Caregiver Stress: Garbage In, Garbage Out

There’s a term I learned in computer science studies: GIGO. This stands for”Garbage In, Garbage Out” or “Goodstuff In, Goodstuff Out.”

Basically, it doesn’t matter how fancy your programming is, if the data is garbage, your going to get garbagey results.

I’ve been struck lately with how much stress reduction is as much about belief systems as anything else. If I watch or listen to negative stuff, then my mind starts dwelling on negative stuff.

The battle is between the ears so much of the time. Lately, I’ve tried unplugging and “getting off the grid” more by not watching TV or listening to radio, in both instances, less of what we call “news.” It’s easier for me than some people as we don’t have cable and the radio doesn’t work very well, so I’m not being self-righteous about this.

Maybe media deprivation isn’t your thing. Or maybe even not MY thing.  I couldn’t get 100% Amish about this, particularly following stories on the Internet.

Whatever stress I had in caregiving was made worse by adopting an “awfulizing” attitude.  My mind would race to worst-case scenario too much of the time.

When I catch myself, I try to change the channels within and without. Unplug from negative and seek out some positive music or entertainment. Within, get my mind to try to think of positive scenarios, or how I’d like things to be and how to get there in small bite-sized chunks.

PEOPLE…. unplugging from negative people. You know the type, soul-sucking, negative, energy vampires. Sometimes energy vampires come in the form of family and friends who I love. They don’t mean to be that way, but they are stuck in a negative spiral. It’s not easy sometimes to get away from that, but sometimes very necessary.

I have a book of “Positive Thoughts” of quotes that I love. That’s a good read when the battle of the mind for positivity is particularly strong.

Whatever gets you with Goodstuff In… go for it.