Your thoughts are what steer you. If you are thinking negatively, then everything else will just feel negative. You wont see the positive or good things because you are caught up in the negative. For example when you have lots of anxiety then everything just feels awful... life, other people, your current situation, your future, your past (?), nothing seems positive or good. But that is because you are just focusing on the negatives, but if you instead could try to think about something positive. And i know how tough it is.... and i know that positive thinking doesnt solve everything and it doesnt make a mental illness go away. But it sure wont make it worse.
I got critique for "thinking positive" and trying to stay positive. But my outlook is that... positive thinking wont make things worse. As long as i amnt trying to fool myself, but i think that if you try to stay positive always it will make things somewhat better. It isnt always possible, sometimes life is awful or the situation you are in is down right awful and you just need a few moments to cry, scream, feel negative and so on. But after that, you get yourself together and you begin seeing the positives even if they are far fetched at times... there are always sometype of positive. Even if it means you have to look into the future, for example see the positives after the situation is over/Problem is solved.
Small positive thoughts about yourself, your life and life in general can make a big difference. Even if it doesnt make the problem go away and it wont cure you, but it wont make things worse. So why not try it :)
Your thoughts control and steer you, and if you choose to just think negative then your life will feel very negative.
I mean you could think... "i hate that i am being forced to eat. I hate being in treatment and having to gain weight" or you could think "People care about me and are trying to help me. I might not realise it now and i might not like it, but these people care about me. And gaining weight is helping my body and making me stronger. Ii might not feel better or stronger now, but one day i will accept my body and know that the weight gain was good. For now all i can do is eat, and be thankful that i have food and that people are helping me to get better". And i KNOW it is not easy to think like that when you are sitting with food/fear food infront of you. Then you would rather cry, scream and run away than sit there and be thankful that people are making you eat. But why not atleast try to think somewhat positive, it can definitely make it easier :) And know, its not easy... but it can be easier.
I think people get confused about you recommending to think positively. Like you're just saying to put a happy face on things. That's not all it means - and I completely agree with you. With any addictive-based mental illness, including EDs, a huge part of recovery is in learning to change your thoughts. Our perception is our reality. When our perception is all based in negativity, then life becomes ugly, sick, and hopeless. When we learn to change the way we think, and replace those destructive thoughts with healthy, positive thoughts, then our whole life changes. Its not about slapping a smile on things, but about learning to live from a place of deep gratitude, love, and acceptance. Positive does not necessarily mean "happy". Positive is simply constructive instead of destructive thoughts. Learning to live in the solution instead of the problem. To accept yourself and others where they are, as they are. To forgive instead of begrudge. To let go of resentment and other toxic thoughts. To speak kindly to yourself and to others. To do the right thing. This is what it mean (to me) to "think positive" - and yes, it is a simple idea but difficult to actually learn to do. I love that you spread this message, Izzy. Those of us with EDs and other addictive illnesses are VERY lucky in that we have the choice to recover. Our cure lies in changing the way we think, which means replacing the destructive thoughts with constructive - or positive - ones. Keep spreading the good word, Izzy!
ReplyDeleteVery true, and thank you :)
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