Your brain is designed to protect you but sometimes, it does the exact opposite. From making up fake memories to convincing you that overthinking is productive, your mind can work against you without you even realizing it. Here’s how it happens and what you can do to fight back.
1. Your Brain Makes Up Fake Memories to ‘Protect’ You
Ever walk away from a conversation convinced you sounded awkward, even though nothing actually went wrong? That’s anxiety creating false memories to keep you on high alert.
How to Fight Back: Fact-check your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or write down what happened vs. what you think happened.
2. Your Mind Ignores 90% of Positive Feedback (But Obsess Over One Criticism)
You receive ten compliments but can’t stop thinking about the one negative comment. That’s negativity bias, and it’s why criticism stays with you while praise fades.
How to Fight Back: Keep a win jar, write down small victories or compliments and revisit them when self-doubt kicks in.
3. Your Anxiety Can Literally Make You Feel Physical Pain
Stress doesn’t just exist in your mind—it shows up in your body. Anxiety can cause chest tightness, headaches, stomach pain, and even symptoms that mimic a heart attack.
How to Fight Back: Use the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique—identify five things you see, four you feel, three you hear, two you smell, and one you taste to bring your focus back to reality.
4. You’re Addicted to Overthinking (And It Feels Productive)
Worrying gives your brain a dopamine hit, making it feel like you’re solving a problem when you’re actually stuck in a cycle of stress.
How to Fight Back: Set a 10-minute “worry timer”—once time is up, shift your focus to something active, like exercising or listening to music.
5. Your Brain Will Gaslight You Into Avoiding Help
Depression tells you, “Therapy won’t work anyway,” or “You’re not struggling enough to need help.” This is self-sabotage at its worst.
How to Fight Back: Treat these thoughts like a manipulative friend. Challenge them and remind yourself that getting help is about feeling better, not about being “bad enough.”
6. You Can Hallucinate from Sleep Deprivation (And No, It’s Not ‘Normal’)
Go without sleep for 48 hours, and your brain can start seeing and hearing things that aren’t there. Sleep deprivation can mimic mental illness, yet so many people ignore it.
How to Fight Back: Make sleep a priority, not an afterthought. Your mental and physical health depend on it.