Are Thoughts Useful or Harmful?

Are Thoughts Useful or Harmful?

Thoughts refer to the act of considering a set of ideas concerning a given subject (Thordanson & Shafran, 2012). Humans are intelligent creatures. Therefore, the thought process is unique to them. People reap multiple benefits from engaging in constructive thoughts. In fact, the society is required to adhere to certain set or rules and principles. However, this is impossible unless the members can reflect on their actions periodically through thinking. As an outcome, ideas allow human society to co-exist in harmony while addressing the rising challenges. Even though the idea development process can occur at a personal level, there are instances where people must resort to a collective approach. Positive thoughts are beneficial whereas negative thoughts result in non-beneficial actions.

Studies indicate that excessive thoughts lead to stress, hence is harmful to an individual’s health. Doctors advise stress patients to avoid overindulgence in thoughts (McKay et al., 2011). However, stressful environments are to blame for this phenomenon. Additionally, people tend to over-think when faced with difficult choices or situations. When under such circumstances, many are unaware, despite the medical professionals warning that they must seek professional assistance.

Additionally, under-developed and backward societies result from bad thoughts. People retaliate or hate each other because of negativity in the thought process. Often, such hatred leads to battles and wars that cause significant financial losses in damages to both parties involved. Furthermore, guilty and innocent people alike lose lives during the ensuing conflict. Eventually, the negative thoughts make it harder for the societies to develop, especially given that hatred fills the people. Economic growth demands positive contribution from each member of the society, but negative thoughts are detrimental to development.

On the other hand, positive thoughts can result in bonding and better relationship among individuals. Good thoughts are directly linkable to developmental activities. When an individual thinks about improving the conditions of his environment, chances are that he will conceive resourceful ideas that when shared with others can result in collaborative efforts for their implementation. Desisting from negative thoughts imply that people can avoid unnecessary conflicts arising from retaliatory actions. In spite of prevalent negativity in the society, it is recommendable for people to engage in positive thoughts and to focus on the future prospects.

Human lives are largely dependent on thoughts because they play fundamental roles. It is notable that thoughts are ideas and opinions produced due to mind thinking process occurring in the mind. In the entire cognition process, human feelings are imperative in the use of the conscious or subconscious mind. Thus, people are quick to understand their internal or external environment with the help of the thought process. For thousands of years, human species abide by a set of societal principles and rules due to thoughts that take place in their minds. Factual decisions cannot be made unless people are reliant on successive thoughts (McKay et al., 2011). Most importantly, ideas generated from thoughts allow people to face challenges in the society with confidence.

In summary, while positive thoughts are useful, negative thoughts harm the members of a given society. In fact, bad thoughts wield a negative effect on a person harbouring such feelings and those close to him. When people retaliate due to negative thoughts, the outcomes include financial losses, loss of property, and loss of lives. In contrast, positive thoughts enable individuals to foster relationships and to generate resourceful ideas to improve the living conditions in the society.

References

McKay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2011). Thoughts and Feelings: Taking Control of your Moods and Your Life. London: New Harbinger Publications.

Thordarson, D. S., & Shafran, R. (2012). The importance of Thoughts. Cognitive Approaches to Obsessions and Compulsions: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment, 15-28.