Habits of the Mind
In research done by Zindel Segal, Ph.D. from the University of Toronto, individuals who had a history of major depression, but who had recovered from that episode had thought patterns that were indistinguishable from people who had never been depressed. But when those who had previously been depressed were exposed to something that made them sad, their thinking quickly deteriorated to show the negative patterns of self-doubt, expectations of doom and ruminations about troubles that are characteristic of the depressed thinking, while those who were never previously depressed did not think this way. It is as if the mind develops "habits" of thought and when situations arise that remind us of something in our past, the mind brings those old thought patterns back to conscious awareness. These habits persist and are accessible even after we have recovered from emotional distress. When some new distress arises, the old ways of thinking also arise. One of the benefits of a mindfulness practice is that, when these habits arise, we can recognize them as old ways of thinking rather than infuse them with a belief that pushes us into emotional turmoil. By reminding ourself that it is just a habit, we can continue to make the choices that support emotional health in our day to day life. John Weaver, Psy.D.
