Discussion "It's all in your head"

[LoveYoux]

How does that phrase make you feel?

I think it's very ignorant, but, is it wrong? Tricky one, love to hear your thoughts x

 

[andro_nimo]

Yeah, the encephalon, which consumes 20% of the energy of the body and gives you consciousness. If you give it a thought, it's kinda worrying to have issues that 'are just in your head'.

 

[LoveYoux]

Yeah, the encephalon, which consumes 20% of the energy of the body and gives you consciousness. If you give it a thought, it's kinda worrying to have issues that 'are just in your head'.

You are very intellectual x

 

[LifeHasNoOptIn]

It's infuriating, but not because it's false, but precisely because it is true.

A perfect example of this for me is my OCD. I absolutely realize there is no rational reason for me to be so upset over an item not being in precisely its correct spot, but that doesn't change the reality that when my unwanted roommate moves something around or makes a fairly insignificant mess in my kitchen, that it drives me nuts. The fact that I realize that it is an irrational reaction in no way changes the fact that my brain has that reaction which makes it all the more infuriating. Its impossible to explain to a "normal" person how their actions can cause me emotional pain when they have no concept of how those actions can be painful. That's why I made it clear that their stay was to be completely temporary but yet again they just take advantage of my attempt to help them. It's all so frustrating.

 

[GetMeOut]

I absolutely realize there is no rational reason for me to be so upset over an item not being in precisely its correct spot ... The fact that I realize that it is an irrational reaction in no way changes the fact that my brain has that reaction which makes it all the more infuriating.

Wow, your hammer hit the nail. I'm the same (but with different MH issues), where knowledge does not mean power. I can see my behaviour isn't normal by simply comparing it to how most people behave, but it doesn't stop my dysfunctional brain from overpowering me. Ain't life great?

 

[FuneralCry]

To me, if someone said that, it would be invalidating and insensitive. Suffering is very real and is not just all in our head. Existence is objectively horrifying and to me wanting to die can be perfectly rational in a world like this. Of course others cannot really know what we are going through as they are not living our lives. It sounds like the kind of thing that a non suicidal person would say.

 

[FindingTheEnd]

It definitely isn't. This world is an horrible place and i doubt that it would change something to it that i had a head or not.

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

Might be helpful if a dude tells his bro that before the big sportsball game. Not so sure about it's effectiveness against debilitating mental illnesses and abysmal qualities of life.

Right, the questions. Doesn't make me feel anything, and whether or not it's correct depends on the context. "That boulder is going to hit me, I am scared." is based in some form of reality, and at the same time "all in the head" (without brain/head, no sight/thinking/feeling/etc [or so I think, believe and hope]). The sight of the boulder is real, the boulder is real, the prediction is real, the feeling of fear is real. But, could the fear disappear without changing any of the "external" facts? Yes. Another person might feel no fear, but would also perceive and predict the boulder's trajectory. They then differ in other, real, qualities (I'll boil it down to genes and environment).

In some cases, someone telling another to focus on something else might change their emotional experience, which I'm assuming is the goal here. About this sort of thing in general, people saying quick low-effort stuff that doesn't help, I think it's better than nothing. I remember some guy wishing me a happy new year (saw me walking [alone, no need to even write that] whilst wearing shitty clothes after watching fireworks, guess I radiate suicidal ideation) this most recent New Year's Eve. It was 100% obvious that he had just read some meme on Facebook about suicides on New Year's Day and was trying to stop this mega-incel stranger from making it to the bus on time. I thought that awkward shout (he was far away and shit, srsly weird how he spotted the suicidality from that distance) was kind of bullshit until very recently when a few of those random comments kind of retroactively hit me a little bit and I now somehow feel thankful for them. Many such comments are made on this forum, as well; comments expressing a wish for you to stick around. It being done in a clumsy way shouldn't distract from the underlying intention.