Tunnel thinking: what is it and how to overcome it?

Can you see fifty shades of gray? No, this is not about a sensational film and not about the color of the asphalt as such. As diverse as our understanding of a situation is, we are also able to overcome difficulties. But when a "worm" called "tunnel thinking" sits in your head, then if you do not fall into the abyss, then the descent in a straight line is practically guaranteed for a person.

The term "tunnel thinking" came to psychology from ophthalmology. Oculists call tunnel vision the vision of people in whom the peripheral region of the retina is poorly developed or does not work at all. Simply put, a person with such a diagnosis sees only what is right before his eyes. Everything else is beyond the boundaries of his perception.

If in order to see what is on the sides, it is enough just to turn your head, then in order to correctly perceive the surrounding reality, you need to think differently.

At first it seems that he is doing everything right, but as soon as the situation gets out of control a little, he stumbles and cripples his life. This is often found among "nerds", schoolchildren who devote themselves entirely to their studies. Belief in unsurpassedness in them is instilled not only by their own successes, marked by grades in the diary, but also by the admiring speeches of their parents, and the praise of teachers.

In fact, children often hide their complexes or unwillingness to see and understand what is happening around them behind textbooks. After school, they enter a prestigious university. And already there the first problems may arise. Indeed, in order to get a higher education, it is not enough to master this or that subject.

And what happens to our hero next? He either begins to expand the circle of interests, or slowly goes downstream into the maelstrom of problems. It no longer seems to him that his brain is outstanding, all-night vigils over books do not give the desired result, yesterday's medalist leaves the institute. He is already quite satisfied with the position of the janitor or plumber. But his main conviction remains unshakable. And most often it sounds simply - "I am the best."

Even after university it can be difficult. Any problem, intrigues of competitors, misunderstanding on the part of the bosses or, conversely, subordinates will become an insurmountable obstacle. He just doesn't know how to get around it. His path is only forward in a straight line, he sweeps away everything that comes across to him on the way. And therefore this very track itself begins to clear in front of him. First, friends, colleagues, business partners go to the side.

Then his wallet begins to grow shallow, and since he was never capable of rich feelings, his wife (husband) leaves him. These people are also logged under the name "enemies". He has new "friends": alcohol, drugs, sects. Under their influence, he again feels himself the best of the best, the strongest of the most powerful and already completely loses touch with reality. It just rolls downward along the same flat path that until recently led him to the peaks.

It can be difficult to discern whether a person has light at the end of the tunnel or is going nowhere. After all, in appearance they are usually successful, educated, purposeful people. There are a number of signs that suggest there is a problem behind it all.

• A person does not admit his own mistakes... If something does not work out for him, he will never look for the reason in himself. Such a citizen will immediately find the guilty ones: the situation, the weather, the people. The main thing is that this list will never include himself and any of his own shortcomings. Rather than grappling with problems, he goes to war with the windmills. The first remain in place, the second twist it into a whirlpool of even greater troubles.
• Tunnel thinking does not imply the presence of semitones. For a person with this way of life, everything is divided exclusively into black and white. Moreover, they never change places. Even if it has already been proven that his idol is a criminal, he will never turn his back on him. Doing so would mean that he himself was wrong. And this is unacceptable. As a result, having once believed in a certain postulate, even a very dubious one, whoever has let him into his tunnel will never let him out.
• He doesn't need half of the success, part of the prize, or a piece of the pie. Its motto is all or nothing. He does not know how to be content with little, if even in the eyes of others it is quite a success. If this is an artist, then he does not need a concert hall for 5,000 people, this will only perform in huge stadiums. In the end, all tickets will be sold, but not for his performance.
• "I am always right! If not, read point one. " For a person with tunnel thinking, there is only one correct view of life - his own. Everything that contradicts him is the heresy of fools and idlers. He never listens to advice, because he is his own "king and god".

All failures are the intrigues of enemies or an unfortunate combination of circumstances. As a result, he bangs his head against the same wall for years. And all this time, only his faith in the rigidity of the world around him grows. The fact that he himself limited the space around him does not enter his head.

All this leads to disappointment in life, but not in yourself. Grief and resentment are filled with wine, and from this the problems only grow. By the way, among alcoholics and drug addicts, the greatest concentration of citizens with tunnel thinking. And they brought themselves into this state on their own, without anyone's help. In their opinion, they do not need it. But you can still render it. Especially at the initial stage of going into the "head tunnel".

Of course, it is best to see a specialist. The psychologist can carry out the correction and take the patient out of the tunnel, including in group trainings.

Sometimes it is enough to have a heart-to-heart talk with friends or relatives who can help to see the situation from the outside. But for this, one who has become dependent on his own straightforwardness must realize the problem. He needs to understand that his line will never lead him to the desired goal and it's time to look for workarounds. But, like any other disease, it is also easier to prevent than to cure.

To do this, you need to teach a person from childhood to think in a variety of ways. The following tips will help you think adequately.

• Read on. And not tabloid magazines, but smart literature. Daria Dontsova, with all due respect to the author of hundreds of detective stories, will not work. We need books that make one think and develop, offering not just immersion in a criminal story, but also empathy, in which a person can feel it, learn to empathize.
• Compose. Retell what you saw, heard, or read more often. Better yet, state your thoughts on a particular case, work, person on paper. This makes it easier to understand how correct you are in your judgments.
• Get creative. Classes in music, dancing, painting help not only broaden the horizons, but also teach you to see what is hidden. Yes, not every one of us is a great creator, but to understand art at least a little is quite accessible to everyone. Look into the eyes of Mona Lisa. Those who definitely do not have tunnel thinking are Leonardo da Vinci!
• Guess riddles... Do logic exercises more often. Buy the cheapest problem book and do at least one exercise a day. The brain will simply be forced to work in different directions.
• Analyze... Try to understand why this or that event began to unfold in this way and not otherwise. Why does the neighbor on the right succeed, but the one on the left is frankly unable to cope. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. Try on other people's masks.

And do not be afraid to change, either externally or internally. We create our own way of thinking. No one will help us get off the crooked path until we ourselves want to. And remember the great Eastern wisdom - if the mountain does not go to Mohammed, then Mohammed goes to the mountain.