The
War Inside Our Minds
“Be kinder than necessary, for
everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”
—T. H. Thompson and John Watson
—T. H. Thompson and John Watson
People often talk about fighting
their inner demons, and in our work in the Student Paranormal Research Group (SPRG)
we’ve come to find that they’re more accurate than they realize.
Remember those cartoons showing
someone with a tiny angel on one shoulder, and a devil on the other? Believe it
or not, this is actually what’s happening.
But in reality these spirits are not small or silly or cute.
But in reality these spirits are not small or silly or cute.
For some time, one of our members
had to battle with her thoughts, each and every day. Even though she knew her
life was great, she regularly experienced overwhelming thoughts that “just came
out of nowhere.”
They popped into her mind at her weakest moments: when she was physically tired, or stressed, or disappointed, or had just been criticized by a professor or reprimanded by her parents.
They popped into her mind at her weakest moments: when she was physically tired, or stressed, or disappointed, or had just been criticized by a professor or reprimanded by her parents.
These thoughts revolved around the
same themes, very specific themes that hit her when it really hurt:
“No one cares about me. No one loves me. I’m unlovable. No one understands me.”
OR
“I’m worthless. I never do anything right. I’m such a failure.”
“No one cares about me. No one loves me. I’m unlovable. No one understands me.”
OR
“I’m worthless. I never do anything right. I’m such a failure.”
Our friend fights these thoughts valiantly, and often (especially nowadays) she succeeds. But there are times when she finds that they're just too much for her. And this is why she needs help.
Then again, don't we all experience
moments like this?
We label them "self-doubt or self pity" and sure we can call them that. But sometimes—if you really look at it—the timing, targeting, and resulting of emotional chaos they create are just so impeccable, you really have to wonder : Do all these thoughts really come from us? OR are many of them just being whispered into our ears, disguised in our own voices, telling us, “You’re the screw-up here.”
We label them "self-doubt or self pity" and sure we can call them that. But sometimes—if you really look at it—the timing, targeting, and resulting of emotional chaos they create are just so impeccable, you really have to wonder : Do all these thoughts really come from us? OR are many of them just being whispered into our ears, disguised in our own voices, telling us, “You’re the screw-up here.”
Is it possible that these toxic thoughts are the most effective war strategy of all? To make us believe, that each and every day, that we are nothing… and that because we think it, then it must be true.
We were all born into an ongoing
war, and the battles are real.
How are you going fight your battles
today?
We’re here to help you. Talk to us.
The SPRG.
Taken from the book Voices in the Theater, written by A.S. Santos.
Taken from the book Voices in the Theater, written by A.S. Santos.
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