Complaining all the time? Neuroscientist explains why this is bad for the brain and how to fix it
Are you someone who constantly complains, judges, and criticizes? Well, this behaviour may be doing you more harm than you realise. Beyond spoiling your mood, this could also be changing your brain for the worse.
Emily McDonald is an Arizona-based neuroscientist and mindset coach, has explained the downside of being a chronic complainer. 'Complaining, judging, or criticizing others can actually change your brain to make you less focused and productive and decrease your problem-solving skills,' the neuroscientist said. She also explained the science behind it and also shared some effective ways to fix it.
Constant complaining wires your brain negatively
When you make complaining a habit, your
brain
starts to feed off negativity and starts to notice problems first.
'Every time you complain or criticize, you strengthen that pathway in your brain. This is Hebb's law: neurons that fire together wire together. So if you're constantly focused on what you don't like, you are wiring your brain to see more problems,' McDonald said.
Second, this behaviour can actually shrink the region of the brain responsible for focus and decision-making. This means judging and criticizing actually messes up your brain's ability to make right and informed decisions.
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'Studies show that chronic stress and negative thinking can actually shrink your prefrontal cortex, and this is the part of your brain responsible for focus, emotional regulation, and decision making.
You're literally weakening the part of your brain that helps you solve problems while strengthening the pathways that help you point them out,' she explained, in a video shared on Instagram.
Guess what? Complaining is not really an appealing trait.
'Research shows that complaining and criticizing actually makes you less attractive,' she adds.
Constant complaining puts your brain into 'victim mode,' which could make you feel powerless to change your circumstances.
How to fix it
Well, if you have developed a habit of complaining, well, don't worry, you can absolutely reverse it. How? By fostering positive thoughts. Instead of turning to what's
wrong
with something, focus on yourselves. Something that motivates you, and inspires you to look forward to. 'Thinking positively and expressing gratitude strengthens the prefrontal cortex, which improves your ability to focus and create the life of your dreams. Every time you speak or type a comment on here, you are training your brain. So train it to look for joy and abundance because you don't get what you want in life you get what your brain is wired for,' the neuroscientist shares.
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Where to start? It begins with awareness. Breaking out of this complaining and judging mindset starts with awareness. When you catch yourself complaining, shift your focus toward solutions or gratitude.
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