New Study Links Negative Thoughts to Physical Changes Ahead of High Holidays
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
A new study finds that recurring negative thoughts about past events are linked to physical changes, impacting heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol. Ahead of the High Holidays, experts suggest focusing on acknowledging and processing underlying emotions rather than rushing to forgive, which can lead to genuine emotional release and improved well-being.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Negative thoughts linked to physical changes like altered heart rate and cortisol.
- Family interactions can trigger intense emotional responses years later.
- Acknowledging underlying emotions is key to forgiveness and release.
- The RAIN model helps identify and process current emotional responses.
- True freedom comes from past hurts no longer dictating present interactions.
As the High Holidays approach, a period traditionally focused on forgiveness and new beginnings, a new study reveals that persistent negative thoughts about past events are not confined to the mind. Research published in Psychological Bulletin by Ottaviani and colleagues indicates these recurring thoughts are associated with physical changes, including alterations in heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels.
The study highlights that while forgiveness is linked to psychological well-being and better health, the act of deciding to forgive and achieving emotional release are distinct processes. The family environment, often the site of early experiences of closeness and hurt, can trigger more intense reactions years later, with a sibling's remark or a family argument potentially reviving old wounds and anger.
Psychotherapist Edna Arbel suggests that difficulty in forgiving may stem from unacknowledged emotions like pain, anger, or fear. Attempting to bypass these feelings to "just forgive" can hinder genuine release. Instead, she recommends focusing on identifying current emotional responses and understanding underlying needs, such as recognition, boundaries, or support, before deciding how to react.
Arbel proposes the RAIN model, taught by Tara Brach, as a tool for this process: Recognize the emotion, Allow it to be, Investigate what lies beneath, and Nurture what is needed. This approach suggests that true freedom may not come from declaring forgiveness, but from realizing that past hurts, while remembered, no longer dictate future interactions.
For deep-seated or overwhelming past hurts, professional therapy can offer a safe space to process difficult emotions. The article concludes by reframing the question for the holidays from "Have I forgiven?" to "How much space do I still give this hurt in my life?" True forgiveness, it suggests, can be a quiet process of interacting with someone without rehashing old arguments or allowing negative remarks to spoil an occasion, ultimately leading to a state where past events no longer control present encounters.