Monday, 23 July 2018

Thoughts Are Thoughts & Nothing More.

**trigger warning: suicide

I hear and read a lot about mental illness and the ways that my fellow humans are effected by it.

I'm a successful CBT patient and as I've conveyed to some of you, cognitive behavioral therapy has helped me immensely.

One thing that my therapist taught me is that thoughts are just thoughts.

We cannot control them
We cannot stop them
Thinking them does not make us what the thought is.

For instance, if you catch yourself thinking about harming someone, it doesn't mean that you're a murderer.

If you catch yourself thinking about killing yourself, it does not mean that you should or that your core being wants you to.

I truly find that calling it something alluring like "suicidal ideation" is part of the problem!

Ideation? 

C'mon ... suicidal thoughts is what that means and hearing the word "thoughts" is better than using the word "ideation" that makes it seem like it's some core inherent thing that you cannot change.

If you're having these thoughts, challenge them!

Ask yourself: if my situation were different, would I still want that to be?

I think about going to the long sleep almost once a week these days. But I challenge it.

Feeling or thinking is one thing.

Doing is something totally different.

Be well.   Reach out.  You are loved.

#WeAreOne