Have you ever come across someone who clings to an idea and refuses to see beyond their own perception? Have you had an argument with someone and then regretted it, because you knew beforehand that talking to that person was like talking to a wall? Then perhaps you know more than you think about the mint stiffnessl.
What is mental rigidity?
We can define mental rigidity as the inability of a person to cope with new situationsPeople who suffer from mental rigidity carry out their actions according to the same pattern of behavior. Obviously, they believe that this pattern is the correct and ideal one, but the results can be catastrophic.
A person is not mentally rigid forever, forever and ever. There are different gradients for every situation. If we are in a meeting with our lifelong friends, We don't expect news to appear that will stun us.And that security is the perfect breeding ground for stubbornness, because you already have a predetermined idea.
However, when we find ourselves in unfamiliar territory, such as when we are introduced to someone, we are more flexiblesince there is no predetermined idea about how it will happen.
An example of this phenomenon was explained by actor Hovik Keuchkerian (best known for his role as Bogotá in La Casa de Papel) in a statement on the television program El Hormiguero:
“You close a door, you get stuck on something and you say to yourself: 'it's over there, it's over thereAnd then life comes along and tells you: 'No way, champ. That's not the way.' Then life comes along and hits you hard and you realise that it wasn't this way, it was that way. When you close one door in life, three more open.. By definition. But we are sheep and we don't know how to read life, so you get stubborn. What has worked for me is to stop for a bit, think and decide.
What consequences can this have?
The consequences that mental rigidity can bring are divided between the individual and collective:
- Individual consequences: When a person is convinced that he must do things a certain way and they don't work out, he gets angry. frustration and anger These are the most common feelings when the expected results are not achieved, because you continue to think that you have done the right thing, according to the line of thinking. A continuous state of anger can lead to a continuous state of discomfort.which leads to the collective consequences of mental rigidity.
- Social consequences: that state of discomfort with oneself usually move to relationships with loved onesMental rigidity increases your intolerance towards the opinions of others. This intolerance prevents you from creating a healthy debate in which different points of view can be confronted, which can cause your relationship with people you are intolerant of to deteriorate.
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These are the steps to follow to solve it
If you know someone or think you may be suffering from an episode of mental rigidity, stay calm. There are ways to remedy this. To do this, there are two words that should always be kept in mind: re-evaluate and progress.
The reappraisal It must consist of a process of introspection, during which you must study the actions carried out that have not had the expected success. To do it correctly it is necessary to gain breadth, take distance regarding the central problem and evaluate various options.
This re-evaluation is vital to reduce your anxiety levels. By examining our steps you will know what stone you have stumbled on, and when you encounter an obstacle with similar characteristics, you will know how to act. In this way, you clear up any uncertainties that may arise in the future.
To overcome mental rigidity, you have to do an exercise progress. Raise the problems from different perspectives and open yourself up to the opinions of people around you. Their opinions will help you become more tolerant and understanding.
The Mental flexibility is something that can be worked on. Working from acceptance and commitment therapies, as well as an intervention from the perspective of how we think to act in a certain way, can help us make those changes that will bring us positive benefitsA psychologist can be very helpful in these cases.
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