Watch Your Language...And Reduce Your Stress
Dr. Paul Lanthois
July 15, 2008
I remember as a cheeky 5 year old when I had just experimented with using a new word that I heard at primary school. Well to put it mildly, my mother didn't like it. "You better watch your language young man," she yelled as she dragged me to the laundry where my mouth was promptly washed out with soap. 25 years later I learnt the true value of watching my language. It saved me from a near nervous breakdown...
On a balmy summers evening, I went to clear my frazzled head with a walk alongside the local river and parklands. There I realized that I had become so committed to being the perfect example of perfect health that it had turned into an onerous and stressful obsession.
As I continued my walk, the trees and scenery began spinning violently in front of my eyes.
"Oh no! It´s the spins."
My dreaded dizzy spells and panic attacks were happening again. After 6 months of these unwelcome symptoms I had began to feel a sense of helplessness and despair at my lack of ability to affect these panic attacks.
"Oh no, I´m having a nervous breakdown!"
Instantly everything began to spin even faster. I was using all my determination to keep standing while desperately racking my brain in search of something that could help me because things were getting scary. I remembered browsing through a personal development book that I had been given for Christmas and I recalled how it said that your emotions could be affected by the words that you use to describe things. I remembered dismissing it all hyped up positive thinking, Pollyanna nonsense… but desperate times call for desperate measures.
I gave it a try.
"It´s not a breakdown. It´s a breakthrough!"
I screamed angrily at the top of my lungs. I was angry at the world for putting me in this situation.
Everything went still instantly…and I mean, instantly! I have to admit that I had trouble comprehending what I was seeing. I was used to being able to explain most things but this was way out of my league. For the following 15 seconds I tried to digest what was happening and then "Uh oh. Here come the spins!" The spins arrived but this time I was prepared for it. I attacked it defiantly and roared, "It´s a breakthrough!" Again the dizziness stopped instantly.
I was still feeling hesitant about what had happened. It seemed like some magic or invisible power was at work and being a typical Australian bloke, we just didn´t discuss airy-fairy topics like that.
As I made my way home, the dizziness episodes continued to return but by changing how I described it, I was able to stop the dizziness in its tracks. After six months of frustration and despair I had finally discovered my first semblance of hope. I now believed that recovery from these panic attacks and dizzy spells was possible.
In the 10 years since that frightening time in my life, I have been able to witness the amazing effect that our words have on our emotional state of mind.
i regularly hear phrases like
"I just never have any time for myself."
"I´m totally exhausted."
"I´m always so busy, that I can´t scratch myself."
"My back is killing me"
(Any of these sound familiar?)
What is interesting is that they all exaggerate the symptoms for the worse. No wonder so many people are feeling lousy. They are literally talking themselves into it. looking back, I know i did.
I know that you may dismiss these things as just a figure of speech but how we describe things reflects how we interpet things. The way we interpet something influences the different type of chemicals our brain releases. And that can influence your health massively.
Having witnessed first hand the affect of my words on my physical and emotional health, I can reluctantly forward my mother's advice. "Watch your language."
On a balmy summers evening, I went to clear my frazzled head with a walk alongside the local river and parklands. There I realized that I had become so committed to being the perfect example of perfect health that it had turned into an onerous and stressful obsession.
As I continued my walk, the trees and scenery began spinning violently in front of my eyes.
"Oh no! It´s the spins."
My dreaded dizzy spells and panic attacks were happening again. After 6 months of these unwelcome symptoms I had began to feel a sense of helplessness and despair at my lack of ability to affect these panic attacks.
"Oh no, I´m having a nervous breakdown!"
Instantly everything began to spin even faster. I was using all my determination to keep standing while desperately racking my brain in search of something that could help me because things were getting scary. I remembered browsing through a personal development book that I had been given for Christmas and I recalled how it said that your emotions could be affected by the words that you use to describe things. I remembered dismissing it all hyped up positive thinking, Pollyanna nonsense… but desperate times call for desperate measures.
I gave it a try.
"It´s not a breakdown. It´s a breakthrough!"
I screamed angrily at the top of my lungs. I was angry at the world for putting me in this situation.
Everything went still instantly…and I mean, instantly! I have to admit that I had trouble comprehending what I was seeing. I was used to being able to explain most things but this was way out of my league. For the following 15 seconds I tried to digest what was happening and then "Uh oh. Here come the spins!" The spins arrived but this time I was prepared for it. I attacked it defiantly and roared, "It´s a breakthrough!" Again the dizziness stopped instantly.
I was still feeling hesitant about what had happened. It seemed like some magic or invisible power was at work and being a typical Australian bloke, we just didn´t discuss airy-fairy topics like that.
As I made my way home, the dizziness episodes continued to return but by changing how I described it, I was able to stop the dizziness in its tracks. After six months of frustration and despair I had finally discovered my first semblance of hope. I now believed that recovery from these panic attacks and dizzy spells was possible.
In the 10 years since that frightening time in my life, I have been able to witness the amazing effect that our words have on our emotional state of mind.
i regularly hear phrases like
"I just never have any time for myself."
"I´m totally exhausted."
"I´m always so busy, that I can´t scratch myself."
"My back is killing me"
(Any of these sound familiar?)
What is interesting is that they all exaggerate the symptoms for the worse. No wonder so many people are feeling lousy. They are literally talking themselves into it. looking back, I know i did.
I know that you may dismiss these things as just a figure of speech but how we describe things reflects how we interpet things. The way we interpet something influences the different type of chemicals our brain releases. And that can influence your health massively.
Having witnessed first hand the affect of my words on my physical and emotional health, I can reluctantly forward my mother's advice. "Watch your language."