INTRODUCTION:
Have you ever heard of saying “worried to death“? and wondered where it comes from? Can you die just from thinking without any disease or danger?
We all know that nothing good can from negative thinking. In fact, it is proven that negative thinking can inhibit the production of many hormones and neuro-transmitters. But, can our negative thinking impact us so much that die from it?
Man, who died from his own thoughts.
In 1973, a man came to repair the freezer of a boxcar (container type train). He started examining the room taking notes. Not knowing that there is a man inside, the janitor locks the room and goes off. Panicked by being locked in the room and frightened that he will freeze to death, he started shouting and knocking on the door. Realizing that there is no one outside, he assumed he is locked in the boxcar until the janitor comes tomorrow morning to open it. He felt claustrophobic (an anxiety disorder that causes an intense fear of enclosed spaces), began thinking he will freeze to death. He started writing notes that he is freezing, his limbs are becoming numb. His last entry in that note was he can not move his limbs as he is frozen and he wished to be asleep.
The next day, when the janitor opened the door, he found a dead man inside. Upon autopsy, every single physical sign indicated that he died from hypothermia, a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. What no one could explain was, THE FREEZER WAS BROKEN AND THE TEMPERATURE NEVER DROPPED BELOW 56 DEG. FAHRENHEIT.
Then how did he die?
The freezer was broken, only the fan was blowing the air. It was not sub-zero air being pumped into that car; it was outside air simply being circulated. He did not even suffocate to death. And the man had killed himself by the power of worry.
NEGATIVE THINKING
Now that we heard a story of a man who turned himself into a corpse purely from the thoughts of being dead, we need to understand the power negative thinking holds and its effects on our physical and mental health. In the introduction, we learned that negative thinking can inhibit many bodily functions and displace homeostasis. It’s our defeatist mindset that lets us to failure or even death in some cases.
We are constantly “observing and reporting” on the events in our own lives on a regular basis.
- “My marriage is failing.”
- “I didn’t play well in that game.”
- “I failed that test.”
- “I can’t get a grip on my weight.”
- “I keep letting my friends down.”
Variations of these thoughts exist in our minds constantly.
Our greatest downfall occurs the moment we give them life on the outside.
Think both positively and negatively, but be strategic about the ones you choose to share.
WE DON’T BECAUSE WE CAN’T:
Many of our future accomplishments are filled with thoughts of self-doubt. As said by Paulo Coelho in The Alchemist book “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure”.
Negative thoughts act as a blindfold to our self-reflection and self-awareness. Placebo healing has been proven and certainly can cure some sicknesses just by the thought you’re being cured. The opposite has to be possible as well, getting worse and worse in a certain condition.
So, how do we avoid negative thinking? in simple answer: we just can’t. It is simply impossible to filter out every negative thought that comes to our minds. Does that mean it is simply a dead-end? I can assure you that it isn’t.
It is a proven psychological exercise to speak out positive thoughts and possibly aloud. Positive thoughts were spoken aloud carry 10x more power than those left as thoughts.
It is very important to include positive affirmations in your daily thoughts, conversations, and during relaxation or meditation.
Source:
The above story is true and was published in Success Unlimited magazine in 1973. Since then, psychologists have conducted experiments and concluded the many powers of our thoughts.
