Breaking the Habit: How Negative Thinking becomes Addictive

I approach my tea ritual with utmost seriousness. I always make sure that my tea has the perfect balance of sugar and a robust flavour that envelops my senses with each sip. One of my biggest nightmares is the day when my doctor might tell me to reduce my sugar intake. I could live without chocolates, but the mere idea of facing a cup of unsweetened tea on a daily basis? Now that’s a terrifying thought! The very essence of my tea experience hinges on sweetness, and the idea of losing that is nothing short of mind-shattering.

That is how I came to think about people with diabetes who had to limit their sugar intake and came across the concept of acquired taste. In the case of someone with diabetes who used to drink tea with a lot of sugar, adjusting to unsweetened tea is an example of acquiring a taste. Initially, they might find the tea bitter or unappealing without sugar, but over time, their taste buds and brain adapt. As the person repeatedly drinks unsweetened tea, the brain rewires to associate it with enjoyment, eventually normalizing the new taste preference. Acquired taste refers to something that a person initially dislikes but grows to enjoy over time through repeated exposure.Think of those songs that, at first listen, made you cringe or roll your eyes, yet somehow, through repeated listening, they transformed into your all-time favorites! Now, that is acquired taste.

I couldn’t help but wonder whether the same can be applied to negative thinking. This was an eye-opener for me, as I realised that the brain adapts —even with negative thinking. Just like how the brain rewires itself to tolerate or even appreciate food or a song it initially rejected, the brain can adapt to negative thinking, and gradually, negative thoughts may start to feel more normal, justifiable, or enjoyable despite their harmful impact on mental health.

An acquired taste gradually shifts from dislike to acceptance or even pleasure. That’s right, most unsweetened tea haters slowly learn to love it as much as they love a cup of sugary tea. Why do some find the idea of engaging in negative thinking a pleasurable experience? Pessimistic views may start giving a person a strange sense of control over unpredictable situations—if you expect the worst, you can’t be disappointed, right? You assume something will go wrong, and it does, you’re not surprised. This mindset can appear to be relieving because uncertainty is something that is too stressful for your brain, but the very same mindset can limit joy or optimism and make a person overly nervous. Also, negative thoughts often trigger emotions like anger, sadness, guilt, or fear and this in turn releases chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline. If your brain experiences these emotions often, it can become chemically addicted to them—like how people can crave drama or conflict. So just thinking negatively or imagining the worst can trigger these hormones repeatedly leading to burnout and anxiety.

Moreover, negative thinking can shift from a temporary reaction to stress or discomfort into a habitual thought pattern that feels like an automatic and comforting response to most situations. Yes, emotional or cognitive habituation can happen with negative thinking as well. Have you ever wondered what happens if someone constantly thinks “I always mess things up,” “Nothing ever works out for me” or “What if everything goes wrong?” Over time, these thoughts will start to feel familiar and even “true,” just because it’s been repeated so often. These negative thoughts can even be comforting in a twisted way because it’s familiar. The brain stops challenging it. The end result is that the person starts to believe those negative thoughts as facts, even though they’re not. He may avoid opportunities, relationships, or challenges because he has convinced himself it’ll end badly. Furthermore, while negative thinking seems like “just thoughts” the body reacts to it like they’re real threats, and constant negativity can keep cortisol levels high, which can take a serious toll on physical health leading to to a weakened immune system, making you more prone to colds, infections, and slower healing, digestive issues, increased blood pressure, heart problems, sleep disturbances, weight gain and muscle tension.

But the bright side? It’s completely possible to retrain your brain. Just like our brain learns to run toward negativity, it can unlearn it and build positive pathways. Try to think of one thing you’re grateful for or something that went okay—big or small. If you’re working, perhaps a presentation that you were super nervous about went surprisingly well, or a colleague acknowledged your valuable input during a meeting. Take a moment to contemplate those wins. This little shift helps tilt your brain’s focus toward what’s working, not just what’s wrong. All it takes is patience, consistency, and a little bit of kindness toward yourself.

So, the next time you are planning to overthink, remember the funny way in which our brain works. It’s wired to focus on potential threats, but that doesn’t mean we must stay stuck there. You have more power than you think to reshape your thoughts—so why not take that first step today?

By: Melanie Ann George🌼