In an article from the Power of Positivity, it discusses how our brains are pre-wired to respond to negative thoughts and feelings more quickly than positive thoughts. This type of fight or flight response from our brains is taking a toll on us. Research has shown that the psychological stress is causing us to overuse our internal safety system which weakens our immune system. The stress we endure each day is actually causing our bodies and brain more harm than we realize.
The Journal of Clinical Psychology did a study on the effects of worrying on performed tasks. People were asked to sort objects into two categories, people who reported worrying 50% or more of the time showed a significant disruption in their ability as the task increased. The research also included when complex tasks are being performed, negative thoughts hurt one’s ability to process information and think clearly.
This study shows that thinking negative thoughts about your problems not only doesn’t help in solving them but makes it harder to think of a helpful solution.
If you have a tendency to over-react to stress, it could be due to changes in your brain brought about by negative thoughts. Negative thoughts are stored in the brain by the amygdala, which is also responsible for the brain’s fight or flight reaction.
Negative thinking which creates stress can cause changes in the brain that may increase the likelihood of mental disorders like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and mood disorders.
Making a shift from unhealthy thoughts to healthy thoughts every minute of every day is challenging but over time you can reprogram your brain to stay healthy. The ability to change your thoughts can have a very positive affect on your health.
https://www.powerofpositivity.com/negative-thinking-affects-your-brain/