Psychological illness touches you when you resist embracing darkest emotions!
We live in a world of many ‘faces’. We are so many different people in front of others. Sometimes our attempt to mold our personality to please others backfires. We are not able to distinguish between who we really are and what we are trying to project.
This sort of problem arises when you are not comfortable with who you really are. So to live a happy and fulfilling life, you must understand and accept your darkest emotions.
Burying them deep down is never a solution as that way they are bound to resurface.
The art of acceptance was developed by the oriental philosophy, where they focused on ‘Aatma Nirikshan’.
From there only, treatments like Cognitive therapy based on Mindfulness have emerged. Science also has now understood the importance of acceptance in tackling a number of problems related to depression and anxiety.
In an attempt to understand acceptance better, Brett Ford, Professor of Psychology, dives deep into this topic to collect scientific data.
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According to her, Acceptance involves not trying to change how we are feeling, but staying in touch with your feelings and taking them for what they are.
Three fellow researchers of Ford also conducted the study on acceptance.
The study pointed out that accepting and embracing darkest emotions results in the blunting down of your emotional abilities.
This, in turn, may not result in happiness, but it boosts your ability to handle emotional stress.
You’ll find it interesting to know that acceptance apparently seems to be linked with better overall mental health when it is used against negative emotions rather than positive ones.
In the study, it was found that acceptance works for almost everyone. It is not restrained to a specific socioeconomic or racial group.
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People of different backgrounds were equally proficient in managing their emotional problems using the technique of acceptance.
Furthermore, it is not limited to being used against any major emotional disturbance, but it can also be used against minor inconveniences. Making it a part of your everyday life is the best bet.
Ford mentions that Acceptance plays the most important role in the act of mindfulness. It is more linked with better mental health than other modes of mindfulness like ‘Non-Reactivity’ or ‘Observing’. She says, “Acceptance, non-judging acceptance, seems to be the key ingredient to mindfulness.”
Three Tests Of Acceptance
The results that Ford drew out of her study were derived from one or two parts of the three-part study.
1. In the first part, 1000 questionnaires were sent to undergraduate students. The questions focused on psychological health and emotional stability. The results were reassuring as they showed that students who habitually practiced acceptance had less negative emotions and a highly elevated level of well being.
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