The Triad of Change: Memory, Completion, and Mindfulness in Mental Health
Achieving profound and lasting change in our mental health and emotional well-being requires addressing three fundamental elements: memory, the completion of initiated responses, and mindfulness. These components serve as the cornerstone for transforming our automatic emotional and behavioral patterns and paving the way for new beginnings.
Achieving profound and lasting change in our mental health and emotional well-being requires addressing three fundamental elements: memory, the completion of initiated responses, and mindfulness. These components serve as the cornerstone for transforming our automatic emotional and behavioral patterns and paving the way for new beginnings.
Memory: Our memories, both short-term and long-term, play a pivotal role in shaping our perceptions and responses to various situations. Long-term memories form the basis of our predictive models, guiding our behaviors and emotions based on past experiences. When we encounter familiar situations, often unconsciously, we default to automatic mode, relying on learned coping mechanisms to navigate through challenges.
However, the problem arises when these coping mechanisms are rooted in survival rather than true resolution. For instance, if as children, we learned to cope with unmet needs by numbing our emotions or shutting down, these patterns can persist into adulthood. Despite having greater agency as adults, our automatic responses remain stuck in survival mode, leading to feelings of panic, clinginess, rage, or withdrawal when triggered by similar situations.
To instigate real change, we must address these ingrained memories and disrupt the automated responses they trigger. This involves discharging emotional distress associated with past experiences and creating space for new adaptive strategies to emerge.
Completion of Initiated Responses: Many times, when faced with threatening situations, our bodies initiate fight, flight, or freeze responses as a means of self-protection. However, if these responses are not completed, they can linger within us, manifesting as chronic stress or unresolved tension.
Completing these initiated responses involves allowing our bodies to release the stored energy from past traumas, thereby freeing ourselves from the grip of unresolved stress. Through somatic practices and therapeutic interventions, we can facilitate the discharge of pent-up emotional energy and restore a sense of balance and resilience.
Mindfulness: Mindfulness serves as the bridge between past experiences and present awareness, offering us the opportunity to observe our thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations without judgment. By cultivating mindfulness, we can develop greater self-awareness and discernment, allowing us to recognize and interrupt automatic patterns of behavior.
Rather than simply reacting to stimuli based on past conditioning, mindfulness empowers us to respond consciously and compassionately to the present moment. It opens the door to new possibilities, enabling us to break free from the constraints of past memories and embrace fresh perspectives on our lives.
In conclusion, while there may be countless tools and techniques for enhancing emotional intelligence and behavioral regulation, true transformation begins by addressing the core issues of memory, completion, and mindfulness. By delving into the depths of our past experiences, releasing unresolved tensions, and cultivating present-moment awareness, we can embark on a journey of profound healing and growth. Let us embrace the power of change and embark on the path towards greater well-being and fulfillment.
Social situations are the new stalking lions in our lives. How can we survive?
The brain can’t tell the difference between physical threat and emotional threat. It is going react (ie fight/flight/freeze) to both the same. Important takeaways!
The bullets:
The brain reacts the same to emotional threat as to physical threat.
Threat takes us out of the game and majorly decreases our creativity.
Knowing you're in threat is powerful to combating an unnecessary threat response.
There are some steps you can take to help restore peace.
The brain can’t tell the difference between physical threat and emotional threat. It is going react (ie fight/flight/freeze) to both the same.
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU'RE POSSIBLY IN THREAT
Heart speeds up
Sweating Blood will flow to larger areas like your legs to prep you to run away
Hearing negatively effected (less middle frequency)
Ability for eye contact goes down
Ability to think smoothly and reflectively diminishes
Becoming more reactive
Less creativity
Vigilance (noticing every little problem)
Thoughts that see others as a threat (likely in the form of judging people) and yourself as vulnerable (likely in over inflating yourself or under inflating).
2 STEPS TO CONSIDER FOR RESTORING PEACE:
Awareness: notice that you’re in a threat response without judging yourself. This is MASSIVELY different than just being IN a threat response.
Shift from inside focus to outside focus: this comes from Somatic Experiencing. We take 80% of our content in from sight. Using your vision, let your eyes go wherever they want. SLOWLY. You are trying to not think and just notice the outside environment: colors, lighting, textures, objects, details, shapes, etc. Doesn’t matter why you want to look at anything. The point is to shift from the brain focusing on the inside to focusing on the outside. This literally shifts which part of the brain is activated and can give your nervous system a chance to reset. Notice if you spontaneously take a deeper breath or sigh or yawn or want to stretch. It could help to tap your feet while you do this.