MENTAL HEALTH IN THE HEART OF MAUN

  In daily life, our minds are constantly filled with thoughts, worries, and emotions. At times, this mental flood can be overwhelming, making it difficult to make decisions and manage emotions. Writing a thought journal has become a powerful tool to clear the mind, reorganize our thoughts, and promote greater self-understanding. This simple yet profound practice not only helps reduce stress but can also be a pathway to improving mental and emotional health. What is a Thought Journal? 🤔 A thought journal is a space where we freely write down our thoughts and feelings without censorship. It’s not about writing in a structured or perfect way, but about capturing what’s on our mind in the present moment. The goal is to organize and clarify those thoughts, allowing us to see more clearly what we are experiencing and how we can handle it. By writing in a journal, we give voice to our emotions, analyze them, and observe them from a more objective perspective. This exercise not only h...

Throughout life, we all face difficult moments, make mistakes, and find ourselves trapped in negative thoughts. However, the way we treat ourselves during these times can make a huge difference. Self-compassion is a powerful tool for overcoming cognitive distortions—those incorrect and negative thought patterns that affect how we see ourselves and the situations we experience. What is Self-Compassion? 🤔 Self-compassion is the ability to be kind, understanding, and patient with ourselves in times of pain, failure, or difficulty. Instead of being self-critical or judging ourselves harshly, self-compassion allows us to treat ourselves with the same love and care that we would offer to a good friend in a similar situation. Kristin Neff, one of the pioneers in the study of self-compassion, defines this concept through three essential components: Self-kindness : Rather than being harsh with ourselves, we treat ourselves with kindness. Common humanity : Recognizing that all human beings go...

  Often, our minds are filled with automatic thoughts that influence how we see the world and how we feel. These thoughts can be distorted and negative, affecting our emotional health and our ability to make healthy decisions. Cognitive restructuring , a technique from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) , is a powerful tool to question and change these negative thoughts, helping us to view situations in a more balanced and realistic way. What is Cognitive Restructuring? 🤔 Cognitive restructuring is a process that helps us identify and modify distorted or unrealistic thoughts that cause us emotional distress. Through this process, we can replace negative and unhealthy beliefs with more realistic and healthier thoughts. Cognitive restructuring is part of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) , one of the most effective therapies for treating anxiety, depression, and stress-related issues. Why Question Our Thoughts? 🚨 Automatic thoughts, while a natural part of our mind, often lead us...

  We all have automatic thought patterns that, at times, distort our perception of reality. These distorted thoughts, while natural, can affect us deeply, preventing us from seeing situations clearly and generating unnecessary negative emotions. The first step to improving our mental health is learning to recognize these patterns and managing them effectively. What Are Distorted Thought Patterns? 🤔 Distorted thought patterns are ways of thinking that lead us to misinterpret situations. These thoughts are often automatic and not based on real facts but on distorted perceptions that affect the way we see the world, ourselves, and others. For example, a common pattern is catastrophizing , where we think the worst will always happen, even when there is no evidence to support it. Another common pattern is personalization , where we blame ourselves for everything that goes wrong, even when it’s not our responsibility. Common Types of Cognitive Distortions 🚫 All-or-nothing thinking : W...

  We often fall into the trap of using global labels : "I’m a failure," "Things never go well for me," "She’s selfish," "He’ll never change." Global labels are sweeping, absolute judgments we assign to people, ourselves, or situations based on limited experiences. This type of thinking can be harmful as it distorts reality, oversimplifies circumstances, and can keep us trapped in negative patterns. What Are Global Labels? 🤔 Global labels are a form of black-and-white thinking , where we view people or situations in absolute terms, without considering the complexities or nuances. Instead of recognizing a mistake or a challenge as an isolated event, we label the person or the situation as a whole, as if that moment or behavior defines the entire person. For example, if we make a mistake, we might think "I’m a failure," instead of recognizing that we made a mistake but that it doesn’t define our identity or abilities. Similarly, if we se...

Often, we find ourselves trapped in thoughts like "I should" or "I must" : "I should be more productive," "I have to be perfect in everything I do," "I should be in better shape," "I must please everyone." These phrases, though seemingly harmless, can create constant pressure, preventing us from enjoying the moment and affecting our mental health. What are "Should" and "Must" Thoughts? 🤔 "Should" and "must" thoughts are expressions of self-imposed rules that we often use to measure our behavior and achievements. They are rigid expectations we place on ourselves, without considering our abilities or circumstances. For example, if we think "I must always be the best," we are placing a burden on ourselves that forces us to meet standards that may be unrealistic or even harmful. These thoughts mostly arise from internal pressure to meet certain ideals or expectations, and they c...

Emotional reasoning is a thought pattern where we believe that our feelings reflect the objective reality of situations. In other words, if we feel something, we assume that emotion is a reflection of the truth. This type of thinking can lead us to make false conclusions and interpret reality in a distorted way, as emotions are not always based on concrete facts. What is Emotional Reasoning? 🤔 Emotional reasoning happens when we allow our emotions to guide our perception of the facts. For example, if we feel sad or anxious about something, we might think that our sadness or anxiety reflects the truth of that situation, when in reality, our emotions might stem from our personal interpretations, fears, or insecurities. 🌀 This thought pattern can cause us to make impulsive decisions, act reactively, and lose an objective perspective on situations, as we are interpreting everything through the filter of our emotions, without considering other factors or the actual evidence. Common Cases...

Personalization is a thought pattern where we take responsibility for situations or problems that, in reality, are out of our control. It leads us to think that everything happening around us, even things unrelated to us, is somehow our fault. This thought pattern can generate a heavy emotional burden, making us feel constantly guilty, even when there is no real reason to do so. What is Personalization? 🤔 Personalization occurs when we attribute blame or responsibility for a situation to ourselves, even when we have no control over it. For example, if a friend is in a bad mood, we might think, "It must be because I did something wrong" or "If only I had said something different." This type of thinking causes us to carry unnecessary guilt, distorting our perception of what is really happening. This pattern not only affects our emotional health but also interferes with our relationships and overall well-being. Personalization prevents us from seeing situations objec...

Catastrophizing is a thought pattern where we anticipate the worst in every situation. It’s as if our mind leads us to imagine the worst-case scenarios, without considering that often the reality is not as negative as we project. This thought pattern can generate anxiety, stress, and emotional paralysis, preventing us from enjoying the present and handling situations calmly. What is Catastrophizing? 🤔 Catastrophizing happens when, in the face of any challenge or uncertainty, our mind focuses on the worst thing that could happen. We imagine something bad will occur and get stuck in that thought even before it happens. For example, if we don’t receive an immediate response to an important message, we might think, "Something terrible has happened" or "They’re ignoring me because I’m not important." This exaggerated and baseless thinking prevents us from seeing the situation objectively. Common Cases of Catastrophizing 🚫 In Personal Relationships 💔: After a small d...

Mind reading is a thinking pattern where we believe we know what others are thinking, feeling, or wanting without having clear evidence to support it. This type of false assumption can be a significant source of misunderstandings, conflicts, and anxiety, as it leads us to make decisions based on guesses, not facts. What is Mind Reading? 🤔 Mind reading happens when we assume we know what others are thinking without having direct evidence. This can include thinking someone is upset with us, that they don’t like us, or that they don’t support our ideas, all without having had a direct conversation about it. 🤯 This pattern can be harmful because it leads us to create stories in our minds that often aren’t based in reality. By doing so, we not only stress ourselves unnecessarily but also misinterpret the actions or words of others in a negative and wrong way. Common Cases of Mind Reading 🚫 In Personal Relationships 💔: After a disagreement or a small fight, we might fall into the trap ...

Many times, we have the tendency to disqualify the positive, downplaying our achievements and successes as if they aren’t enough. This thinking pattern can make us minimize our strengths and what we’ve accomplished, preventing us from enjoying our victories and feeling proud of our progress. If you’ve ever thought, "It’s no big deal," "It was just luck," or "I don’t deserve this recognition," you’ve probably fallen into this pattern. What is Disqualifying the Positive? 🤔 Disqualifying the positive, or minimizing achievements, is a thinking pattern where we don’t give enough credit to our victories or qualities. When we disqualify our achievements, we are saying they’re not good enough or don’t deserve celebration, often comparing ourselves to others or setting unrealistic standards for ourselves. For example, if you achieve a good result in a task, you might think it’s irrelevant because "it could have been better" or "anyone could have don...

The mental filter is a thinking pattern where we focus solely on the negative aspects of a situation, ignoring all the positive ones. It's as if we put a dark filter over our perception, making the good moments fade while amplifying the bad ones. This pattern can affect the way we see the world and, over time, harm our emotional health and well-being. What is a Mental Filter? 🤔 The mental filter occurs when we focus our attention on the negative details, letting them overshadow everything else. Even if a situation has both positive and negative aspects, our brain tends to give more weight to the negative, ignoring the opportunities, achievements, and positive aspects that are also present. 🎭 For example, if we receive constructive criticism at work, it’s common to only remember the negative part of the feedback, while ignoring all the praise and strengths mentioned. This creates a distorted view, where we only see the bad and fail to appreciate the good. Common Cases of Mental F...

Overgeneralization is a thinking pattern where we take a unique experience or event and irrationally expand it, turning it into a general rule. This thinking pattern leads us to make absolute conclusions from a single incident, without considering all the factors that influence a situation. What is Overgeneralization? 🤔 Overgeneralization occurs when, after a negative experience, we assume that this experience will always repeat in the future. 🌀 For example, if we fail in an important project once, we might think "I always fail" or "I’m never capable of achieving anything." This type of thinking creates a distorted view of ourselves and our ability to face new challenges. Common Cases of Overgeneralization 🚫 In Personal Relationships 💔: After a breakup or disagreement, it's common to think "This always happens to me" or "I’ll never find someone who loves me." This overgeneralization prevents us from seeing that each relationship is uniqu...

Polarized thinking, also known as dichotomous thinking, is a way of thinking that leads us to see the world in extremes: all or nothing , black or white , success or failure . 😵 This way of thinking can limit our ability to adapt to the complexity of life and affects our mental and emotional health. What is Polarized Thinking? 🤔 Polarized thinking refers to a tendency to categorize situations, people, or even ourselves into two opposite extremes, without considering the intermediate gradations. 🖤🤍 For example, we might see a small mistake as a total failure, or think that if we don’t achieve a goal perfectly, we have completely failed. This mentality makes us ignore the gray areas and learning opportunities that exist in any situation. Common Examples of Polarized Thinking 🚫 In Personal Relationships 💔: When we have a disagreement with a partner or friend, polarized thinking might make us think: "If we don't agree on everything, then this relationship is doomed." T...