Binary thinking is self-limiting, maybe even dangerous to health

[Darren Dirt]

(I wonder why we never created a top-level section called "Health Chat" -- when we have one for Games and one for Tech...)

Reminder to myself: A closed mind might feel safe and makes evolutionary sense, but might amplify stress and be isolating, plus reduces the opportunities to live a fuller more nuanced life. Sometimes I need to take Five Minutes to really think.

...

https://medium.com/s/story/the-mental-trap-that-makes-you-overreact-to-setbacks-c3059a4242da

Reactive cycles of love/hate, yes/no, up/down, and good/bad can be stressful at best and irreparably damaging to relationships at worst.

With dichotomous/binary thinking, you begin seeing the world in terms of all or nothing, fixating on how things ?should be? or ?must be? to the point that you render yourself inflexible to change.

We?re wired to crave order, and breaking things down into basic categories helps your mind process the world more efficiently, if not necessarily accurately.

Evolutionarily speaking, this reductionist thinking was crucial, conserving precious energy and keeping our ancestors attuned to potential threats in the environment.

But in modern times, when you think in black-and-white terms, you risk misconstruing people?s intentions or blocking yourself from opportunities.

In fact, research has shown that this type of binary thought pattern can contribute to harmful perfectionism and low self-worth, and can lead you to misunderstand other people?s emotions. Life is complex and ambiguous, and staying happy and sane demands an appreciation of its subtleties. 

When you?re in the throes of dichotomous thinking, your brain jumps into overdrive to protect you from perceived threats. Even though you?re not really in danger, your body reacts by unleashing chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline, which amp up your anxiety, while functions like focus, decision-making, and self-control take a hit.

When you learn to mentally see the world in shades of gray, you discover how to think more clearly and accurately ? about both your circumstances and your own role in shaping them.