Don ’ t Force Gratitude

In his book What Happy People Know, Dan Baker argues that you can’t be in a state of appreciation and fear, or anxiety, at the same time. He explains: During active appreciation the threatening messages from your amygdala [fear center of the brain] and the anxious instincts of your brainstem are cut off, suddenly and surely, from access to your brain’s neocortex, where they can fester, replicate themselves, and turn your stream of thoughts into a cold river of dread. It is a fact of neurology that the brain cannot be in a state of appreciation and a state of fear at the same time. The two states may alternate, but are mutually exclusive. Other studies have also highlighted how gratitude can buffer you from the blues, protect you from illness, and heal your neuroses. You Can Be Depressed and Grateful While I believe gratitude can definitely contribute to emotional resilience and promote wellness, I disagree with Baker that you can’t be depressed and grateful at the same time. Why? Even in my most severe depressive episodes, I was always cognizant of my blessings and appreciated the good things in my life. In fact, a section of my daily mood journal is dedicated to listing all the things I am grateful for each day. This exercise helps to create new grooves, or neural passageways, that lead to healing; however, it doesn’t have the horsepower to abort the brain entirely and start from scratch with a purely optimistic outlook. Gratitude isn’t always the magical antidote...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Books Brain and Behavior Depression Happiness Mental Health and Wellness Personal Self-Help Source Type: blogs