Our thoughts create our experience. They are very powerful and yet we probably didn't learn this growing up. If we can use this knowledge and begin to notice the talk going on in one's head, you may discover that your thoughts are critical or judgmental towards yourself, other people, or situations in your life., Let's deep dive into this knowledge that we now have thanks to advancements in the field of neuroscience. Apparently, there is a "data recording system" in our subcortical brain (other terms could be your subconscious, your amygdala as part of the limbic system, or reptilian brain) that is designed to help us survive threats (real or perceived) and keep us safe from harm. Our past experiences get uploaded if they are deemed important in defending ourselves against future threats to our survival. The body can then access the useful data to help them find a way to safety. It is a phenomenal primitive ability of our "first" brain or reptilian brain. We, in essence, have a built-in protective mechanism based on our personal experiences, familial teachings, and learned messages from our environment. The protector in your brain-body then physiologically (body sensations) and/or "telepathically" (mental messages) signal or caution you when stimuli presents in a way that could mean your in danger of being harmed physically or psychologically.
By psychologically, this can pertain to relational abuse (being emotionally neglected or degraded, shamed, blamed for the actions of others), social or group threats (not fitting in, being outcasted, laughed at), or spiritually or morally mistreated (feeling persecuted, being treated unfairly or unjustly, discriminated against, mistreated by authority figures). Whether it be physical, relational, social, or morally/spiritually, our "survival system" has the ability to alert us (alarming the amagdala in the limbic system) and protect and guide us to safety (using our built-in protective response to the stressor) .
In the short term, we instantaneously have what we need to help ourself survive very tough situations, even the most heinous of crimes against humanity. These same immediate interpretations that create quick safe actions, in the long term, may become counterproductive and ineffective. More on this in my next post...
So what do automatic negative thoughts have to do with this? That protector in your brain/body stays busy scanning for those threats, looking for "problems" that it may need to be concerned about. So the quality of the mental messages are problem-based. The way this plays out in the primitive times of the human experience is to be on guard for predators in the wilderness. In modern times, threats of danger as mentioned above are what the brain/body is scanning.
Often what safety means to humans in addition to safety is a need for connection and a feeling of being valued. Our pre-recorded thoughts will have a bias that speaks as if, what if, and in the most negative or worst case scenarios, in other words the messages sound NEGATIVE or EXTREME. They can tell you things that are not accurate and if you are not present to them and discerning the cause and effects of acting from these thoughts, you can sabotage your life. The actions you could make in this automatic impulsive state of "reacting" can be misinterpreted by you and others in the current context. We can live so many years of our lives hearing and believing these faulty messages about ourselves, others, and our life in general. Often unaware, as is our subconscious to our conscious part of us, weary not know we are even having the faulty messages.
Again, there is a purpose and meaning to why they developed at the time they did. However, because they were developed under stressful and emotional circumstances often from your underdeveloped emotional brain from childhood, the old thoughts need to be carefully considered and reexamined, often stepping away and giving some time to do this when you feel emotions rising in you. Then the rational part of your brain that has developed into adulthood can assist by sifting, sorting, intergrating and resolving past messages. The WISE ADULT part of you can step in with compassion and guide you, regulate you, and help you "respond" rather than react. Give yourself the gift of being in your present mind and body, being your own observer of your experience so that your choices can be as intentionally driven by your values and toward your values. Give yourself time to know and decide to live a values-based life, rather than a tethered to a painful past. Our thoughts create our experience. Monitor yours, cultivate an internal voice that sings, laughs, loves all things, and wants to best for oneself and for others.