Distorted thought Patterns #1
“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
My friends, if our thoughts are wrong, our feelings will be wrong, and thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character. As we go from day to day distorted thought pattern come to us automatically. Negative thinking depletes the brain of neurotransmitters that promote mental health. On the other hand, when we think positive thoughts, neurotransmitters are released that make us feel better. Think Positive!
Let me tell you of one distorted thought pattern.
- All or Nothing
Everything is perceived as extremes with no middle ground.
A person is either good or bad.
Because I am single, my life is a failure.
I must be the leader, or I am a failure.
I cannot deal with rejection.
When a child says,” Mammy doesn’t love me, or she wouldn’t spank me,” she is expressing an All or Nothing thought pattern.
Dangers are: The pattern nullifies God’s grace and graciousness in our own lives and the lives of others, promotes impatience and intolerance, and discounts the fact that people can learn from their mistakes.
There are times when All or Nothing thinking is appropriate. Joseph refused to be seduced by his master’s wife. Refusal to do evil or sin in any way is always appropriate and healthy. To give one’s self unreservedly to God is wonderfully soul-saving.
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