Weekly Prompt #30: Are you using black-and-white thinking?
Hi everyone, I hope you are all being easy on yourself this week.
A couple of weeks ago we discussed: How is your anxiety impacting your relationship? Thank you to all who participated and shared your thoughts with us. I appreciate you all. I hope all who may read it find it relatable too. If anyone hasn't shared yet, please share them here and I look forward to reading and discussing them with you.
This week's prompt: Are you using black-and-white thinking?
Negative thoughts often involve extreme, all-or-nothing thinking. But life is rarely that simple. Recognize when you are falling into this cognitive trap and try to introduce shades of gray. Look for a middle ground or alternative possibilities. By embracing nuance, you can reduce the intensity of negative thoughts and open yourself up to more balanced thinking. In this discussion, I want to explore how anxiety can affect our thinking on how to navigate these challenges. Please feel free to share any or all of your experiences with anxiety and I look forward to discussing more with us.
No anxiety today 😁
@compassionateCar7091 I am glad you feeling better today <3 Car.
@ASilentObserver I'm not entirely sure I understand what black and white thinking is😕 sorry. But I've read what others have replied with and yes I think so. I try to ignore my feelings and emotions, and be happy. Not like out on a happy face mask, I'd say more like I chooses to be happy than acknowledge and deal with the bad. I'm not sure if that makes sense
how are you doing obs? Have you managed to get through flu season ok?
@Tinywhisper11 It sounds like you're experiencing difficult feelings and trying to find ways to cope. Ignoring or suppressing emotions can be temporary relief, but it can also hinder long-term healing. Recognizing and accepting your feelings might help you feel more in control.
I am doing okay. thank you. <3
Yeah always 😭😭😭😭
@intuitiveHickory85 I understand. Can you please share more?
@ASilentObserver I appreciate your understanding. Anxiety tends to make everything feel so much overwhelming that i feel numb and cant think straight, and sometimes it's challenging to see beyond the extremes. I often find myself caught up in black-and-white thinking, struggling to find that middle ground. It's a work in progress, but discussions like these help me reflect and learn. Thanks for providing this space for open dialogue🌟✨
@intuitiveHickory85 You're welcome! I'm glad we can chat about these things here. Reflection is definitely important. What helps you when you feel stuck in black-and-white thinking?
@ASilentObserver the world is gray, it can be lighter grays or darker grays but there is always sides to everything
@Audaemus I understand what you mean. It seems like you are recognizing that things aren't always binary, and there are shades of gray in every situation. Reflecting on this, how do you feel?
@ASilentObserver I can't think of nuance anymore, any part of my life either benefits me or harms me.
Nothing in between.
@sympatheticPlum7374 It sounds like you're experiencing difficult feelings of polarization right now. You're feeling like everything is all or nothing, and that there's no middle ground. What feelings come up for you when you think about this all-or-nothing way of seeing things?
@ASilentObserver
I am using black and white thinking.
@communicativePond1728 It sounds like you are experiencing difficult feelings right now. Black-and-white thinking can be overwhelming. What feelings come up for you when you use this way of thinking?
@ASilentObserver Hi there, to be honest I think that’s what the problem is. But sometimes even if I do try to think of other outcomes, they all seem so unlikely that my mind automatically pushes those away and neglects them.
@Juxtklop It sounds like you are experiencing difficult feelings of uncertainty and negative thoughts about the future. It can be challenging when our minds tend to gravitate towards negative possibilities. What feelings arise for you as you consider these uncertain outcomes?