General
Not (just) about positive mindset
Yesterday in our support group we were talking about why having a positive mindset alone isn't enough. I got on my soap box a little bit towards the end (if you don't know, I've spent the last few years studying this intersection between the nervous system, mental and emotional wellbeing and medical trauma/chronic illness) and some of you asked me to share the highlights here.
One of the things I mentioned is we can't actually think our way into feeling safe, or calm. The majority of your "traffic signals" (around 80%) travel from your body to your brain, and it's only the remaining fraction that travel from your brain to your body. Which means positive thinking, while bypassing the body's responses, is creating more incongruence and disconnection rather than actually changing your state.
If your body is stuck in survival mode, or stress state. everything else is going to follow that regardless of what you're thinking. This is why involving the body, and the nervous system, in healing matters so much!
If you've been trained to take in X sensation means danger (which, let's be honest, we can probably all relate on some level), your body is going to take in those danger signs and react, even if your brain understands on a conscious level there's no need for that anymore. Having a positive mindset doesn't stop the signals from the body; it only addresses the surface level situation. I can change my mindset without ever getting to the root (the stories my body is holding).
The real solution, then, lies in showing your body a different way of being.
What are your thoughts? Have you tried body based healing practices in combination with mindset work? What questions do you have about all of this?
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Do you mean doing yoga, meditation, and art therapy? I haven't tried yoga yet.
Transplant Patient
thats one of the ways, but it doesn't have to be that! there are so many different ways we can begin to work towards body based healing. If you're curious, look up somatic experiencing or somatic practices (this is what I'm trained in)
Thank you. This is helpful. I personally have not experienced any depression, but of course there is certain amount of stress throughout this process. I am also curious to learn more, since I am trying to be a good mentor to others, so having learned some of this, might be helpful in helping others who experience more trauma throughout this process.
I've cut out sugar, added salt(season with herbs and spices instead), high glycemic foods, foods causing inflammation(IGF-1 stimulating foods like red meat/chicken, and dairy) and instead eat fish(stay away farmed raised/grain fed, they are high in omega-6) and plant proteins with lots of vegeatables w/ olive oil, and go hiking very often, and get lot of sleep no later than 10pm. Now i feel very empowered, and in control of body and mind. Chat GPT helped me alot figuring things out. Blending raw vegetables after cleaning in water/vinegar helps getting the most nutrients without slowing down digestion. I found that when i'm feeling fatigue from medication, slow deep breathes help cells stay active fatigue deminishes, also go for walk even when u feel tired, u actually end up with more energy. But definately rest when you feel your exhausted or immune system is getting week.