Suspiciousness is not the same as a little healthy skepticism.........

In the song ''Suspicious minds'' Elvis Presley sings:

''We can't build our dreams on suspicious minds''.

"The moment there is suspicion about a person's

motives, everything he/she does becomes tainted.''

(Mahatma Gandhi)

Is suspicion the same as mistrust?

If so, is not a little bit of mistrust or suspiciousness

(skepticism)at times perhaps quite helpful?

I mean, I seem to remember a saying: ''A little

bit of healthy skepticism can go a long way...''

As always with words, there's much ambiguity

and approximation when it comes to the interpretation.

As in: How much is ''a little bit''?

Exactly how does one define ''healthy skepticism''?

I am pretty sure that many ideas and dreams have

been ''snuffed out'' at their embryotic stage by

the words: ''Before you do that,

let me just offer you some healthy skepticism......''

''That sounds like a great idea, but have you

really thought it through? Not that I want to

be a skeptic or something.....

For good or for bad.

As I understand the word ''suspiciousness'', it is more than a 

little bit of skepticism, it is a hyperactive vigilance response,

as in: an elevated state of constantly ''scanning'' everything,

everybody and everywhere for potential ''threats'' of any kind.

Suspiciousness can become problematic if it makes

it difficult for us to form relationships with others

and to feel comfortable in new surroundings and situations.

It can also cause us trouble when we believe/view all

our suspicious thoughts to be true and see them as facts.

Once we do so we often tend to only notice that

which confirms our thoughts/beliefs and disregard

that which does not. (Confirmation bias)

There is a degree of low-level suspiciousness 

(healthy skepticism)inherent in most of us which serves for

the purpose of self-preservation, however,

suspiciousness when unchallenged, un-scrutinized,

 can lead to behaviour patterns

such as jealousy, obsession, and or anxiety that

may result in causing many difficulties and problems

as a consequence thereof.

In short, if we constantly distrust others and

search for ulterior motives behind what they say and do,

the chances are that we will find such.

Not necessarily because it's true, but because we believe it

to be so.

Some years ago when my anxiety was ''over the top''

I came across something called ''self-help tools''.

Basically one writes down some helpful words/sentences

 on a card/s that one carries with one.

For example:

When I could feel myself getting anxious I would

read one of these cards and it helped me to

move from an emotional mind to a thinking mind.

If you are battling with a suspicious mindset,

anxiety, depression or deepfelt insecurities,

perhaps you too can find comfort and relief

with the assistance of some of

your own self-help cards?

''Suspiciousness suffocates not only the person

who is at the brunt of it,

but also the person who is

the bearer of it.''

(Citizen Z)

about the image: acrylic on large poster paper

Title: in English: The Third Man

Made as an homage to the 1949 movie ''The Third Man'', directed by

Carol Reed and featuring Orson Wells