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Do you nurse often? Complaining about little things that don’t go your way. You might be wondering, after all, what’s wrong with blowing off some steam? Whether it’s traffic or the latest situation bothering you, getting it out feels like a liberation. But doing this, and grumbling about them repeatedly over time, can make you more inclined towards pessimism, and train your brain to be unhappy.
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Dr Prashant Katakol, a neurosurgeon with over 33 years of experience, in an Instagram video posted on October 30, suggested neuroscience-based reasons why one should not complain all the time.
1. Rewiring the brain for grief
“When you’re complaining, you’re setting your brain up for sadness,” Dr. Catacol said. Neuroplasticity ensures that every complaint strengthens your pessimism. Soon, even good things will stop registering.”
This means that when you keep complaining, tunnel visioning on negative things, your brain starts getting addicted to it. Neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to change and adapt, reinforces those negative thought patterns. Then, over time, it becomes second nature to the brain to recognize problems first, rather than feeling grateful or focusing on the good things.
2. Flooding of stress hormones in the body
When you complain, you put your body in a state of stress, which activates all the stress hormones. Prolonged stress conditions have negative effects on both physical and psychological systems.
The neurosurgeon asserted, “Number two, by complaining you flood your body with stress hormones. This ruins your mood, your focus, and your immunity.”
In other words, even over small things, when you complain, your body reacts as if you are in danger, releasing cortisol.
3. Starts seeing only problems, not possibilities
Complaining all the time leads to a cynical attitude where you keep expecting the worst outcomes and disasters. “The brain trains itself to only see problems, not possibilities,” Dr. Katakol said.
When you complain regularly, your way of thinking changes. You focus on what’s wrong and internalize a negative belief. Soon, what happens is that you stop paying attention to solutions, opportunities or silver linings because your entire focus is on the problem: why it happened rather than how it can be solved.
4. The brain shrinks
Does it also physically change the shape of the brain? “Chronic negativity shrinks the hippocampal cortex. This results in slower learning, poorer memory, and less resilience,” said Dr. Katakol.
Solution
What is the way forward? According to the neurosurgeon, we need to start labeling it. “Practice awareness. When you catch yourself complaining, label out loud, ‘I am complaining’. This one act will reduce your habit to a great extent. The less complaining, the more happiness, it’s as simple as that,” he said.
This means that when someone starts complaining, he or she is not even aware that he or she is complaining. Constant complaining becomes a tendency. But awareness helps you respond with a more logical approach instead of irritability. Instead of being quick to express disappointment, consider calling yourself out, which will help break the pessimistic loop you may get stuck in. Instead of getting irritated over it, reconsider whether it’s really worth losing your temper over it.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
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