The tongue is the strongest muscle in the body for its size and the fastest healing organ. It’s ironic that the fastest healing organ causes the deepest wounds that take the longest time to heal. Whilst the human body can heal itself over time under the right circumstances, the human mind often needs some outside help.
The mind is an amazing thing. We all have an internal recording that we make and play back to ourselves. It’s an internal voice that gives us a commentary on what we’re doing and how we’ve performed. We react to our own internal criticism/commentary based on our personality type: pessimistic, optimistic or pragmatic.
The mechanism in our brains responsible for the way we take in or filter out information is called the Reticular Activating System. It allows us to focus our attention on a few things and filter out anything that we deem unimportant. Without it we would go mad. This is the same part of the brain where we make affirmations – either positive of negative. These affirmations act as a thermostat which is then set up for us to conform to the things that we have believed – whether true or imagined. The key thing is that those beliefs are formed through repetition, trauma, or intense emotions.
Self-fulfilling prophecies:
Someone that has been continually told that they are a failure is likely to act like one unless their personality is strong enough to counteract the lie.
As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]
It is common for someone that has been abused to make negative affirmations and unless helped is likely to fall into depression and other debilitating problems.
In the same way that a broken bone if not properly set can grow out of position causing future dysfunction or a contaminated wound can turn septic, the mind of someone that has been physically or emotionally abused can also be hindered from full recovery.
Don’t leave it too late to get help, if you need it.
Websites you may find useful:
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/
Women’s Aid is the key national charity working to end domestic violence against women and children.
http://www.mankind.org.uk/
For male victims of domestic abuse
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/
Help for children that are being abused
http://www.childline.org.uk/
Help for children that are being bullied
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Depression/Pages/Treatment.aspx
(Treating Depression)