Negativity Inhibiting Recovery

Negativity Bias; Inhibiting Recovery

A complicating factor in the recovery & rehabilitation journey, is that our brains can demonstrate a “negativity bias”. Negativity bias, refers to the brain’s tendency to pay more attention and remember negative events better than positive events.

Most of our lives tend to have far more positive events than negative events, so the negativity bias does not take over our lives. However, a physical injury and or pain experiences, often increases the perspective of negative events.

How to Notice Daily Positive Events

Appreciating negativity bias, we can allow ourselves to get unstuck and move beyond our immediate experience of pain and difficulty. To notice the daily positive events during the rehabilitation and recovery process, is important. This can be facilitated, by focusing on the things that are genuinely productive, for you.

Remember that every positive event, no matter how large or small, is important!

Otherwise disputable thinking patterns, can carry on delivering, unhelpful understandings & associated feelings.

Considering, the often assumed actions and thought processes; do ask yourself the following questions:

Is this thought in any way;

• Helpful or useful?
• An old story?
• What do I get for buying into this story (thought)?
• Does this thought produce effective action?
• Am I trusting my mind or my experience?
• Are thoughts working against me, instead of for me?

Then, by refusing to take your thoughts literally as always true, real, valuable, or wise, you can challenge distorted beliefs and choose more adaptive ways to support your recovery.

Value the things you experience in life, throughout the day.

Best wishes, David