Personal Reflections on Psychology, Pt.1

Today I'm going to look at something I have learned about during my time here on Earth.

We all experience it, though most of us don't realize that it's there. It's the effect a room has upon us, and our personality at that moment. We've all heard how certain colors being prevalent in a room will influence the way we feel. Certain colors have a calming effect, making you feel more at ease with yourself and those around you. Other colors can bring out anger, rage, jealousy, and apprehension.

Now, we know that colors influence the way we feel in a place, but the lesser known fact is that previous experiences can greatly impact how you feel about where you are. It's a sad, but proven fact that victims of heinous crimes often will feel the most vulnerable and exposed when in the same room or place the crime was committed. It is often much, much harder for a widow to move forward from their loss while living under the same roof that their spouse once shared with them.

This is so true, in fact, that many professionals suggest that, in order to get the best night sleep, you should refrain from doing much else in your bed -but- sleep. If you play games, browse the net, talk on the phone, and so on a lot while in bed, your body won't become accustomed to the bed as the chosen place of rest, and it will take you up to 30 minutes longer to pull off your much needed shut eye.

This comes around to my point. If the power of previous experience is so strong that it can bring someone to tears, even to suicide, then it should become obvious fast that we should put ourselves most often in places that make us feel the best. Living in a house with a person you hate, and have hated for a while now, can be detrimental to your mental health and stamina. You'll find that if you cannot tolerate the other person, you will sleep later, longer, and wake up constantly groggy and possibly even slightly angry.

The worse part is, these feelings, once firmly set, are hard to escape while within the barriers of the rooms filled with such experiences. Intense hurt will not wane, even when the room is devoid of all but yourself. Screaming matches with your mother or father, long past, will still dwell within you when you stand in the rooms where they often happened. Dealing with these problems is something everyone can do, but it's truly a journey for yourself and yourself alone.

The worst situation one can find themselves in is when you are in a place full of these negative emotions, and cannot find a way out. The combination between the two will cause them both to increase in intensity, as you're faced with what seems to be a room, full of poison gas, and no way to escape it. You begin to panic, breathing quickens in pace, and you've effectively succumbed to the 'poison' in an even quicker fashion.

Such is the case with my house. Coming home is the worst part of the day, any and every day. What's expected, as I walk up the driveway to enter what most would call a humble abode, is fear, anger, hate, regret, and a whole slew of negative emotions. They bombard me before I even walk inside. This is because of repeated, inescapable arguments with my mother, where bumping heads have turned into tooth and nail ravishing that leaves our emotions torn and bloody, and our feelings for each other just that little bit more tattered than before.

I know first hand how powerful emotions from previous experiences can be, and it's a good thing to know that these are the reasons you may feel uneasy around someone, something, or someplace. Identify an exit before you attempt to face such emotions, and after you can assure yourself that escape is possible, that your personal battle won't back you against a wall, then begin the healing process that you alone must find. If you can't find an exit, then force yourself to search for a way out before allowing yourself to experience those emotions full-swing. I wish I could tell you exactly how to handle a situation where the bad experiences are still piling, but all I can say is that if you have the means, and the problems are so bad, walk away from them. Save the healing for another day.

It is said that those who live today, will survive to fight again tomorrow.