Took a little break deciding what topic to cover as I recuperate from treatment and surgery to rid myself of cancer the second time. As I reflect on what topic comes up most frequently, with people desiring to leave mental torment behind it is often the same scenario.
(link and article to photo above)
People that struggle with taking 2 steps forward just to take one step back often seem to fall into the same category. They fall into a place difficult to label but self-pity most closely fits the bill.
Those desperately desiring to be free ofttimes do not realize that their own thought patterns are what is holding them back.
It is like using a magnifying glass looking for and then proclaiming the distractions that hold them down. They do not see it. It is difficult to understand and they fall prey. Even though they have surrounded themselves with positive people and desires you hear them speak or write or admit to the negatives in their life often repeatedly. We can become what our mind thinks. Often this revolves around medical issues they are facing.
I faced cancer for a second time. I did not reach out and proclaim my affliction to the world. Only a select few were made aware. I have found that a matter-of-fact attitude makes things so much easier to deal with. Instead of woe is me, self-pity, I choose the – what needs to happen next attitude.
So Self- Pity seems to be one of the biggest obstacles to overcome in overcoming mental torment.
Self-pity is a distraction that tries to bury any positive step you have taken. Self-pity often interrupts what could be a breakthrough. Distractions and Interruptions urge you to shift your attention from something of greater importance to something of lesser importance.
I had read an article about how Martial Arts teach self-defense to students. The attack situations never come at you the same. Students are instructed and practice how to adapt what they have learned to avoid all distractions and interruptions. Just like self-pity becomes so ingrained it must be dealt with like distractions or interruptions.
Take Cancer a feared word. If you dwell on how long could I live how bad will the treatments be how much pain will I be in…. all your energy and thoughts will swirl together making a cauldron of fears, thoughts, and ideas that you will feed on. It can become your life!
What is self-pity syndrome?
Many people experience some form of self-pity when life gets stressful. Self-pity is when you’re preoccupied with your own troubles. You feel sorry for yourself. Sometimes, self-pity is confused for depression. When you’re living with depression, you may sometimes feel pity for yourself.
Hand in hand with self-pity goes a feeling of weakness, that keeps knocking you down. Something undesired comes up and your first thought is – what next? Start to realize that your own insecurities are being projected. Could it be your anxious brain just looking for ways to convince you how weak you are, and that you are at fault?
So I will take a stance on cancer. No self-pity, no woe is me, I beat it again!
I choose to live more like the good Samaritan in Luke 10:34-35. It was a dangerous road the Samaritan was traveling and fear could be high but instead of fearing for his own life when he stumbled upon the severely injured man, which could be considered a distraction, he bound the man’s wounds and gave money to the innkeeper to help the injured man.
Links to help you overcome self-pity:
How to recognize and Redirect Self-Pity PsychCentral
The Trap of SELF_PITY – How to stop feeling sorry and Move on Your DOST
Self-Pity the Opposite of Gratitude Candidly Christian 5 Scriptures to Help you Overcome Self-Pity
#Recognize #Redirect #SelfPity
