MENTAL HEALTH IN THE HEART OF MAUN

💡 What we think has the power to increase or reduce our anxiety. Anxiety doesn’t appear out of nowhere. Often, behind that constant feeling of nervousness are negative thoughts repeating again and again in our minds. These thoughts act like a magnifying glass, enlarging problems, risks, and fears, causing anxiety to grow and feed on itself progressively. 🔹 The vicious cycle of negative thoughts When the mind fills with negative ideas, a difficult-to-break cycle begins: ✨ We focus on possible problems. ✨ These thoughts generate anxiety. ✨ Anxiety increases worry. ✨ Worry triggers more negative thoughts. This creates a loop that reinforces anxiety day after day, keeping us in a constant state of tension. 🔹 Common patterns of anxious thoughts Thoughts that fuel anxiety often follow certain patterns: ✨ Catastrophizing: always imagining the worst-case scenario. ✨ Overgeneralizing: turning isolated mistakes into general rules ("this always happens to me"). ✨ A...

Anticipatory anxiety is a very common phenomenon: it’s the state of uneasiness or distress that appears before facing a future situation we feel concerned about. It’s not the event itself that triggers anxiety, but rather the anticipation of what might happen. While fear usually arises in response to an immediate and concrete danger, anticipatory anxiety makes us suffer over things that haven’t happened yet — and may never happen. 🔎 What is anticipatory anxiety? It’s the anxious activation of our body and mind as we imagine negative future scenarios. Our mind starts producing images, thoughts, and physical sensations of alert regarding something that may occur. Although this mechanism intends to prepare us, it often magnifies the risk and causes unnecessary distress long before the actual event. 🔹 Common examples: Before taking an exam or attending a job interview. Before speaking in public or giving a presentation. While waiting for important medical results. B...