Guest Author - Karen Somma
Does attitude and point of view affect the occurrence of headaches. Some headaches are caused by stress so a decrease in negativity in your thought process can decrease the number of headaches you have. Stress can cause more than headaches. It has been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease depression and eczema among other health ailments. While we may not be able to eliminate stress from our lives completely we can change how we react to it.
Think about how you typically react to a stressful situation. Do you stiffen up, clench your jaw, have muscle tightness? All of these things can trigger a tension headache. How do you feel physically during one of these times? Chances are not very well and chances are you may end up with a headache by the end of the day. How did your perspective contribute to your negative reaction to this stressor. How could a different outlook have changed things for you. Remember, there are many stressful situations we cannot change and trying to change them may actually cause MORE STRESS! That is exactly what we don’t want! Sometimes our reaction effect the outcome of a situation but just as many times it does not. The one thing that we can control is how these events affect us as individuals. We do this by adjusting our outlooks to a more positive light.
What are some ways to change your outlook.
Negative self talk is a prime suspect for a negative outlook. Thoughts such as, I knew that wouldn’t work, or of course he didn’t like me, can be self fulfilling. While we are all guilty of this from time to time it becomes troublesome when it is all encompassing. Try to catch yourself doing this. It can be tough as most people don’t even realize they are doing it. Try to replace these negative thought with positive ones. Thoughts like I Am a good person, I am good at my job or I am a good mother, daughter or wife are a good place to start.
Start a thankfulness list. You know like Oprah was doing a few years back. Think of one thing a day that is positive in your life and that you are thankful for. Make sure to write it down and keep a journal. It is more powerful if it is written down and you can refer back to it later, perhaps when you need a boost.
Next turn a negative into a positive. Turn that frown upside down! Start small, something that has recently happened in your day that you had a negative reaction to. Figure out a way to put a positive spin on it and make it a positive experience. How could you have reacted differently and how would that more positive reaction perhaps made for a different outcome, if not in the situation itself than for you personally.
Reducing your stress level decreases the number of headache you have so changing your attitude from negative to positive will help in your endeavor to eliminate your headaches! There is always a bright side so remember to keep it positive!
