Recent studies show that hearing voices
inside your head is a common thing, something that happens to at least 1 out of
25 people. They added that despite misconceptions, hearing voices in your head
is not really a symptom of mental illness. In fact for most people, we hear our
own voices in our head. Psychologists and experts call this stream of unspoken
thoughts “self-talk” or the inner voice. It may include conscious and
unconscious views about our daily lives and how we interpret situations and
circumstances we find ourselves in.
Like most normal people, we sometimes talk
to ourselves. You may deny it but there are instances where we find ourselves
responding to the voice in our head. More often than not, these are about petty
conversations and simple reminders we utter to ourselves or sometimes
reasonable comebacks to talk ourselves out of something that is not good or
beneficial. It may sound unorthodox but this is positive and sensible
self-talk. However, self-talk is often directed towards negative thoughts especially
when you are depressed. Therefore it is important to know when the voice in
your head turns bad.
There a number of factors that can affect
our way of thinking and can eventually make self-talk into an unhealthy
practice. Talking to yourself when no one is around or available to talk with
allows you to vent out and let the negative emotion out. However, dwelling on
the negative aspects of the situation can only make things worse. Another
factor that can contribute to negative self-talk is self-blame. According to
studies, people need something or someone to blame for their mistakes or
misfortunes and not finding someone to take on the liability can lead to
blaming oneself. Pessimism is also another face of negative self-talk. Thinking
that only the worse can happen to you can bring more negative thoughts into
your head, thus the voice in your head echoes the same negativity.
However, this may only be half of the
equation. The people around you may also influence self-talk negatively. The
way people interact with you can impact your way of thinking as words may have
diverse effects on others. What you are told can affect your perception about
things. If people around you use words that connote negative ideas or cultivate
destructive emotions, you are likely to think, feel and say damaging thoughts.
But if you are surrounded with friends who remain positive about whatever
situation you are in, this definitely lessens negative thoughts.
There are ways to avoid negative self-talk
and here’s a few things you may want to consider.
1.
Examine yourself. This means
evaluating your way of thinking. And as much possible, avoid pessimism as it
will only drag you down and make you less productive at work or at home.
2.
Welcome positive change. Change
is good when it’s geared towards achieving a good thing. You can start de-cluttering
your life and getting rid of things that has negative effects on you. If an old
picture reminds you of a bad relationship then that should definitely go into
the trash.
3.
Use bright colours. Some people
believe that bright colours help brighten your day. You may want to start
redecorating your living room with bright-colored drapes and bring life into
your home or buy yourself a pink highlighter or an orange stapler, whatever
makes you happy. Psychologists believe that colours can dramatically affect a
person’s mood. In fact, this is even used as an alternative treatment in
ancient times.
4.
Laugh more. Laughter is a
powerful antidote to pain and stress as it helps relax the body and mind. As
you laugh more, more feel-good chemicals are released into your body as well.
Increased endorphin levels in the body can promote a sense of well-being and
boosts the immune system. Laughter has several great effects and is arguably
still the best medicine.
5.
Surround yourself with happy
people. Nothing beats having a great support system. Make sure you have enough
of these people in your life. They do not only help build great relationships,
they also make life more bearable.
