You may not be aware of it, but you talk to yourself all the time in your mind.
Thoughts have the ability to produce emotional and physical changes. For example, negative thinking can produce emotional reactions, such as anxiety, frustration or sadness. Physical reactions might include increased muscle tension, short and shallow breathing, increased heart rate and rising blood pressure. You might even notice your hands and / or feet getting cold as the arteries constrict.
To manage your headaches, you need to gain control of the tension in both your body and your mind.
Self-talk
You may not be aware of it, but you talk to yourself all the time in your mind. This never-ending stream of thoughts is sometimes called self-talk. One of the most powerful tools for keeping your body relaxed is reframing your stressful self-talk in a more positive light.
Your moods, emotions, and feelings are created and sustained by this inner dialogue, so it stands to reason that if you alter the way you talk to yourself, you can change the way you feel. Negative thoughts and their resulting emotions not only take the joy out of life but also directly contribute to headaches.
Think positive
Because thoughts have such a powerful physical and emotional impact, you need to erase the stressful ones from your mind and replace them with positive affirmations— in other words, positive statements declared with feeling, power and belief.
Here are some examples of stressful thoughts( ST) and how they can be reframed as positive affirmations( PA): ST: It’ s so unfair that I get headaches. I hate my body sometimes.
PA: I am patient with my body as I work to heal it. I accept my body just as it is. I choose to be empowered. I am not a victim.
ST: I feel guilty if I take time to relax. I feel like I should be doing something.
PA: It’ s OK to relax. I choose to take time out to relax each day. I need to relax for my health and well-being.
ST: I feel anxious that I will be getting another headache soon. PA: I relax and stay present in this moment.
ST: I feel so helpless and dependent when I am in pain.
PA: I release my pride and am willing to accept help from others. When I accept help, it does not take away from anybody else.
ST: I hate to ask for support. PA: It is OK to ask for support.
I allow others to support me.
Even after you master this technique, it’ s not uncommon to notice your old, negative thoughts creeping back into your mind from time to time. This shouldn’ t be surprising. As they say, old habits die hard. It takes repetition to change these habitual thought patterns. Work with your new thoughts daily and see what magic you can create. HW
Kelsie Kenefick, MPS, BCB, LMHC, is the author of the award-winning book Migraines Be Gone and founder of Naturally Pain Free. She created a home program to help headache sufferers learn to control their headaches.
www. headwisemag. org | National Headache Foundation 45