“Life is divided into three terms - that which was, which is, and which will be.”
 William Wordsworth

What is the impact of the past, present and future on our psychological stability?  Could these concepts influence us in both positive and negative directions?  What if we could identify how each concept may have both a positive contribution to our personal values or a negative contribution to our personal problems.  This is not intended to be a full disclosure of these values or problems but rather a sampling of possible issues that begs our attention.

“The past is our definition. We may strive with good reason to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it. But we will escape it only by adding something better to it.” - Wendell Berry

The Past

The Negatives

Our brain processes past experiences in a myriad of ways.  Some of the negative processing has the potential to actively disrupt your present-day mental health.

Rumination is a state of mind where we are constantly replaying past events.  This circular thinking may trap the mind into rehashing past mistakes and regrets.  Rumination has been identified as a cycle of predominately negative thoughts with relatively few positive thoughts.  Rumination leads to increased anxiety.

The amygdala and hippocampus are altered by any past trauma.  The mind becomes hypervigilant to protect from any potential danger that may trigger these past traumatic events.  Many of these triggers are inappropriate emotional reactions to unrelated situations.  Fear and anger are part of the triggering mechanisms of past trauma.

Any unresolved issues from our past may lead to mistrust, avoidance, isolation, low self-esteem, attachment disruptions, weaponizing past mistakes, and self-sabotage.  All of these issues have the potential to escalate into additional mental health challenges such as depression, anxiety and self-harming.

The Positives

The past may also be credited with our positive values formulation.  Earlier positive experiences in life will contribute to our feelings of attachment and security.  These positive experiences from the past are foundational pillars to how we connect to others later in life.

Looking back to positive learning experiences are reminders of how we overcame adversity and built our resilience.  These past events are not just nostalgia but positive reinforcements of our strengths.  They give us satisfaction and even joyful memories that support our growth.

The past is also the place where our core values were formed.  Our positive values toward self and others have a history.  When we reinforce these values, it allows us to cope with the changes in our life.  We learn through these values the adaptation skills to move from our past to the present. 

“The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.” - Abraham Maslow

The Present

The Negatives

Modern day living presents several psychological challenges to being in the present.  Technology has created a digital dependency, which has led to increased social isolation.  This issue has become so universal that loneliness has become a major impact on longevity in modern society. 

Screenagers have become the norm and social media has increased social comparison and online bullying.   All of these factors have led to increased anxiety, depression and higher suicide rates.

Increased costs, financial instability, housing shortages, and increased competition in the job markets have also created higher stress levels.  Overcrowding, increased noise levels, and constant stimulation have also added more anxiety to modern living.  In addition, the constant media bombardment of negative global tension is adding to our overloaded nervous systems.

The Positives

Focusing on the positives of the present has multiple benefits.  The rumination and worry of the past would be avoided. 

Ideally, stress and anxiety would be reduced, which calms the nervous system.  The mind would be fully focused on what is going on and not wandering into distraction.

In the present, giving your undivided attention to relationships increases trust and creates more meaningful connections.  Concentration improves by letting go of multitasking and digital distraction. 

Physical and mental health is enhanced due to lower stress levels, improved sleep patterns, and lower blood pressure.  Overall, improved clarity and focus improves your decision-making skills and your quality of life.    

“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”

William Shakespeare

The Future

The Negatives

Obviously, climate change and technological change will challenge everyone in the future.  These realities may create other challenges like geopolitical conflict, job insecurity, food shortages, and increased mental health issues.

AI and the constant change of the digital world will also challenge our resilience to rapid adaptation.  These changes may also overload our capacity to maintain healthy relationships, especially face-to-face relationships.

Misinformation and disinformation may make it difficult to determine truth from fiction.  Manipulation by those in power could become overwhelming.  All these additional stressors may lead to increased burnout, depression, and anxiety.

 The Positives

Better decision-making skills in our future might include more long-term planning about climate and technology in particular, while avoiding short-term profit motivated solutions.  A better future would require a consistent focus on putting human and earth health creation above wealth creation.    

Eventually, your mental and physical health would be enhanced to a level that hopefully leads to the development and sustainability of a better future.  We are not in search of utopia here, but we are adamant about avoiding dystopia. 

Implications

We all have a past.  How do we recognise the values of our past and not get lost in the quagmire of the negatives in our past? 

Experiencing the positive or negative events of the past, present, or future is a choice.  It’s about our perception.  The way in which we interpret all sensory information is malleable. 

That is, just like any hard substance, information can be shaped into new forms that are more flexible and less breakable.