The power of suggestion is both a positive and a negative thing. It is definitely true though I reckon some people are more susceptible to it. The most obvious example of the power of suggestion is emotional verbal abuse. However there are positive versions like encouragement and compliments.
I have realized that the power of suggestion is quite strong for me. I don't get verbally abused and I have a thick skin for teasing now, thanks to my siblings, however stories affect me.
When a friend of mine explained how in school she had epilepsy but it wasn't picked up because she just silently spaced out then came back a minute or so later. After I heard this story, I started spacing out (kind of to see what it was like). When my stomach pains ended, I would occasionally imagine that I had them again, complete with facial expression and the momentary pause to wait for the pain to lessen. When another friend last year told me about what anxiety attacks like and why she has them, I worked myself into a panic attack about how busy I was going to be for the next week. A few weeks ago, somebody told me what it is like to have depression, not eating, not sleeping, not enjoying things noramlly enjoyed, not filling time well. Then since Sunday I have not been eating properly (regularly) I have not wanted to do anything, I have not done anything to keep myself busy. I was only very mild, I had nothing as strong as full blown depression, it was more an apathetic boredom and self pity. However I did not like it and wanted it to stop. I realized what was happening, that I was imitating the feelings I had heard about and I endeavored to snap out of it.
I am a busy person and I need to stay busy so that home days to read are few and far between and therefore enjoyable.
No comments:
Post a Comment