Free Your Brain.

By Santos Omar Medrano Chura

Have you ever felt trapped by your negative emotions? Have you suffered from anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem or relationship problems? Have you ever wished to free yourself from those emotional disorders that prevent you from being happy and living fully?

If your answer is yes, this book is for you. In it, you will find a practical guide to transform your mind and your life, using the most effective tools of psychology, neuroscience and personal development.

You will learn to recognize, understand and overcome anxiety, depression and stress, which are the most common emotional disorders that affect your physical and mental health. You will discover how to improve your self-esteem, which is the foundation of your well-being and success. You will also learn how to communicate, connect and live better with others, who are the source of your happiness and support.

In addition, I will teach you how to change, create and maintain positive and lasting habits, which will help you to have a healthier and happier life. And finally, I will show you how to define, find and enjoy happiness, which is the ultimate goal of your existence.

This book is not only a compilation of theories and information, but also contains exercises and tips that will motivate and guide you in your change process. It is not a book that you read once and forget, but a book that you live and apply.

I invite you to embark on this journey of liberation and transformation, which will allow you to free your brain and live fully. I am sure that by the end of this book, you will feel happier, more satisfied and more fulfilled. Are you ready to start?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Santos Omar Medrano Chura
• Release date: Feb 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224186525

Book preview

1. Anxiety: how to recognize, understand and overcome it.

Anxiety is an emotion that we all feel at some point in our lives, when we face a situation that seems threatening, dangerous or uncertain. Anxiety prepares us to react to that situation, activating our body and mind. Anxiety is useful and adaptive, as long as it is proportional to the stimulus that provokes it and does not prevent us from functioning normally.

1.1. What is anxiety and how does it manifest itself in your body and mind?

Anxiety is a response of our organism to stress, which is composed of three components: physiological, cognitive and behavioral.

The physiological component refers to the changes that occur in our body when we feel anxiety, such as increased heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, sweating, tremors, dizziness, nausea, muscle tension, etc. These changes are the result of the activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which put us on alert and prepare us for action. These changes can be useful in situations of real danger, but can be detrimental if they are sustained over time or if they occur for no apparent reason.

The cognitive component refers to the thoughts and emotions that accompany the anxiety, such as nervousness, worry, fear, insecurity, confusion, difficulty concentrating, negative thoughts, etc. These thoughts and emotions are the result of the interpretation we make of the situation that generates anxiety, which is usually distorted, exaggerated or irrational. These thoughts and emotions can affect our self-esteem, our confidence, our mood and our ability to reason and make decisions.

The behavioral component refers to the actions we take when we feel anxious, such as fleeing, avoiding, escaping, fighting, freezing, etc. These actions are the result of the choice we make to face the situation that generates anxiety, which is usually ineffective, disproportionate or counterproductive. These actions can have negative consequences for our health, safety, productivity and quality of life.

Anxiety can be adaptive or maladaptive, depending on whether or not it is proportionate to the stimulus that triggers it, and depending on whether or not it helps us to solve the problem that generates stress. Adaptive anxiety is that which helps us to be alert, to mobilize our resources and to face the challenges of life. Maladaptive anxiety is the one that prevents us from functioning normally, that limits us and makes us suffer.

Anxiety can manifest itself in different ways, depending on the type, intensity, frequency and duration of symptoms. There are different types of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc. Each of them has its own characteristics and diagnostic criteria, but they all share the three components of anxiety: physiological, cognitive and behavioral.

Anxiety can be treated with different methods, such as psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, relaxation techniques, changes in habits, etc. The most appropriate treatment depends on each case and each person, and should be supervised by a mental health professional. The aim of treatment is to reduce the symptoms of anxiety, improve the person's functioning and well-being, and prevent relapses.

1.2. What causes anxiety and how can you identify your negative thoughts and emotions?

Anxiety can have different causes, depending on each person and each situation. Some of the most frequent causes are:

Stress: Stress is the reaction of our body and mind to the demands and challenges of our environment, which can be positive or negative. Stress can be beneficial, when it motivates us and helps us to adapt, or detrimental, when it overwhelms and overwhelms us. Chronic stress, which remains unresolved over time, can lead to anxiety.

Personal, work or family problems: the problems we have in our personal, work or family life, such as economic difficulties, conflicts, breakups, losses, illnesses, etc., can generate anxiety, especially when we do not know how to solve them or when they affect us emotionally.

Traumas: traumas are experiences that have caused us a great negative impact, such as abuse, violence, accidents, catastrophes, etc., that can leave traces in our memory and in our body, and that can generate anxiety when they are remembered or reactivated.

Expectations, pressures and demands: Expectations, pressures and demands that we have or that others place on us, such as goals, standards, norms, roles, etc., can generate anxiety, especially when they are too high, rigid or unattainable, and when they make us feel that we are not capable, that we are not worth it or that we do not fit in.

Phobias: phobias are irrational and disproportionate fears of objects, animals, situations or people, which cause us intense anxiety and make us avoid contact with them. Phobias can be specific, such as fear of spiders, fear of blood, fear of closed spaces, etc., or social, such as fear of public speaking, fear of interacting with others, fear of being judged, etc.

Personality disorders: Personality disorders are patterns of thought, emotion and behavior that deviate from what is considered normal or adaptive, and that cause discomfort or difficulties in the person who suffers from them or in their environment. Some personality disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive, avoidant, dependent or histrionic, may be related to anxiety.

To identify your negative thoughts and emotions that cause you anxiety, you can use the following techniques:

Thought recording: consists of writing down on a piece of paper or an electronic device the thoughts that come to your mind when you feel anxiety, as well as the situation that triggers them, the emotion they produce and their intensity. In this way, you can become aware of your thoughts and how they affect you.

Questioning thoughts: consists of critically analyzing your thoughts, questioning their veracity, their usefulness and their evidence. In this way, you will be able to detect the cognitive distortions that characterize them, such as generalization, catastrophizing,