INTERVENE AND INTERRUPT THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL
EARLY IN THE PROCESS - AND SOON!
THE PRINCIPLE:
Break the self-reinforcing downward cycles - and do it as soon as possible!
If we do not intervene right away, we allow the downs and the negatives to mutually reinforce each in a self-perpetuating downward spiral.
And interruption is helpful - and then we must go the next step, such as in the examples below.
EXAMPLE - DEPRESSION
If one is depressed, one will tend to stop doing certain "good" behaviors because one doesn't "feel like it". This will cause one to be, say, more isolated, which will cause him to be more depressed, which will cause more depressive behaviors, which will cause more depressive thoughts - on downward in a self reinforcing spiral. Though it should be considered carefully to use other alternatives, it may be appropriate to intervene with medications, despite the tradeoffs, so that the cycle can be stopped! It is most likely appropriate to intervene by being with friends in social situations. And it definitely is appropriate to intervene with lots of exercise. And with hope - as we can present a program that is proven and useful and very followable that will break the back of the depressive cycle: Curing Depression - It's Been Done And It Is Doable. Much of the cure involves very doable physical actions and changes.
NEGATIVE CONVERSATIONAL SPIRALS
Whether it is just your mind running amuk while you're trying to sleep or something you are repeating to yourself as part of your life negativity themes, the intervention must be RIGHT NOW!
You should have a ready conversation and strategy to stop the negative conversation cold in its tracks.
THE VICIOUS CYCLE OF FEAR
The cycle is simple:
Believed threat --> Fear emotion --> Stress --> Hyperalarmism
The vicious cycle is perpetuated and exacerbated by our adding programming of ourselves to be hypervigilant, essentially hyping up our natural emergency alert system (which is already finding far more things to be concerned with than actually merit concern).
We clearly must intervene in the cycle at some point and preferably at several points. But if we change the core cause, the fear-stress process has no beginning, so we would emphasize changing beliefs. This is discussed further, below.
THE IMPORTANCE OF CATCHING IT EARLY AND RETURNING TO "THE ZONE"
If we go too far out of homeostasis, the body and/or the mind kicks into gear to get us back to that well functioning range. While being out of homeostasis means our body and/or mind is malfunctioning in some parts of our body/mind (which causes damage), our wonderful mechanism to get us back into balance causes some long term health balancing parts of our body to shut down (at least somewhat) while the parts needed to put us back together are recruited and put into high gear. Unfortunately, the latter results in a potential downward spiralling of imbalance, creating damage and/or lower functioning of our immune system and other vital parts. Read, and know, please, please, the essential Homeostasis (Staying In High Functioning Balance) - Absolutely Essential To Living A Great Life!!!.
EVEN IF YOU ARE IN A "MOOD"
Often, we believe that we must obey a negative mood or at least not disturb it. But that is a total falsehood.
NEVER TOLERATE A DOWNWARD SPIRAL FOR EVEN A MOMENT
You must never tolerate a downward spiral for even a moment. There is NO PURPOSE for keeping it in place while you are feeling miserable. You stop the spiral and then, later, when in an alert, clear thinking mode, you address whatever it was by using the search engine on this site to find the relevant discussion and/or resource.
