p>The most well-established technique for cultivating self-compassion is called loving-kindness meditation. To practice, you can find a comfortable position, and for at least five minutes, internally repeat phrases such as, “May I be safe. May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I live with ease.” </p>
<p>When your attention wanders, you can bring it back with as little self-judgment as possible and continue repeating the phrases. Then, if you like, offer the same well wishes to other people or to all beings.</p>
<p>Every time you return your focus to your practice without judging, you’re flexing your mental awareness, because you noticed your mind wandered. You also improve your capacity to shift attention, a valuable anti-rumination skill, and your nonjudgment, an antidote to self-criticism. </p>
<p>These practices work. Studies show that brain activity during meditation results in less <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-019-0145-4">self-judgment, depression and anxiety</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2011.03.013">results in less rumination</a>. </p>
<p>Mindfulness also occurs when you tune into present-moment sensations, such as tasting your food or washing the dishes.</p>
<p>An ongoing routine of formal and informal practice can transform your thinking. And again, doing it once in a while won’t help as much. It’s like situps: A single situp isn’t likely to strengthen your abdominal muscles, but doing several sets each day will. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">When thoughts pop up during meditation, no worries. Just start again … and again … and again.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Meditation reduces self-criticism</h2>
<p>Studies show that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000268">mindfulness meditation</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2016.10.001">loving-kindness meditation</a> reduce self-criticism, which <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00147">leads to better mental health</a>, including lower levels of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000040">depression</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-021-01170-2">anxiety</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.007">PTSD</a>. After an eight-week mindfulness program, participants experienced <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-019-0145-4">less self-judgment</a>. These changes were linked with decreases in depression and anxiety.</p>
<p>One final point: Beginning meditators may find that self-criticism gets worse before it gets better. </p>
<p>After years or decades of habitual self-judgment, people often judge themselves harshly about losing focus during meditation. But once students get through the first few weeks of practice, the self-judgment begins to abate, both about meditation and about oneself in general. </p>
<p>As one of my students recently said after several weeks of mindfulness meditation: “I am more stable, more able to detach from unhelpful thoughts and can do all of this while being a little more compassionate and loving toward myself.”</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/198731/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rachel Goldsmith Turow does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Many studies show that consistent meditation practice lowers depression, anxiety and self-criticism.Rachel Goldsmith Turow, Adjunct Assistant Professor in Population Health Science and Policy, Seattle UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1997982023-03-02T12:39:09Z2023-03-02T12:39:09ZPositive affirmations: how talking to yourself can let the light in<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510552/original/file-20230216-457-mga8u0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/children-running-on-meadow-sunset-249658780">ESB Professional/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Despite being a source of constant bad news, the internet is also awash with attempts at countering negativity. A quick search for “inspirational” content yields heaps of speeches, songs and sayings intended to make sense of tough times. </p>
<p>Lists of the latter will typically include things like “Imagination is more important than knowledge”, attributed to Albert Einstein, or the Nicki Minaj lyric, “Everybody dies, but not everybody lives.” Self-help <a href="https://www.louisehay.com/affirmations/">specialists</a>, talk-show <a href="https://www.the-benefits-of-positive-thinking.com/oprah-positive-quotes.html">hosts</a>, Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/morganharpernichols/">influencers</a>, and even former <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/16/michelle-obama-the-light-we-carry-quotes.html">US first ladies</a> have been known to pen positive affirmations. </p>
<p>One such list published on the <a href="https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/relationships-love/g25629970/positive-affirmations/?slide=3">Oprah Daily</a> website during the darker days of the pandemic, featured a quote by the author Maya Angelou, which reminds us that “Nothing can dim the light that shines from within”. Angelou wrote compellingly about her experiences of racism and trauma. What she wrote then can resonate with us even now, wherever we are in the world. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511424/original/file-20230221-18-jj7oqg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511424/original/file-20230221-18-jj7oqg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511424/original/file-20230221-18-jj7oqg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511424/original/file-20230221-18-jj7oqg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511424/original/file-20230221-18-jj7oqg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511424/original/file-20230221-18-jj7oqg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511424/original/file-20230221-18-jj7oqg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p><em>This is an article from <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/the-joy-of-133450?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2023+The+Joy+Of&utm_content=InArticleTop">The Joy Of*</a>, a series to help those of us in our 20s and 30s find moments of happiness in the everyday. When rents are rising, fun with friends is more infrequent and we’re struggling with work-life balance, daily life can seem hard. But joy doesn’t have to be something saved for big occasions, like weddings or birthdays. These articles from <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2023+The+Joy+Of&utm_content=InArticleTop">Quarter Life</a> are aimed to help you find joy in the smallest things.</em></p>
<p><em>You may be interested in:</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/ive-spent-years-studying-happiness-heres-what-actually-makes-for-a-happier-life-197580">I’ve spent years studying happiness – here’s what actually makes for a happier life</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-japanese-concept-of-ikigai-why-purpose-might-be-a-better-goal-than-happiness-88709">The Japanese concept of ikigai: why purpose might be a better goal than happiness</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/documenting-three-good-things-could-improve-your-mental-well-being-in-work-82808">Documenting three good things could improve your mental well-being in work</a></em></p>
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<p>Hearing or seeing this kind of brief and memorable phrase can help us to get into a more positive mindset. Whether a call to action or a reminder of the values that we hold dear, affirmations can act as a counterbalance to what psychologists refer to as <a href="https://theconversation.com/rumination-and-remedy-five-ways-to-improve-your-outlook-19527">ruminations</a> (repetitive patterns of negative thinking). They do so by getting us to focus on what matters in our lives.</p>
<h2>How to tap into positive feelings</h2>
<p>Positive emotions can be extremely powerful. Research shows that when we are <a href="https://pages.vassar.edu/tugade/files/2017/10/01_Conway-Tugade-Catalino-Fredrickson-2012-BroadenBuild_Form-FunctionMechanisms.pdf">primed</a> to feel joy, curiosity, gratitude, and other types of positive feelings, we have what psychologists term “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156609/">broader thought-action repertoires</a>”. This means that we can imagine new possibilities and try out new things. We become more creative and better at solving problems. </p>
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<img alt="A girl in jean shorts and a white tee rollerskating outdoors." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510563/original/file-20230216-14-mqhv1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510563/original/file-20230216-14-mqhv1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510563/original/file-20230216-14-mqhv1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510563/original/file-20230216-14-mqhv1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510563/original/file-20230216-14-mqhv1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510563/original/file-20230216-14-mqhv1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510563/original/file-20230216-14-mqhv1g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Joy makes us more inventive.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-black-woman-on-roller-skates-1027178536">Javi_indy/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>In 2011, US psychologist Martin Seligman came up with what he called the <a href="https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/permawellbeing.pdf">Perma model of wellbeing</a>. It emphasises five main elements: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement. </p>
<p>This model is a helpful tool for understanding the various ways in which we can trigger more positive ways of thinking. These run the gamut from experiencing a positive emotion to being fully absorbed in a challenging task, creating a more loving connection with someone, trying to make sense of a difficult situation, or even simply ticking off jobs on a to-do list. </p>
<p>Positive affirmations have the potential to tap into these various elements of our wellbeing. They can be empowering when we are able to identify with the content of the message, when it has a moral, and when it is memorable. </p>
<p>Some can prompt us to be <a href="https://theconversation.com/hope-from-despair-how-young-people-are-taking-action-to-make-things-better-184859">hopeful</a> and focus on the here-and-now. A common saying in Alcoholics Anonymous addiction recovery circles is “One day at a time”. </p>
<p>Others urge us to become absorbed in an important task (“You’re more likely to act yourself into feeling than feel yourself into action”, from American psychologist Jerome Bruner). Others still can focus on developing positive relationships (“People who are truly strong lift others up. People who are truly powerful bring others together,” from Michelle Obama). </p>
<p>In this way, positive affirmations function like the secular version of religious or spiritual prayer. Research shows that when spoken out loud, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00520-012-1690-6">prayers</a> can be uplifting, comforting, and create a hopeful attitude. Likewise, speaking or singing an insightful quote or lyric to yourself can be extremely empowering. </p>
<p>Affirmations are often used to help us <a href="https://www.inc.com/amy-morin/9-mantras-that-will-keep-you-mentally-strong-in-tough-times.html">make sense</a> of disappointments and stresses and keep striving to <a href="https://rhythmsofplay.com/why-i-turn-my-goals-into-affirmations/">reach our goals</a> – like a pep talk, only, not from a coach but to ourselves. </p>
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<img alt="A smiling dog on a yellow background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510548/original/file-20230216-18-99mz94.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510548/original/file-20230216-18-99mz94.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=272&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510548/original/file-20230216-18-99mz94.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=272&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510548/original/file-20230216-18-99mz94.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=272&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510548/original/file-20230216-18-99mz94.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=341&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510548/original/file-20230216-18-99mz94.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=341&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510548/original/file-20230216-18-99mz94.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=341&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Positive affirmation.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/happy-puppy-dog-smiling-on-isolated-1799966587">Smrm1977/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Research has shown that people who regularly use encouraging self-talk are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2329488417731861">more likely</a> to perform better, to be satisfied in their jobs, and to want to stay in their positions. This process can be vital for endurance athletes in <a href="https://marjon.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/17377/1/Self-talk%20and%20endurance%20performance_McCormick.pdf">maintaining stamina</a>. </p>
<p>Ultimately it is an intentional state of mind, which can be helpful in balancing out the challenges we face with these positives we’re acknowledging. Whether we are fighting for social justice, or simply struggling to make ends meet, there are often small glimpses of joy to be found in life’s simple moments. As Aretha Franklin once sang: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>You got to spread joy up to the maximum</p>
<p>Bring gloom down to the minimum</p>
<p>And have faith, or pandemonium</p>
<p>Liable to walk upon the scene</p>
</blockquote>
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<p>So look for quotes and lyrics that inspire you. Store them in a place you can regularly access – on your bedroom wall, in a notebook you keep in your bag. And dig into them when you’re experiencing tough times or when you need prompts for thinking about the bigger picture, the purpose for your life.</p>
<p>Share them with others, either through social media or in person. Take pleasure in being part of a connected and inspired community. </p>
<p>And have a go at reading them out loud. You might be surprised at how it can make you feel more energised or hopeful. It can be exciting to know speaking words of hope and encouragement can help you – and those around you – on your journey.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/199798/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Glenn Williams has received funding from the Economic and Social Research Council, Derbyshire Arts Development Group, Derbyshire County Council, and Warwickshire County Council with projects studying psychological wellbeing and mental health. Views expressed here are his own and not those of these funding bodies.</span></em></p>By getting us to focus on what matters to our lives, affirmations can act as a counterbalance to spiralling negative thoughts.Glenn Williams, Principal Lecturer in Psychology, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1890372022-09-08T12:32:01Z2022-09-08T12:32:01ZMeditation holds the potential to help treat children suffering from traumas, difficult diagnoses or other stressors – a behavioral neuroscientist explains<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/482393/original/file-20220901-5045-612xxj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5463%2C3645&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Meditation and mindfulness techiques are becoming increasingly common in school settings.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/girl-meditating-with-mother-on-field-royalty-free-image/1002493430?adppopup=true">Alexander Egizarov/EyeEm</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/research-brief-83231">Research Brief</a> is a short take about interesting academic work.</em> </p>
<h2>The big idea</h2>
<p>Children actively meditating experience lower activity in parts of the brain involved in rumination, mind-wandering and depression, <a href="https://wsuthinklab.mystrikingly.com/">our team</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/pbc.29917">found in the first brain-imaging study</a> of young people under 18 years old. Over-activity in this collection of brain regions, known as the default mode network, is thought to be involved in the generation of negative self-directed thoughts – such as “I am such a failure” – that are prominent in mental disorders like depression.</p>
<p>In our study, we compared a simple form of distraction – counting backward from 10 – with two relatively simple forms of meditation: focused attention to the breath and mindful acceptance. Children in an MRI scanner had to use these techniques while watching distress-inducing video clips, such as a child receiving an injection.</p>
<p>We found that meditation techniques were more effective than distraction at quelling activity in that brain network. This reinforces research from our lab and others showing that meditation techniques and martial arts-based meditation programs are effective for reducing pain and stress in <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S283364">children with cancer or other chronic illnesses</a> – and in their siblings – as well as in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12307">schoolchildren during the COVID-19 pandemic</a>.</p>
<p>This study, led by <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Aneesh-Hehr">medical student Aneesh Hehr</a>, is important because meditation techniques such as focused attention on the breath or mindful acceptance <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21981">are popular in school settings</a> and are increasingly used to help children cope with stressful experiences. These might include exposures to trauma, medical treatments or even COVID-19-related stress.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Here’s what happened at one elementary school that made meditation part of its curriculum.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Why it matters</h2>
<p>Researchers know a lot about what is happening in the brain and body in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.03.021">adults while they meditate</a>, but comparable data for children has been lacking. Understanding what is happening in children’s brains when they meditate is important because the developing brain is wired differently from the adult brain. </p>
<p>These findings are also important because caregivers and health care providers often use distraction methods like iPads or toys to help children cope with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2011.08.001">pain and distress</a>, such as medical procedures. However, those techniques may largely rely on the prefrontal cortex, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1120408109">which is underdeveloped in youth</a>. </p>
<p>This means that stress and emotion regulation techniques that rely on the prefrontal cortex may work well for adults but are likely to be less accessible to children. Meditation techniques may not be dependent upon the prefrontal cortex and may therefore be more accessible and effective for helping children manage and cope with stress. </p>
<h2>What’s next</h2>
<p>We still have a great deal to learn about how meditation affects brain development in children. This includes what types of meditation techniques are most effective, the ideal frequency and duration, and how it affects children differently.</p>
<p>Our study focused on a relatively small sample of 12 children with active cancer, as well as survivors who may have experienced significant distress over the diagnosis, treatment and uncertainty about the future. Future studies with larger sample sizes – including children with a wider diversity of diagnoses and exposures to early adversity or trauma – will help researchers like us to better understand how meditation affects the brain and body in children. </p>
<p>Our findings underscore the need to understand precisely how meditation techniques work. Exciting recent studies <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25197">have begun to examine</a> how participating in mindfulness and meditation-based programs can shape brain functioning in children. </p>
<p>Understanding how these techniques work is also essential for optimizing how they could be applied in health care settings, such as coping with needle-related procedures or for helping children manage the negative effects of stress and trauma.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189037/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hilary A. Marusak does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A new study provides the first glimpse into what happens in children’s brains as they meditate.Hilary A. Marusak, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1405112020-06-12T09:49:25Z2020-06-12T09:49:25ZDementia: negative thinking linked with more rapid cognitive decline, study indicates<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/341447/original/file-20200612-153817-1faynw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=47%2C0%2C5315%2C3540&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">People who worried or ruminated more often had biological markers of Alzheimer's disease in their brain. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/older-women-worrying-her-hands-over-1012321900">Marjan Apostolovic/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Dementia affects an estimated <a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-us/news-and-media/facts-media">54 million people worldwide</a>. There no cure, but reports indicate that approximately a third of dementia cases <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(17)31363-6/fulltext">may be preventable</a>, which is why many researchers have begun to focus on identifying risk factors. This would allow for better personalised interventions that may be able to reduce risk, delay, or even prevent the onset of dementia. </p>
<p>Current research shows that genetics, high blood pressure, and smoking are all risk factors for developing dementia. But a lot of people don’t realise that there is also a relationship between mental ill-health and higher dementia risk too. Studies have shown that <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/209578">depression</a>, <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/8/4/e019399">anxiety</a>, and <a href="https://www.ajgponline.org/article/S1064-7481(19)30469-5/abstract">post traumatic stress disorder</a> are all linked to a higher risk of developing dementia in older age. <a href="https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alz.12116">Our recent study</a> builds on this research by examining whether a style of thinking that is common to these mental health conditions is associated with indicators of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia.</p>
<p>People experiencing mental ill health frequently engage in a style of thinking called “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3042595/">Repetitive Negative Thinking</a>”. This style of thinking involves the tendency to have negative thoughts about the future (worry) or about the past (rumination), and these thoughts can feel uncontrollable. </p>
<p>In 2015, I developed a hypothesis called <a href="https://content.iospress.com/download/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad141515?id=journal-of-alzheimers-disease%2Fjad141515">“Cognitive Debt”</a> which proposed that repetitive negative thinking could be the “active ingredient” common in all these mental health conditions that may help explain the increased dementia risk we observe. Our recently published study tested this hypothesis for the first time. We found that repetitive negative thinking was indeed associated with indicators of Alzheimer’s disease.</p>
<p>Our study looked at 292 older adults aged 55+ from the PREVENT-AD project in Canada. Their cognitive function was assessed, measuring memory, attention, spatial cognition, and language. Of these participants, 113 also had their brain scanned, which allowed researchers to measure deposits of tau and amyloid. These two proteins are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1552526018300724?via%3Dihub">biological markers</a> of Alzheimer’s disease when they build up in the brain. A further 68 people from the IMAP+ project in France underwent PET brain scans to measure amyloid. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/341449/original/file-20200612-153822-mbctd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/341449/original/file-20200612-153822-mbctd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/341449/original/file-20200612-153822-mbctd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/341449/original/file-20200612-153822-mbctd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/341449/original/file-20200612-153822-mbctd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/341449/original/file-20200612-153822-mbctd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/341449/original/file-20200612-153822-mbctd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Those who had higher negative thinking patterns had greater cognitive decline.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/nurse-helps-senior-woman-jigsaw-puzzle-177566192">Alexander Raths/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We found that people who exhibited higher repetitive negative thinking patterns experienced more cognitive decline over a four-year period. They also had specific declines in memory (which is an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease), and had more amyloid and tau deposits in their brain. </p>
<p>We also examined symptoms of depression and anxiety. We found that both were associated with cognitive decline, but not with deposits of either amyloid or tau. It may be that these symptoms are more indicative of decline that happens with ageing or dementia that is not due to Alzheimer’s disease. Equally, participants in this study had very low levels of depression and anxiety which would make it unlikely to be able to detect a relationship. These findings do suggest that repetitive negative thinking could one reason why depression and anxiety are associated with Alzheimer’s disease risk – which is in line with my “Cognitive Debt” hypothesis.</p>
<p>However, it is important to point out that although the hypothesis proposes repetitive negative thinking increases risk for dementia (specifically Alzheimer’s), the opposite may also be true. People who experience a decline in their condition may become more concerned or worried about their health – leading to repetitive negative thinking. Or, amyloid or tau could have accumulated in the brain, disrupted its circuitry, making it more difficult to disengage from negative thoughts. At this point we are unable to know which came first.</p>
<p>But how could our thoughts be associated with a disease of the brain? On a biological level, negative thinking is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149763410000059">associated with increased stress</a>. In fact, repetitive negative thinking is seen as a behavioural marker of chronic stress by causing elevated blood pressure and higher levels of the <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/22691553">stress hormone cortisol</a>. There’s increasing evidence that chronic stress is both harmful to your body – <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25178904/">and your brain</a>. But more research is needed to understand this link.</p>
<p>Given that repetitive negative thinking is responsive to treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy or mindfulness, <a href="https://silversantestudy.eu/">future research</a> will look at whether reducing these thinking patterns also reduces dementia risk. In the meantime, there is evidence to suggest that many lifestyle habits – such as maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, and staying socially active – are all linked with lower risk of dementia. Although we don’t know whether reducing repetitive negative thinking could delay dementia in the future, taking steps to look after your mental health is still important for your well-being in the present.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/140511/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Natalie L Marchant receives funding from the Alzheimer's Society, European Commission, and the Medical Research Council. </span></em></p>Our study found that people who had higher repetitive negative thinking patterns experienced more cognitive decline over a four-year period.Natalie L Marchant, Senior research fellow, UCLLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/801902017-07-18T20:03:35Z2017-07-18T20:03:35ZHow we think about our past experiences affects how we can help others<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/177829/original/file-20170712-7690-aghmc0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">We're less able to understand others if we ruminate on our own problems. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/8mZdmmAUCHw">胡 卓亨/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Have you ever told a friend experiencing a troubling situation “I know <em>exactly</em> how you feel”? </p>
<p>This empathic response is usually driven by a connection we’ve made with our own similar experiences. Having “been there”, we believe we know what it’s like to be them. But do we really?</p>
<p>During his presidency, Barack Obama often <a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/09/21/remarks-president-obama-address-united-nations-general-assembly">spoke</a> of the ability to “recognise ourselves in each other”. Much earlier, Oliver Wendell Holmes <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2665/2665-h/2665-h.htm">wrote</a> in 1859: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Both quotes reflect themes psychologists have grappled with for much of the discipline’s existence. That is, how we come to understand and process challenging experiences such as relationship breakdowns, loss of loved ones or interpersonal conflicts, and to what extent we can use these experiences to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/jrr.2017.8">understand others going through similar things</a>.</p>
<p>In order to address these issues, we need to consider the ways we think about ourselves (“self-reflection”) and the ways we think about others (“perspective taking”). </p>
<h2>How do we understand others?</h2>
<p>Self-reflection is turning our attention inward to consider what we are feeling at a given moment, why we acted in such a way, and how our past experiences have shaped us. Surprisingly, we don’t reflect on inner experiences as often as might be expected, with our environment usually the focus of attention.</p>
<p>Perspective taking allows us to consider what it’s like to be in someone else’s situation and to empathise with their experiences. We do this every day, such as when we predict how a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2016.12.010">driver</a> in the next lane with a different field of vision will behave, or when we console a friend who is discussing their misfortunes.</p>
<p>One of the main ways we try to understand another person’s experiences is to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/jrr.2013.6">imagine ourselves in their place</a> and to use our experiences of love and loss to connect with their situation. This process has a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.10.014">neurological basis</a>: brain regions activated when we focus on our own point of view are also activated when considering that of another person. </p>
<p>Reflecting on a similar situation we’ve experienced makes it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/jrr.2015.6">easier to understand another person</a> and can result in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167296225005">compassion for their plight</a>. But sometimes we are actually less <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000012">compassionate</a> or willing to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40750-016-0044-x">help</a> them, particularly if we are currently experiencing a similar situation.</p>
<h2>How we can understand them better</h2>
<p>Researchers believe we <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.76.2.284">reflect on ourselves</a> in two different ways – one out of curiosity and wanting to know more about what makes us tick (“intellectual self-attentiveness”), and the other is ruminating on our experiences – driven by anxieties and fears of loss.</p>
<p>Rumination involves replaying an event again and again, often with little awareness of why it occurred. While more positive self-reflection or attentiveness is associated with an <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/152988602317232803">increased tendency</a> to consider other peoples’ points of view, being prone to rumination makes us less able to consider things from other people’s perspectives. </p>
<p>The more a person ruminates, the more they experience <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167297237008">personal distress</a>, making them less able to connect with another’s misfortunes.</p>
<p>Initially, it’s normal to play over in our minds negative events such as a marriage breakdown or loss of a loved one. But we can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.107.2.156">become</a> fixated on these experiences, which is associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.128.4.638">depression and anxiety</a>. For our experiences to help us connect with others, we need to move beyond rumination to developing insight (understanding) into what has occurred.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00301.x">ways</a> we think about past experiences can help or hinder the development of insight. One way is to mentally immerse ourselves in our past experiences – as if we were right back there – focusing on what occurred. This is likely to bring the past to life, but also results in anger and attributing blame to others involved. </p>
<p>By contrast, a self-distanced perspective, where we almost picture the situation as a “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01600.x">fly on the wall</a>” leads to focusing on why an experience occurred, which can foster insight and closure.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2011.649546">Studies have found</a> when people can reflect on their own problems with a bit of distance and compassion for themselves, they’re able to see the “bigger picture”. This in turn makes them better able to consider their own and others’ needs, and more likely to forgive and help others.</p>
<h2>We can never know ‘exactly’ how someone feels</h2>
<p>Self-refection is essential for understanding our troubling experiences. In turn, this understanding is likely to help us consider others in similar situations. </p>
<p>We can’t assume others will experience a situation exactly the way we did, as there are probably <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.87.3.327">differences</a> in the experiences. It can also be <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0035148">difficult</a> to imagine ourselves back in an emotionally-charged time in our lives. In certain contexts, especially working as a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12298">psychologist or nurse</a>, taking another person’s perspective in a more distant way is advised.</p>
<p>Perhaps, then, rather than telling someone “I know <em>exactly</em> how you feel”, it’s best to ask curious questions that will help you to clarify what they are going through, as well as help them develop insight into their situation.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/80190/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Adam Gerace does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Having “been there”, we believe we know what it’s like to be our friends in trouble. But do we really?Adam Gerace, Senior Research Fellow, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/466132015-08-27T20:01:47Z2015-08-27T20:01:47ZAre creative people more prone to psychological distress or is the ‘mad genius’ a myth?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/93153/original/image-20150827-364-rggqcx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The idea of a common biological cause for the association between psychological distress and creativity is clearly an attractive one.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jox1989/5829963058/">Gioia De Antoniis/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2015.07.003">A new theory</a> for why neurotic unhappiness and creativity are often found in the same person suggests the link results from the fact that the same part of the brain is responsible for both.</p>
<p>The theory, published today, holds that there are parts of the brain that control the number of spontaneous thoughts someone has, and how much they daydream and let their minds wander. People differ in the activity of these brain regions, so they experience a different number of spontaneous thoughts. </p>
<p>These same brain regions are also important for controlling the negativity of thoughts. Some spontaneous thoughts will thus be more negative in tone, turning into a negative thinking style, such as rumination or worry. And these negative thinking styles <a href="http://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/ijct.2008.1.3.192">make people vulnerable</a> to psychological distress. But other thoughts will be more reflective and imaginative, increasing the chances of creative outcomes.</p>
<p>The idea of a common biological cause for the association between psychological distress and creativity is attractive. But is the assumption that creative people are more neurotic actually true? Are there really “mad geniuses” in our midst?</p>
<h2>A headache for researchers</h2>
<p>That psychological distress and creativity go hand in hand is one of the many common lay ideas about human psychology. The link has been highlighted in revelations of the personal battles of artists, writers, musicians and other people pursing creative endeavours. </p>
<p>Some, such as the stories of pianist David Helfgott (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117631/">Shine</a>, 1996) and mathematician John Nash (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268978/?ref_=nv_sr_1">A Beautiful Mind</a>, 2001), have even captured Hollywood’s imagination, fuelling the idea of the link. But what about scientific evidence?</p>
<p>To investigate, researchers have typically either compared the psychological distress of people in creative and non-creative professions, or compared the creativity of people with and without psychological distress. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/93151/original/image-20150827-372-1iuseun.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/93151/original/image-20150827-372-1iuseun.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93151/original/image-20150827-372-1iuseun.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93151/original/image-20150827-372-1iuseun.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=523&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93151/original/image-20150827-372-1iuseun.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=658&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93151/original/image-20150827-372-1iuseun.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=658&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93151/original/image-20150827-372-1iuseun.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=658&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Researchers have typically either compared the psychological distress of people in creative and non-creative professions, or compared the creativity of people with and without psychological distress.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/rosengrant/3572847910/">B Rosen/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
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<p>Unfortunately, they’ve used different methods to measure creativity as well as psychological distress. For example, to measure the latter, studies may use interviews to diagnose mental disorders or questionnaires to assess personality traits such as neuroticism.</p>
<h2>From the beginning</h2>
<p>Research on psychological distress and creativity <a href="http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/ajp.144.10.1288">began in the 1980s</a> and <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2734415">early studies in the field</a> have often been cited to support a link. But much of this work has recently been criticised for using small and specialised samples of people and for a <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2009-06908-006">lack of scientifically rigorous methodology</a>.</p>
<p>Criticisms have also been levelled at the <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00163/full">field of “mad genius” research</a> as a whole. The use of different measures of psychological distress and <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24512614">creativity in different studies</a>, for instance, makes it difficult to compare studies and get a fuller picture.</p>
<p>It has been suggested that this inconsistency of measures has contributed to contradictory findings. Neuroticism has been shown to be <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00221329709596653#.Vd21b_mNNtR">linked to creativity in one study</a>, for instance, but <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092656696900136">not in another</a> that used a different measure of creativity.</p>
<p>Indeed, the whole field has been criticised for the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24512614">absence of a good measure for creativity</a>, and for using <a href="http://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/357822">dubious methods to assess</a> psychological distress. But the absence of quality evidence of a link is not evidence for the absence of that link.</p>
<h2>Some relief</h2>
<p>Recently, there have been some attempts to look at the literature on psychological distress and creativity as a whole to try to find patterns across studies (granted the criticisms noted above). </p>
<p><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22088366">One critical review paper</a>, for instance, suggested an association between bipolar disorder and creativity. Another suggested creativity is <a href="http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/357822">linked with bipolar disorder as well as schizotypy</a> (a personality trait related to schizophrenia).</p>
<p>Notably, these research papers are only qualitative reviews. They summarise patterns of associations but the size of associations they’ve found (between bipolar disorder and creativity, for instance) are not estimated.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/93150/original/image-20150827-378-i80lyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/93150/original/image-20150827-378-i80lyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93150/original/image-20150827-378-i80lyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93150/original/image-20150827-378-i80lyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=411&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93150/original/image-20150827-378-i80lyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93150/original/image-20150827-378-i80lyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/93150/original/image-20150827-378-i80lyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=516&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some recent papers have suggested links between creativity and bipolar disorder.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ssoosay/6016311183/">Surian Soosay/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>Quantitative reviews such as meta-analyses can estimate the size of such associations because they’re based on multiple studies. And <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15647135">one meta-analysis</a> has shown neuroticism is only trivially associated with creativity. Sadly, such meta-analyses are generally lacking in the field.</p>
<h2>U-shaped you</h2>
<p>The good news is that large-scale studies with more rigorous methodology have recently started to be undertaken. <a href="http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/199/5/373.long">One 2011 study</a>, for instance, found that people with bipolar disorder were more likely to work in creative occupations – scientific or artistic – than people without the disorder. And those with schizophrenia were similarly found to be more likely to work in an artistic occupation. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022395612002804">Another large study</a> in 2013 found a greater likelihood of bipolar disorder among people in creative professions compared to matched groups. But people in creative professions were not more likely to be diagnosed with other disorders, such as schizophrenia, depression and anxiety disorders.</p>
<p>Researchers contend that <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/aca/8/1/53/">one of the more consistent findings</a> in the field is that people with “a small dose” of psychological distress might actually be more creative than people without psychological distress <em>and</em> people with extreme levels of such distress. This has been been described as <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00750/full">a U-shaped relationship</a>.</p>
<p>As you’ve probably guessed by now, the state of this field of psychological research makes it difficult to provide a definitive answer to the question of whether there really is a link between psychological distress and creativity. All we can say for now is that the more recent research suggests a link between creativity and certain forms of psychological distress – possibly in small doses.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/46613/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr. Quincy J. J. Wong is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship (APP1037618).
</span></em></p>Researchers have suggested a new theory for why neurotic unhappiness and creativity are often found in the same person. But is the assumption that creative people are more neurotic actually true?Quincy Wong, NHMRC Early Career Fellow (Psychology), Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/195272013-11-01T06:18:50Z2013-11-01T06:18:50ZRumination and remedy: five ways to improve your outlook<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/34119/original/zs6srfdf-1383146992.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C22%2C1007%2C737&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Not that kind of rumination.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jill Clardy</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>It is the events that happen in our lives that determine the state of our mental health, rather than some inherent personal inadequacy or genetic flaw. And psychological processes, such as rumination and self-blame, aren’t just symptoms of some “mental disorder” but a crucial part in the chain of causes that can lead us to depression and anxiety.</p>
<p>This is what we found in a <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0076564">recent paper</a>. Since it was published, some people commented that this kind of psychological model can sometimes be misinterpreted to imply that people are in some way responsible for their problems because they suggest some kind of errors in thinking (although I don’t believe this). And there was naturally some response to the idea that rumination was even a problem.</p>
<p>The phenomenon of blaming people for the way they think about themselves, other people, the world and the future does exist. The insulting label of “personality disorder”, for example, paradoxically manages both to label people as “ill” while simultaneously blaming them for their ways of thinking. </p>
<p>All the things that have happened to me – my biological inheritance, parenting, education, social circumstances and cultural values and, crucially, the life events and traumas I’ve lived through, have shaped my views on life and the way I tend to think (including a tendency to ruminate). As a cognitive psychologist, I recognise that how we make sense of the world is important. But also that we learn, and can continue to learn, to make sense of it.</p>
<p>One of the important implications of our research is that if we were able to “turn off” rumination and self-blame, we could “turn down” at least some of the depression and anxiety. That’s really the basis of clinical psychology; there are very good reasons behind why we learn particular ways, but sometimes it might be a good idea to try and develop new ones to engage with the world.</p>
<p>Nearly every simple piece of advice is going to be glib, obvious, or wrong and if I were able to offer wise, self-help advice that actually worked for everybody, I’d be a millionaire. But for what it’s worth, I hope what follows will be helpful for some people.</p>
<h2>Get the basics right</h2>
<p>Eat good, nutritious food. Get saturated fat content down and keep salt content low. Eat enough fresh fruit or vegetables each day and drink plenty of water. Aim to get your BMI in the healthy zone. I don’t want to sound prudish, but don’t smoke, drink moderately and be generally quite cautious with recreational drugs. And get at least seven hours sleep a night. Sleep is really important and studies suggest the brain needs sleep to <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24567412">also remain physically healthy</a>.</p>
<p>There’s lots of advice and specific help <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/Pages/Livewellhub.aspx">out there</a>. But the message is the same: get the basic physical fundamentals right.</p>
<h2>Well-being: five tips for the price of one</h2>
<p>The “five ways to well-being” approach is recommended by the mental health charity <a href="http://www.mind.org.uk/employment/mind_week_2011/employees/five_ways_to_wellbeing">MIND</a> and <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/improve-mental-wellbeing.aspx">the NHS</a>, and there are plenty of doable steps.</p>
<p>Keep active – do something physical each day. It could be as simple as taking the dog out for a walk (if you’ve got one).</p>
<p>Maintain your relationships – for all kinds of reasons, friends are vital. Good friends, supportive friends, friends who won’t judge you or try to take advantage of you. We can all take steps to maintain these friendships; phone, write, text. You might even consider a kind of semi-professional approach; self-help groups to meet people in a similar position.</p>
<p>Learn – I would say this, I’m an academic. Keep your brain active. Engage it. Your brain is the most fantastic machine ever created.</p>
<p>Give – this isn’t political brainwashing. <a href="http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/entry/five-ways-to-well-being-the-evidence">There’s good evidence</a> that getting involved in charitable activity (and it’s probably better to give your time and effort, rather than money) makes people happier.</p>
<p>Stay open-minded – perhaps the trickiest thing to do but it relates directly to rumination. </p>
<h2>Mindfulness</h2>
<p>Rumination – compulsively focusing your attention on the causes and consequences of a problem – tends to be eased by learning to be mindful: if we’re able to be aware of, and understand how our own thoughts work. This does not mean taking up any kind of religious practice, but some practical techniques for clearing the mind of “clutter” can be helpful. </p>
<p>In part, it means becoming able to decide where to focus your attention. Because if you’re good at this, it’s less likely that your thoughts will always drag back towards rumination.</p>
<h2>The CBT approach</h2>
<p>If you’re aware of what’s happening in your own mind, you can start to change things. My colleague, Sara Tai, put together <a href="http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/health/factsheets/catch.pdf">a neat summary</a> of cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT. But it works like this:</p>
<p>Identify what you are thinking. It’s often really useful to do this when you notice a change in your emotions or if you start doing something that may be a sign of something else, like drinking too much. So if you think someone you know ignores you in the street and you feel sad this can be a cue to examine the thought.</p>
<p>Are you (after engaging your fantastic brain in a mindful manner) thinking sensibly, wisely and proportionately about the situation? Weigh up the evidence – what makes you think they ignored you? Could it be they didn’t see you? Did you “assume” they ignored you and is your mood also now affecting the way you’re thinking?</p>
<p>Change it. Generate an alternative point of view; question the evidence for your negative thoughts and find possible alternatives. It’s not about lying to yourself – maybe they did ignore you. But when in a negative frame of mind, we can assume the worst.</p>
<h2>Therapy</h2>
<p>If you’ve tried all that then you could try therapy. I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone – many people are probably better off avoiding therapists and using everyday resources and support. But it can be a chance to think things through with a professional in a calm, supportive and nonjudgmental atmosphere, which can be helpful. I personally prefer the straightforward approach of CBT, but there are many others. It’s a question of finding one that suits you.</p>
<p>If all of this was easy, I wouldn’t have a job and you’d have found the secret years ago. But while you aren’t guaranteed lifelong contentment, sort out some of these basics and it might help.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/19527/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Kinderman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It is the events that happen in our lives that determine the state of our mental health, rather than some inherent personal inadequacy or genetic flaw.Peter Kinderman, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of LiverpoolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.