Fragility of the Mind

Weathered stone bust with cracked, crumbling surface symbolizing the fragility of the mind

I used to think my brain could handle anything. Doom-scrolling at midnight? No problem. Absorbing everyone else's emotional drama while ignoring my own mental health? Sure, why not. I was basically running a mental marathon every damn day and wondering why I felt exhausted.

Then I realized something that changed everything: my mind is fragile as fuck, and I'd been feeding it digital junk food for so long, I'd forgotten what mental clarity even felt like.

When My Mental Spam Filter Broke

I'm lying in bed at 2 AM, brain spinning like a broken washing machine. I'd just spent three hours "staying informed," which really meant absorbing relationship drama, seventeen productivity hacks, political outrage, etc. on social media. My brain was trying to process all of this as if they all were equally important.

That's when it hit me. My mind had become a digital hoarder.

Research shows our brains are running Windows 98 while trying to operate modern software. We evolved to handle maybe a few dozen people's drama and the occasional predator. We did not evolve to simultaneously process global catastrophes and celebrity gossip.

The result? I was making bizarre choices. Thirty minutes analyzing a stranger's diet while ignoring my own anxiety patterns. Absorbing political scandals while remaining clueless about why I felt drained after social interactions.

The Energy Vampire Problem

If you're the type who feels everyone else's emotions, you're walking around with your emotional Wi-Fi password set to "admin123;" everyone can connect without asking permission.

Scientists studying empathic people find we struggle to separate our energy from others. My neural pathways didn't have filters saying, "this is Sandra's anxiety, not mine." Everything got processed as my direct experience.

I was running so many different emotional software programs while someone kept downloading more. No wonder.......

My Brain's Defense Mechanisms

When faced with this information tsunami, my mind deployed defense mechanisms. I developed "constant busyness" syndrome: if I was always doing something, I didn't have to think about the bigger picture. Problem was, I was avoiding good feelings too.

Sometimes I'd swing into analysis paralysis, thinking if I researched enough, I'd find the perfect answer. But my brain knew it didn't exist, keeping me searching forever in endless loops of consumption without processing.

My mental spam filter was completely broken.

The Boundary Revolution

Here's what I discovered: boundaries aren't about becoming cold — they're about sustainable caring. People with healthy boundaries maintain better relationships and provide more consistent support.

I learned to think of boundaries as doors, not walls. Doors open when appropriate and close when necessary.

My mind needed what researchers call a "digital detox:" a mental palate cleanser.

The System That Actually Works

Input Filtering: I started checking mental nutrition labels. Does this help me make better decisions or take action? If not, it's mental junk food.

Processing Boundaries: My brain needed time to digest complex information. I set specific times for heavy content: news, social media, emotional conversations.

Energy Management: I learned to prepare before emotionally intensive interactions. If one of my friends was calling, I'd decide in advance how much emotional energy I was willing to invest.

The Plot Twist

When I started protecting my mind from overload, I didn't become less informed or caring. I became more discerning, more thoughtful, and paradoxically more effective at helping with things that mattered.

My mind's fragility wasn't a bug; it was a feature. It's designed to be sensitive and responsive. But that sensitivity needs conscious protection to remain a strength.

The Bottom Line

My mind isn't a garbage disposal for the internet's waste. It's a sophisticated instrument capable of incredible beauty and wisdom, but only when I stop treating it like a dumping ground for every random piece of content.

I wouldn't feed my body gas station hot dogs and wonder why I feel like shit. So why was I surprised when digital junk made me anxious and scattered?

The revolution started with recognizing that my attention is the most valuable currency I possess, and I'd been giving it away for free.

Every time I choose to read instead of scroll, process instead of consume, reflect instead of react — I'm rebelling against forces designed to keep me mentally fragmented.

What's one piece of "mental junk food" you could eliminate this week? Your mind is waiting to show you what it can do with space to breathe.

As always, stay tricky, be open-minded, get curious — and protect that precious brain of yours lol.

Until next time,

Tricky Sol