Repetitive negative thinking linked to cognitive decline, study suggests
Photo credit: Gabriel (aka @natural) on Unplash.
Many of us are prone to have more negative thoughts than positive thoughts and by doing this as a default we tend to see our glasses half empty instead of half full.
The impact of negativity, or “catabolic” energy, is detrimental not only to our minds, but our bodies and spirits, too. The perspective of our future is limited, restricted, and very shallow—with almost no possibilities.
Catabolic energy leaves us like in an ice cube. When we feel frozen we can’t think clearly, discern, comprehend, and we are more driven by the circumstances rather than being our authentic selves—the ones who still have the choice on how we proceed in those challenging moments.
Negative thinking also produces inflammation in our systems and there is a mass production of cortisol. High levels of cortisol in the system take a toll in cognitive function among other side effects.
Over extended time, this type of thinking can lead to depression, dementia, and even Alzheimer’s. Indeed, the results of a recent University College London-led study—it was published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia on June 7—suggest that “chronic” negative thinking patterns are detrimental for our cognitive health.
"Taken alongside other studies, which link depression and anxiety with dementia risk,” said study author, and UCL psychiatrist, Dr. Natalie Marchant. “We expect that chronic negative thinking patterns over a long period of time could increase the risk of dementia. We do not think the evidence suggests that short-term setbacks would increase one's risk of dementia.
"We hope that our findings could be used to develop strategies to lower people's risk of dementia by helping them to reduce their negative thinking patterns."
With repetitive negative experiences our minds get cloudy and we go into a default mode where negativity is the norm. Finding ways to move forward, or finding avenues out of the situation, is almost impossible in this state. Repetitive negative thinking closes the door to opportunities, possibilities, and hinders our ability to access creative thinking and intuition.
Because of all this, cognition itself is impaired. This is the process in which we think, learn, and come to understand the world around us. With chronic negative thinking there’s reduced access to our memory and our brains’ capacity to comprehend, incorporate, sort, classify and store incoming information is diminished.
It’s a tough pill to swallow, but the researchers of the new study do leave off on some hopeful news: meditation and mindfulness practices may be able to counter the effects of negative thinking.
