FROLITICKS

People tend to constantly complain about a lot of things. We complain about the weather.  We complain about politicians and governments.  Of course, we complain about taxes.  Yet, where does all this complaining really get us.  We become ever more frustrated, anxious, stressed out and in some cases even angry.  We even like to complain about things that we don’t have much control over. Indeed in many instances, complaining often only makes matters worst.

Studies now tell us that constant negative thinking affects our mental health, and in turn our physical health. This repeated outpouring of “negativity” causes certain parts of the brain to adjust in a manner which leads to more destructive outlooks.  Receptors and neurons in the brain start to act in different ways, generally interpreting many daily events in a negative way. Furthermore, we are bombarded everyday with negative events on news media – be it in print, radio, TV or on social media.

Instead of rationally reacting to irritants in a normal way, the first response is one of outright umbrage. Then comes the complaints, even though in many cases there is nothing that one can realistically do about the irritant.  Trying to deal with anxiety and stress, next comes attempts at avoidance in our personal lives.  Often, avoidance takes the form of substance use, including lots of drugs and alcohol.  This in turn can lead to serious substance abuse, including addictions and physical harm.

Research has shown that our mental state greatly influences our physical state. All this added stress and negativity can affect our health in serious ways.  It literally isn’t good for the heart.  So I guess that we should all lighten up, smell the roses so to speak.  Take a deep breath and concentrate primarily on those things that can be controlled and are most important to us, including family and friends.  Prioritize you complaints.