Negative Bias

Our brain has a tendency to be on high alert and hold onto our negative events.

This is called negative bias.

It easily recalls and focuses on the negative much faster believing its preventing danger and saving us from distress. This includes putting more weight on negative interpretations and feelings then positive ones even if both are equal.

This response developed in prehistoric times to keep us safe. We NEEDED to be on high alert all the time to stay alive. This gene was deemed necessary for survival and expressed generations later creating the negative bias neuro pathway. 

Like everything we all have different levels of this bias and our environments play MAJOR part in how this natural response further develops.

We are all genetically hardwired towards negative bias...

Genetically we are all different putting us on a negative spectrum you could say... our environments also play MAJOR part in how this natural response further develops.

What happens when our early environments strengthen this bias?

Growing up in chronic stress or trauma leads the body to further develop its need to stay on high alert. The brain develops an overactive sympathetic nervous system, (Fight or flight/ Stress response). The brain than solidifies it's prehistoric neuropathways to keep us safe from the continued negative stimuli experienced.

This starts to become problematic in environments that lack negative stimuli, people struggle to see the positive. They cant disengage their alert system to engage, process, or accept the positive experiences.

Instead they misinterpret situations as dangerous, or negative. This is when you start to see

people become distressed, everything becomes unsafe, or unpleasant. You see people start to struggle with a number of mental symptoms like anxiety, depression, and personality disorders. People struggle to belong and thrive in the world, and struggle to see a way out.

 Struggle does not mean less, we all struggle in our own ways. We all have different brains and each is hardwired in its own unique way.

How Can You Change This Bias at ANY Level.

Neuroplasticity is our brains ability to change and adapt, we can rewire our neuro pathways to a great extent! You need to learn how your brain functions before you can start to map out new pathways for it.

Awareness is a POWERFUL tool, it can be both good and bad. Ensure you are bringing awareness to yourself with compassionate wonder. If you become aware but harbor resentment and shame towards yourself you won't be able to find solutions or use the tools.

1. Take some time to start noticing your automatic thoughts, feelings, and reactions. Remember to not shame yourself as you observe. Think of yourself as a scientist or student learning about your brain and all its functions.
   

Once you become familiar with your natural patterns you can set realistic, and attainable goals to start rewiring your neuro pathways and building a positive bias. Change your goals as you need to make them work for you. Your supposed to be able to reach them, if your struggling refocus the goal so you CAN MEET IT!

Try the following to start exercising your brain!

1. Bring focus to the positive in your life, and ensure you set aside a few moments each day to fully focus on the good in your life. Find SOMETHING, your brain is practicing its ability to recall positivity (building a new neuro pathway)
   

2. Look at the negative thoughts: Are they helpful? True? What control do you have over them? What impact do they have over you?

3. Look to opposites - Bring your brain to the other side, make it work give it a bigger work space. They must think the work of me, what if they really like me? You don’t have to believe it we just have to bring the thought up somehow.

4. Set a measurable goal - I will sit and think positive for 3 minutes every day. I will find one positive thing about my day. Etc. Find what works for YOU!

BE COMPASSIONATE WITH YOURSELF

You cannot recover if you can't accept yourself

You can't accept yourself if you’re the bully holding you down….

Allow yourself the grace to make mistakes and fall down. Know that you can always get back up! You have to create a space you feel safe to try.

 You have more power than you can see.

TAKE BACK YOUR POWER, exercise your neuropathways in the direction you want them to go!

With time this will become your natural response to situations! Be patient with yourself. Recovery is a lifelong journey. Learn to look for the beauty in your life.

As my mentor says, "Water the flower not the thorn".

References

Lazarus, J. (2021). Negativity bias: An evolutionary hypothesis and an empirical programme. Learning and Motivation, 75, 101731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lmot.2021.101731

Vaish, A., Grossmann, T., & Woodward, A. (2008). Not all emotions are created equal: The negativity bias in social-emotional development. Psychological Bulletin, 134(3), 383–403. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.134.3.383