Not long ago, I allowed my mind to dwell and embellish upon a perceived injustice. Convinced I was feeling a justified anger, I yielded to the internalized notion of defending myself and letting others experience my pain… a twisted form of pleasure that continued to feed my imagination. It only took minutes for my compressed anger to sprout a root of bitterness that, left unattended, would produce a poisonous fruit of self-destruction.
Psychology Today author Christopher Lane, Ph.D. (May 28, 2009) is a proponent of “bitterness” as an emerging mental illness modeled after “post-traumatic stress disorder” (PTSD) under the name “post-traumatic embitterment disorder” (PTED). Lane explains that PTSD is the response to a traumatic event that leaves a person over-whelmed with a sense of fear and anxiety. In a comparable manner, PTED is the response to a trauma (perceived injustice) that leaves an enduring sense of resentment, revenge, and insatiable rage.
If PTED were to be elevated to the place of a mental illness, an astute investor may be wise to amass shares of stock in a pharmaceutical company who can produce a pill to correct the chemical imbalance in the brain that harbors resentment, seeks revenge, and excuses unforgiveness. The prescription instructions would recommend taking one or two tablets before bedtime for a restful night’s sleep. And a warning label: Consult your Doctor if problems persist more than two weeks.
If a person feels they have been treated unfairly, the treatment isn’t revenge or “getting even.” Bitterness cannot be treated, tamed, or controlled. The only real solution to getting rid of bitterness is to stop feeding it.
The best method to starving a bitter root is to feed your mind on gratefulness and blessings. Be genuinely thankful for the positive and uplifting things in your life and refuse to rehearse the offenses.
Nice post
ReplyDelete