The Darkness Of Negative Thinking

My journey through the world of mental health, and addiction has taught me some of the most valuable lessons that I’ve ever learned. It runs so deep that it often seems difficult for me to put into words just exactly what I’m learning and what I’m getting out it. I sometimes feel like no explanation in the world could give justice to the lessons and experiences I’m trying to explain or describe.

Going through treatment is one of the best educations (often free at that) that I think I could ever be shown. Tools with a priceless value are there for the taking. One of the most major points that stick in my mind every single day, are ones which deal with the topic of negativity.

Rehabilitation for mental health diseases and addiction, are the ultimate life lessons. I think the benefits of that education could do a lot of good beyond only addicts. That’s been my opinion since almost day one. The lessons seen universal for anyone.

Today, I just wanted to give some thoughts on the topic of negativity. Since I’ve gotten myself back to a healthy status over the past few years, it sometimes seems like the negativity of others are amplifying themselves as they continue to seemingly consume me. Over and over, and stronger and stronger. It’s as if, a spotlight on the negativity of others that was once not present, is now more present than ever before.

When I put some focus into it, I can sometimes come up with reasons why. Not in an offensive way, but I don’t have a problem bringing attention to the pretty clear fact that we have to realize that when we in recovery were busy being away getting better, many of the things, and people around us were still staying the exact same. Some staying sick in other ways. And it just leads to more proof that treatment for mental health, is an education for everyone.

I get a full time and fully clear view of wasted energy caused by negativity in other people. Whether they are thinking negative, acting negative, or assuming the negative, it’s a twisted type of thought process. It shows itself incorrectly, with many believing that it’s the right way to think, because it’s supposedly a “preparation for the worst.” But it really isn’t a healthy type of preparation whatsoever. It often times, isn’t even an accurate type of thinking.

Negativity can drive us right to a dead end. We live a life on guard from something that isn’t necessarily even present. We worry, and we put ourselves through hell, living in a world of negative assumptions. That negativity can easily distract us from our day to day living. Totally oblivious to the world around us, and the good things that we may clearly be missing.

It is the thief of good times, and the stealer of happy emotions, moments, and feelings among loved ones.

I was like many, for a large majority of my life. I was never mindful, or wise to this whole idea of artificial negativity. Life seemed to had been molded around this entire idea to be on guard, and always worry about what the worst case scenario would be.

As I learned more and more about my addiction, and mental health diseases, I started to come to a realization that I had to retrain myself out of that habit. Out of that instinctive way of thinking. It came to my attention, that whenever I was taking that incorrect idea of being “on guard” all the time, I was donating a lot of stress, anxiety, and panic around ideas that I had no control of anyway.

Could I really come to a place, where I didn’t worry, until there was something to worry about?

I reached a more content point of living. I didn’t engulf myself and drown myself with negativity, until there was an active reason to be negative about something. I started to feel like looking back on my life presented a life that once seemed quite frazzled over bad things that never actually happened.

It has seemed like almost a total awakening. Perhaps even a spiritual awakening. Because a total peace in life has been one of the biggest results in making a change like this.

There really is a darkness which represents negativity. It makes it not only dark, but hopeless too. It can kick off habits of despair, where more and more of our outlook becomes negative. When good things come, or positive news hits us, a negative person can bring that down too, and show suspicion, that it couldn’t possibly be true. Be prepared. Don’t feed preparation with negativity.

Michael Patanella

is a Trenton, New Jersey Author, Publisher, Columnist, Editor, Advocate, and recovering addict, covering topics of mental health, addiction, sobriety, mindfulness, self-help, faith, spirituality, Smart Recovery, social advocacy, and countless other nonfiction topics. His articles, publications, memoirs, and stories are geared towards being a voice for the voiceless. Hoping to reach others out there still struggling.