I read something very interesting about the notion of "Passive Suicide", but made such sense to me.
He talks about Passive Suicide in relationship to doctor patient relationships and offers some important yet underutilized Psychology research. Psychology states we still have a long way to go before we empower our health by understanding the psychology of health.
But before we get there, what is Passive Suicide?
In my Understand it as not pursuing passion, not having a voice,
suppressing emotions etc. or just not doing what needs to be done in order to get well. It's letting someone else make all the decisions. We remain passive as if we have no power in what happens to our selves.
Why it is so important? According to research when we allow someone else to make all the choices. When we limit ourselves to only the "Comfortable choices" that are offered.When we are not actively involved in a discussion an action
plan. When the choices that may challenge us or require us the change some aspect of our lives are ignored by us.
This non action, is considered; to our brain; a form of giving up. It a form of passive suicide....
Research of
Dr. Caroline Bedall Thomas of John Hopkins University Medical School goes onto say the frequency of passive suicide remains unknown but is definitely a factor in recovering from any life threatening illness.
Consider a few simple everyday examples that may be easy to relate to.
MINE: I know for me it is my "dragging my feet" not getting my program out there, fear of rejection that keeps me holding back from a lot of hard yet
rewarding work. It's the not stepping out, FEAR based emotions that being small is better than shaking a few branches! That little voice inside my head that tells me; be careful, what if I become so successful that my life changes... and I actually love the life I have...! But here I am shaking the tree!
But really it's not so controversial if we think of it in everyday stories.
A: If we need to
lose weight and we understand that diet and exercise would be key, but we fail to eat well balanced meals or get out and exercise.
B: What if we are reactionary and fight with our partner and it causes our relationship to struggle. We know its emotional baggage. We know it
may be painful to look into our past experiences and learn how to remove these triggers and correct them forever. We know it would result in a better relationship and a happier life... and yet we do nothing.
C: We hear the alarm, wake tired because we didn't sleep well due to stress at work. Yet we don't take 5 minutes in the morning to meditate, when we know it absolutely helps.
D: We have a stiff body and yet we fail to take time to stretch everyday... We
refuse to do what it takes to make it better for ourselves!
E: We know that we keep repeating old patterns. We need help and yet we delay making an appointment.
Why is this a form of passive suicide? Because our brains have to process every thought we have. So what does passiveness tell our brain. How does our brain categorize that? That we don't care about our lives all that much... and
so stress hormones flood our bodies and inhibit our immune function. We lower our immune response.
By ignoring the "hard choice" of what WE must CHANGE or adjust our lives and behavior we tell our brain that it's not that important to us... and so our brain adjusts the chemicals and
hormone mix as well as our behavior and we do just that... we do nothing. It's is a considered a form of "giving up" and it's not healthy.
I ask you to ponder, does "passiveness" sound like the road to good health?
Here's a loaded question. If we had only one day to live... would we do nothing? Or would we get out and feel the sun on our face, Open a window and listen to the soft sweet sounds of a birds' song. Step outside and feel
the cool gentle breeze move through our hair. Hug a friend that we love. What would we do? Would we do nothing... just give up? I hope not...
Many know initiating change can be hard... but by engaging ourselves personally in any decision, we set ourselves up for success. WE AGREE and that simple act hold magnificent power.
I never want to have a client that isn't actively involved. Where it's all up to me. It sets ME up to fail and why would
I want that both for me and for them. A person that isn't actively pursuing the best positive outcome often self-sabotages or walks away "just a little bit before" they reach their goal. It's not conscious but it's real. Why? Because they haven't bought in..... They haven't made the choice.
Ever known anyone to get offered the dream job they have always wanted and then ... they turn it down... because of some reason they have that works for
THEM...
Hmmmm. and maybe that's a little closer to home?
In Mind Medicine and Miracles, Dr. Siegal studies the 20%. He calls them exceptional patients. Why? Because they engage in the process of healing. They are actively pursuing the outcome. They make the necessary changes, the hard choices, whatever it takes, they are willing. They are the survivors.
Psychology states that some of
the necessary changes we are required to make may challenge ourselves. But by doing so, it creates a "resilience" challenge in our brain to come up with strategies and creative ways to ensure our success. It send a healing concoction of neuro-chemicals into our bloodstream, increases our Fighter T cells. Our bodies FIGHT!
By making a decision we take action, body mind and soul.
It's funny, life is all about change and yet humans resist so
much. It's the old primitive Reptilian brain that tells us there might be a wholly Mammoth outside our door. Look both ways... and so this old brain runs the show and keeps us fearful of change. Keeps us sticking with the norm, what we already know and understand. We feel "safe" by not changing.
How can we make change easier? By understanding how not changing is a form of passive suicide that tells our brain subliminally that we really don't want
to get better. We are only in this thing half way... se la vie... we are willing to accept whatever outcome comes.
But do we ever achieve anything by being whilly nilly? NOOOOO
Facts are that we must be involved and actively in charge in our own wellness. We must make the choice and the choice may be change. We must be willing to do the work and contribute to our own wellness in every possible
way.
Why? Because it changes the way our brain processes. By being an active participant in our lives we send a powerful message to our brains. The message creates a magnificent flow of neuro-chemicals that flush through our bloodstream that increases our immune function. The message help to heal our bodies, our spirit and our mind.
How can we help ourselves?
- Medical technology is wonderful, but
learn from the 20% exceptional patient.
- Be an active participant in every important life decision. Be your best advocate.
- Be willing to change and seek help when you need it. But be an active participant.
- Ask yourself: What do I need to learn, from this experience.
- Change your attitude, small perception switches can change how we view our lives.
- Find the stress triggers. Stress is the big daddy of illness. How we relate to stress and the fear around
situations in life can allow us to make the hard choices for positive change.
- Ask ourselves during the times when tough decisions need to be made; "Am I sending and "passive suicide" message to my brain.
Stay well out there xox
I'm here to
help. I'm Adele Anderson from Fulfill Your Destiny
