Peter Michaelson is a psychotherapist from Michigan. He believes that one of the most common reasons for insomnia (a racing mind) is caused by conflict in the human psyche.
Peter blames the 'aimless mental spin' common in insomniacs on a condition called inner passivity.
He says that there is an ongoing conflict in the human psyche between inner passivity (self doubt, the sense of being at risk, overwhelmed or helpless) and inner aggression (our final authority on right vs wrong).
During the day, these two forces balance each other out but at night, the superego (the part of our psyche that produces our inner aggression) quietens down.
This leads to a situation where our inner passivity takes control - leading to more frequent thoughts of self doubt, helplessness, panic and fear.
So how can this be resolved? Peter argues it all comes down to awareness.
He recommends telling yourself that the helplessness you feel is exactly how you want to feel and that you choose to feel it. By simply holding onto this awareness for 10-15 minutes, Peter says your chances of falling asleep will improve.
For more on this, check out the source link below.
Source: Why We Suffer
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Last updated: October 16, 2012
