If we fail to deal with mental problems, difficulties, demands and challenges, if we
fail to understand and manage the mind and mental existence, the results and consequences
are chronic, persisting and growing problems of the mind. They also lead to physical
problems and difficulties or psychosomatic results and consequences. In addition, chronic,
persisting and growing mental problems lead to problematic behaviour and actions, both
mental and physical behaviour and actions. The consequences are, we create problems and
difficulties for the individual self, for others and the world around us, affecting
community, society, nature and the natural environment.
Chronic Mental Problems
If we do not address problems and difficulties we have dealing with the demands and
challenges of the mind and mental existence, they will develop into larger, chronic,
persisting and growing problems and difficulties. They will develop into more serious and
difficult mental conditions, demands and challenges. If we fail to do our mental homework,
make sense of our experience, the conditions that lie behind them and consider how to deal
with them, normal mental conditions, demands and challenges turn into more serious
problems and difficulties. Conditions of mental disorder and instability, doubt and
confusion, uncertainty and insecurity, feelings of disturbance, annoyance, unease,
apprehension, discomfort and irritation if not addressed will develop into feelings of
worry, fear, stress, anxiety, frustration and depression, problems that are far more
difficult to deal with.
Mental disorder and instability, doubt and confusion, uncertainty and insecurity, as
discussed earlier, are the result of experience, perceptions, sensations and feelings that
enter our mind and awareness, which do not on their own order and arrange themselves or
form clear pictures in the mind about the conditions that lie behind them. Feelings of
disturbance, annoyance, unease, apprehension, discomfort or irritation on the other hand
are the experience of our first impressions and instant reaction to what enters the mind
and awareness. If we fail to deal with them through considering and making sense of our
experience, the conditions that lie behind them, and how to deal with them, they develop
into more serious problems, feelings of worry, fear, stress, anxiety, frustration or
depression.
Chronic, persisting and growing feelings of worry, fear, stress, anxiety, frustration and
depression in turn will lead to perceptions of mental illness, deeper-rooted biological,
neurological or genetic problems, disorder or illness. They will appear to be the results
of illness, disease or malfunctions in the biological, genetic or neurological roots,
foundation, systems and processes behind the mind and mental existence, which lie beyond
our individual control.
In reality, mental problems and difficulties in the first instance are the results and
consequences of failing to understand and manage the mind and mental existence. They are
the results of failing to do our mental homework, mentally processing everything that
enters the mind and awareness. Considering and making sense of the experience,
perceptions, sensations and feelings, thoughts and ideas that enter the mind and
awareness, the conditions, demands and challenges that lie behind them, and how to deal
with them. They are the result of a lack of clarity of mind and understanding, necessary
mental skills and practices, and failing to engage in the required mental work and effort
to consider and make sense of what enters the mind and awareness, the conditions, demands
and challenges that lie behind them, and how to deal with them.
We make the situation worse by institutionalizing or fixing images of mental problems in
the mind. We no longer wait for problematic mental conditions or states of mind to occur,
we anticipate them. We view them as inevitable, lying beyond our control. As a result, the
experience and feeling of mental problems and difficulties become more intense, and the
demands and challenges behind them become more difficult to deal with, requiring greater
mental work and effort, if not outside help. The longer we wait to deal with problems,
difficulties, demands and challenges of the mind and mental existence the greater the
energy, the mental work and effort that are required to deal with them, to overcome mental
inertia, inactivity and apathy. It takes more energy, work and effort to mobilize oneself
into action than to keep moving and acting.
Perceptions of permanent and chronic mental problems in turn lead to feelings of fears,
phobias, helplessness, panic attacks and suicide. They lead to panic attacks, being
terrified or frightened, intense feelings of not being able to cope, to deal with what we
faces and we are confronted with. Ultimately, it can lead to considering suicide and death
as the only solution, the only way out of one's mental problems and difficulties, our
inability to establish clarity of mind and understanding about our experiences and
feelings, the conditions that lie behind them and how to deal with them.
Physiological Consequences
Failing to do our mental homework, failing to understand and manage the mind and mental
existence, persisting and growing mental problems and difficulties also affect us
physically. They have psychosomatic consequences. They lead to physical problems and
difficulties that affect our physical health, stability and well-being. The physical
results and consequences include heart pounding, heart palpitation, trembling and shaking,
perspiration or sweating, muscle tension, loss of physical control, breathlessness,
dizziness, fear of having a bowel movement, clammy hands, and fear of loss of control.
They include loss of appetite, feeling winded, tired and exhausted, headaches, dizziness,
or being on pins and needles. Sleep disturbance, difficulties falling asleep, staying
asleep, or unsatisfying sleep, upset stomach and stomach ulcers, and skin irritation can
also result from mental problems and difficulties. They can lead to bad physical posture,
developing into chronic problems later in life.
Problematic Behaviour and Actions
Failing to understand and manage the mind and mental existence, we respond in a number of
different ways to persisting and growing mental problems, resulting in problematic
behaviour and actions, both mental and physical behaviour and actions. It leads to dealing
with, responding and adjusting to what we face and have to deal with in life in ways that
cause problems and difficulties for ourselves, for others and the world around us. We
behave and act in ways that contradict, conflict with and fall short of the natural
conditions, demands and challenges of existence, creating problems and difficulties for
ourselves as well as for others.
Responding to Persisting Mental Problems
We respond to chronic, persisting and growing mental problems in a number of different
ways, resulting in problematic behaviour and actions, both mental and physical behaviour
and actions. They in turn cause problems and difficulties for ourselves individually, for
others and the world around us, affecting the community, society and the natural
environment. Unable to deal with persisting and growing mental problems, problematic
mental conditions and states of mind we become preoccupied and paralyzed by them, unable
to focus or concentrate on anything else. We try to avoid them through escaping into
different realities and experiences. Or we try to move beyond persisting mental problems
through externalizing existence. We focus and concentrate on external reality and
conditions, and our outward, physical behaviour and actions dealing with the world around
us.
Being Preoccupied and Paralyzed by Mental Problems
Unable to deal with constant mental problems and difficulties we become preoccupied with
them, leading to mental paralysis. Being unable to move beyond persisting mental problems
to focus or concentrate on anything else. We become mentally paralyzed, unable to make
choices, decisions or take action to deal with the problems and difficulties we face or
the conditions, demands and challenges that lie behind them. We become indecisive, unable
to take a step forward or backward, helpless, unable to help ourselves. We are unable to
pay attention or keep track of what we do, what we talk about, or what is taking place
around us. We loose touch with reality, the conditions of existence, our own mental and
physical existence and the world around us. We become paranoid and schizophrenic, unable
to establish a sense of order, stability, clarity of mind or understanding, certainty or
security in the mind about the conditions of existence, what we face and have to deal
with.
Escaping Into Different Experiences and Realities
Alternatively, we respond to persisting mental problems through escaping into different
experiences and realities. Experiences and realities that make fewer demands and challenge
us less mentally, which do not call into question our mental conditions and state of mind,
the beliefs, views, values, conventions and practices we embrace and act on. We escape
into experiences and realities that provide us with different, more acceptable and
manageable feelings about ourselves individually and the world around us. We escape into
different experiences and realities either internally in the mind or externally in the
world around us.
Internal Escapism into Dreams, Fantasies and Abstractions
Internally we escape into dreams, fantasies and abstractions, idealized images of
ourselves, the conditions of existence and the world around us we construct in the mind.
We create them in a number of different ways, through daydreaming or living vicariously
through books, plays, movies, music and so on. Escaping into dreams, fantasies and
abstractions we become detached from reality, the reality of our own mental and physical
existence and the world around us, which lie behind and which are reflected in our
experience. A reality that continuous to enter and impose itself on our mind and
awareness, challenging, threatening and calling into question our dreams, fantasies and
abstractions. The results and consequences are growing tension and conflict between our
experience of reality, on the one hand, and our dreams, fantasies and abstractions, on the
other, causing constant doubt, confusion, uncertainty and insecurity, stress, anxiety,
frustration and depression.
To deal with the reality of the conditions of existence and the world around us that
continues to impose itself on our mind and awareness we escape into ever more complex and
complicated dreams, fantasies and abstractions. We escape into dreams, fantasies and
abstractions of rising complexity, reaching levels that lie beyond our mental capacity to
manage and deal with them. As a result, we are getting lost in our dreams, fantasies and
abstractions, unable to keep track of details and specifics, leading to panic, phobia,
anxiety attacks, schizophrenia, and suicide.
External Escapism into Different Realities and Experiences
Externally we escape into different physical realities, activities and experiences, such
as travel, different geographic surroundings, different physical activities, sensations
and feelings, such as drugs, sex, speeding, movies, video games and so on. We escape into
realities and experiences that occupy our mind and attention and take us beyond persisting
mental problems and difficulties. We escape into realities and experiences that do not
threaten, challenge or call into question the established mental order and state of mind,
and which confirm our idealized pictures and images of ourselves and the world around us.
We escape into realities, activities and experiences that we feel we can manage and
control, where we can succeed and make ourselves feel good about ourselves. The problem is
we become dependent on, in need of and addicted to constantly changing conditions,
activities, sensations and feelings. We cannot afford to sit still for fear of persisting
and growing mental problems and difficulties imposing themselves on our awareness,
occupying centre stage in our mind.
Externalizing Existence and Development
The most common way of dealing with persisting mental problems, problems and difficulties
understanding and managing the mind and mental existence, is to externalize existence.
Focusing and concentrating on external conditions, the world around us, our outward
physical behaviour and actions engaging in, dealing with and managing the world around us.
The approach is deeply rooted and institutionalized in culture, in all cultures. It is
ingrained in socio-cultural beliefs, views, values, conventions and practices about the
conditions of existence and the world around us, and how to deal with them. The focus and
approach is to create externally in the world around us what by nature we must establish,
develop and maintain individually in the mind and mental existence; trying to create the
ideal external, socio-cultural and physical-material conditions of an ordered, stable,
secure and predictable world around us of easy material abundance.
We try to establish a sense of self, an identity, a sense of order and stability, clarity
and coherence, a sense of certainty, security and confidence externally beyond the mind
and mental existence. We try to establish them in socio-cultural and physical material
terms through the possession, control, accumulation and consumption of material goods and
resources, and socio-cultural positions, roles, functions, power, status and influence. We
look externally for guides and directions to define and govern our choices and decisions,
aims, goals and objectives, our behaviour and actions. We look to externally-defined
socio-cultural beliefs, views, values and conventions to define and govern, guide and
direct our understanding, choices and decisions, goals and objectives, behaviour and
actions managing ourselves and dealing with the conditions, demands and challenges of
existence and the world around us.
The result is, we become disconnected and alienated from the individual self, the mind,
mental existence and our experience of the conditions of our existence. At the same time,
we become dependent on others, those who define the community and society beliefs, views,
values, conventions and practices. We become dependent on others beyond the level of our
natural dependence on each other. The consequences include constant tension and conflict
between our experience of the conditions of existence that enter and impose themselves on
our mind and awareness, and externally defined beliefs, views, values and conventions that
we embrace and follow. Leading to feelings of stress, anxiety, frustration and depression,
feelings of helplessness, being controlled by and the victim of external conditions,
forces and developments, which lie beyond our control.
With changing external conditions, changing physical-material or socio-cultural
conditions, mental problems increase. Changing external conditions threaten, call in to
question or lead to the loss of externally defined identity, order and stability, clarity
and coherence, certainty and security. Sudden, rapid or dramatic change in external
conditions, such as for example, sudden and dramatic change in political, social or
economic conditions, the loss of job, employment or career, the loss of social contacts,
connections and networks will cause severe mental problems. External conditions, order and
stability no longer provide what we fail to establish and maintain internally in the mind
and mental existence. They no longer provide an escape from experience and feelings of
mental problems and difficulties, disorder and instability, doubt and confusion,
uncertainty and insecurity, worry, fear, stress, anxiety, frustration or depression. It
leads to mental problems that can grow to a point of mental and physical paralysis, no
longer being able to cope.
Behaviour and Actions
Before discussing the resulting problematic behaviour and actions we need to consider
briefly the nature of human behaviour and actions, both mental and physical behaviour and
actions, how they are related and connected. Human behaviour is how we behave, how we
react and respond to what we are confronted with, what we face and have to deal with in
life, the conditions, demands and challenges of existence and the world around us, and
changes within them. Human actions are what we actually do, the steps we take dealing
with, responding and adjusting to what we face and have to deal with.
Mental behaviour is how we react and respond in the mind to what enters the mind and
awareness, what we face and must deal with in the mind and mental existence. It is how we
react and respond to the experience, perceptions, sensations and feelings, thoughts and
ideas that enter the mind and awareness, and the conditions they create in our mind.
Mental actions are what we do in the mind, the mental steps we take dealing with the
experience, perceptions, sensations and feelings, thoughts and ideas that enter the mind
and awareness and the mental conditions they create.
Human physical or outward behaviour is how physically we react and respond to what we are
confronted with in the world around us. Physical actions are what physically we do, the
physical steps we take dealing with what we face and have to deal with in the world.
Mental behaviour and action, what we do in the mind and mental existence, define and
govern our physical behaviour and action, how we behave and act in the world around us.
Not the other way around, our physical behaviour and actions defining and governing what
we do, how we behave and act in the mind and mental existence.
It is in the mind where we experience, become aware, and where we must consider the
conditions of existence, the world around us, and how to deal with them. We experience the
conditions of our existence and the world around us through the perceptions, sensations
and feelings that enter our mind and awareness. To understand and deal with the conditions
of existence and the world around us we must consider and make sense of our experience,
perceptions, sensations and feelings, and the conditions that lie behind and that are
reflected in them. We must establish clarity of mind and understanding, a clear picture in
the mind about them.
To manage and sustain our existence, meet our needs, deal with, respond and adjust to
change and changing conditions, without causing problems and difficulties we must
establish first the necessary internal mental conditions. To deal with the conditions,
demands and challenges of existence and the world around us without causing problems and
difficulties we need to do so from within clarity of mind and understanding. We must
establish clarity of mind and understanding through engaging in the necessary mental work
and effort, mental behaviour and actions before engaging and dealing with external
conditions and the world around us. That is, our physical behaviour and action,
interacting and dealing with each other and the world around us must be guided and
directed from within the mind by our mental behaviour and actions establishing and
maintaining the necessary internal mental conditions, clarity of mind and understanding.
Our physical behaviour and actions must be guided and directed by what we do in the mind
and mental existence, by our mental behaviour and actions establishing and maintaining the
necessary internal mental conditions.
Persisting mental problems, failing to understand and manage the mind and mental existence
leading to problematic mental behaviour and action, in turn lead to problematic physical
behaviour and actions. They lead to problems and difficulties in how we deal with, relate
and interact with the world around us, with each other, the community and society. It
leads to behaving and acting in ways that contradict, conflict with and fall short of the
natural conditions of existence.
Problematic Mental Behaviour and Actions
The problematic mental behaviour and actions resulting from failing to understand and
manage the mind and mental existence include failing or insufficiently responding and
dealing with what we face and have to deal with, the experience, perceptions, sensations
and feelings, thoughts and ideas that enter the mind and our awareness. Failing or
insufficiently managing, responding and dealing with the conditions, needs, demands and
challenges of the mind and mental existence. Behaving and acting in ways that contradict,
conflict with and fall short of the natural conditions, needs, demands and challenges of
the mind and mental existence.
Behaving and Acting in Reactive and Defensive Ways
We behave and respond in reactive and defensive ways to what enters the mind and
awareness, to what we are confronted with and have to deal with in the mind and mental
existence. We react and try to protect the established mental order and state of mind from
external challenges that enter the mind through our experience. We fail to engage
mentally, consider and make sense of the experience, perceptions, sensations and feelings,
thoughts and ideas that enter the mind and awareness, the conditions that lie behind them
and how to deal with them, and adjust our mental order and state of mind accordingly.
We reject, ignore and dismiss whatever enters the mind that challenges, threatens or calls
into question the established mental order and state of mind. We ignore and try to escape
from the resulting mental problems - mental disorder and instability, doubt and confusion,
uncertainty and insecurity, feelings of worry, fear, stress, anxiety, frustration or
depression.
We act on raw, unprocessed experience, feelings and emotions, first impressions, instant
reactions and impulses, instead of acting on clarity of mind and understanding. Instead of
acting on clarity of mind and understanding about what we are confronted with and must
deal with, the experience, perceptions, sensations and feelings, thoughts and ideas that
enter the mind and awareness, the conditions that lie behind them and how to deal with
them. We act out and out of disorder and instability, doubt and confusion, uncertainty and
insecurity, worry, fear, stress, anxiety, frustration and depression, instead of
considering and dealing with the conditions that lie behind them.
We engage in mental actions of escaping into different realities and experiences
internally in the mind and externally in the world around us, instead of considering,
understanding and dealing with the experience that enter our mind and awareness and the
conditions that lie behind them. We engage in mental actions of creating dreams,
fantasies, idealized images and abstractions of ourselves, the conditions of our existence
and the world around us, instead of considering, understanding and dealing with the
reality that lies behind and that is reflected in our experience. Or we engage in mental
actions and steps to escape externally into different realities and experiences.
Alternatively, we engage in the mental actions of externalizing existence. Focusing and
concentrating on external conditions, the world around us, our outward physical behaviour
and action, instead of establishing first the necessary internal mental conditions before
engaging and dealing with external conditions and the world around us.
We develop the mental powers, abilities, skills and practices, the tools and methods to
ignore, deny, cover up and escape into different realities and experience, constructing
dreams, fantasies, abstractions and idealized images, to escaping into alternative
external realities and experiences, or to externalize our existence and development. We do
so at the expense of developing and practicing the mental powers, abilities, skills and
practices, tools and methods necessary to understand and manage the mind and mental
existence from the inside. To deal with, consider and make sense of what enters the mind
and awareness, experience, perceptions, sensations and feelings, thoughts and ideas, the
conditions that lie behind them, and how to deal with them. We do so at the expense of
developing and practicing the mental abilities, skills and practices, tools and methods to
deal with mental problems and difficulties, feelings of disorder and instability, doubt
and confusion, uncertainty and insecurity, feelings of worry, fear, stress, anxiety,
frustration and depression, through addressing the conditions that lie behind them. To
establish first in everything we do and we engage in the necessary internal mental
conditions before engaging and dealing with external conditions, others and the world
around us.
Results and Consequences
The results and consequences of problematic mental behaviour and actions include drifting
through the mind without focus, purpose or direction. Following experience, perceptions,
sensations and feelings, thoughts and ideas to wherever they take us. We get lost in the
mind, we do not feel comfortable or at home in our mind and mental existence. We are
restless and impatient, impulsive, short tempered and irritable, easily distracted, overly
sensitive, rejecting and resisting criticism, demands and challenges.
The results and consequences include difficulties disciplining ourselves, difficulties
controlling and directing the mind, attention, focus and concentration, what we do in the
mind, our mental behaviour and actions. Difficulties focusing and concentrating the mind
and attention on what we do, what we engage in or try to accomplish. We have difficulties
paying attention and keeping track of what we are doing and what is taking place around
us. Getting ahead of ourselves, ahead of the clarity of our mind and understanding,
jumping from issue to issue, thought to thought, idea to idea, heading off on unrelated
tangents, and jumping to conclusions. We have difficulties establishing clarity of mind
and understanding about issues, conditions, situations, demands and challenges, jobs and
tasks we face. We fall short, make errors and mistakes in what we do, what we are engaged
in and try to accomplish. Moreover, we are not learning from errors, mistakes and failures
instead we repeat them. We are unable to improve, develop, progress or grow mentally.
We have difficulties making sense of our experience, perceptions, sensations and feelings,
the conditions of existence and reality that lie behind them, and how to deal with them.
We have difficulties understanding and managing the conditions, demands and challenges of
existence, our role and responsibility in them. We have difficulties making choices and
decisions, defining aims, goals and objectives, considering, planning, organizing and
managing our behaviour and actions. We have difficulties dealing with and moving beyond
limits and shortcomings in personal development, errors and mistakes in what we do and
engage in. As a result, we suffer from feelings of failure, failing to succeed,
incompetence, lack of skills, ignorance, lack of knowledge and understanding, insecurity
and helplessness. We suffer from feelings of lack of control, purpose and direction in
life and existence.
We have difficulties establishing the necessary internal mental conditions to we engage
and deal with external conditions, others and the world around us. We have difficulties
connecting and integrating mental and physical existence, behaviour and actions into an
interactive process. Guiding and directing our outward physical behaviour and actions, how
we relate and interact with others and the world around us, from within the mind, through
clarity of mind and understanding. We also have difficulties dealing with, responding and
adjusting to change, changing conditions, needs, demands and challenges before they
develop in larger problems difficulties or crises, when only a minimum of mental work,
effort and adjustment are required.
We have difficulties recalling and recollecting from memory, issues, experiences,
situations, conditions, thoughts, ideas, information, details and specifics, choices and
decisions we have made. Having failed to process them mentally, order, arrange, consider
and make sense of them before they slipped into memory and not having paid attention to
what we do in the mind, we have difficulties to remember or recollect any of it. We do not
know where in memory anything is located, what it is part of or related to, and from where
to retrieve. As a result, we experience flashbacks and nightmares about experiences and
issues of which we are unaware, leading to feelings of worry, fear, stress, anxiety,
frustration or depression.
In addition, we have difficulties expressing ourselves, articulating and communicating our
thoughts and ideas, our experience, perceptions, sensations and feelings, our needs and
expectations, our choices and decisions, our goals, objectives or plans. In turn which
leads to difficulties interacting, connecting, communicating and cooperating with others.
We avoid social contact for fear of being questioned, judged or criticized. Resulting in
feelings of isolation and loneliness, of not being connected, being on the outside, not
being part of the social fabric or community.
Problematic Physical Behaviour and Actions
The problematic outward or physical behaviour and actions resulting from failing to deal
with mental problems, failing to understand and manage the mind and mental existence,
include trying to establish externally in the world around us what by nature we must
establish, develop and maintain in the mind and mental existence. Trying to establish a
sense of self, an identity, a sense of order and stability, clarity and coherence, a sense
of certainty, security and confidence externally, in socio-cultural and physical-material
ways, instead of establishing them internally in the mind and mental existence, where
individually we are in charge and in control, through individual mental work and effort.
We try to meet our non-material mental needs externally in material-financial and
socio-cultural terms, instead of meeting them in the mind through individual mental work
and effort. We try to meet a sense of self, a sense of order and stability, clarity and
coherence, certainty, security and confidence through the possession, control,
accumulation and consumption of material-financial resources, goods and values and
socio-cultural positions, roles and functions, power, status, influence and authority. We
try to meet our mental needs not in the mind through mental work and effort. Instead we
try to meet them through managing, rearranging, controlling and directing external
conditions and the world around us, others, nature and the natural environment, so they do
not challenge us, they do not make demands on our mind and they do not threaten or call
into question our mental order and state of mind.
We engage in the physical behaviour and actions of trying to create the ideal external
conditions of an ordered, stable, secure and predictable world around us of easy material
abundance, instead of establishing the necessary internal mental conditions before
engaging and dealing with the world around us. We engage in the physical behaviour and
actions to control external conditions, demands, challenges and change in the world around
us, instead of dealing with, responding and adjusting to them in the mind and mental
existence where we are in charge and in control.
We develop the physical powers, abilities, skills and practices, the tools, methods and
techniques to manage, rearrange, control and direct the world around us, others, nature
and the natural environment, natural forces, processes and developments. While we fail to
develop the physical powers, abilities, skills and practices, the physical tools, methods
and techniques to understand and manage our existence and development within existing and
changing external conditions, dealing with, responding and adjusting to change, changing
conditions, demands and challenges. We develop the physical powers, abilities, skills and
practices, the tools, methods and techniques to compensate for the lack of development of
our mental faculties and natural mental potential. We develop the physical powers,
abilities, skills and practices, the tools and methods to create in the world around us,
where we are not in charge and which we do not control, what we must establish
individually in the mind and mental existence, where we are in charge and in control.
As a result we consume natural material resources and goods beyond our actual material
needs. We degrade the natural environment and we interfere in nature, the natural
environment, natural forces, processes and developments beyond what is required to manage
and sustain human existence and development. We interfere in the life of others, trying to
control, manage and direct them, instead of connecting, communicating and cooperating with
them. We become dependent on external conditions, others and the world around us beyond
our actual natural dependence on them. We create problems and difficulties individually
for ourselves, for others and the world around us, for nature and the natural environment.
We get into disagreements, conflict and confrontation with those around us about the
possession, control and consumption of material resources, goods and values, and about
socio-cultural belief, views and values, social positions, roles, functions, power,
status, prestige and authority. And we exploit and deprive others of their basic needs for
our own benefit.