Rigid Thinking: How You End Up Brainwashing Yourself

“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly”
– Martin Luther King Jr.

You will be surprised to know that feeling miserable and stuck may actually be because you have unknowingly brainwashed yourself. Yes, you read that right. In today’s digital age, we are fed curated content that, we may not realise, is actually trapping ourselves in our own rigid thought patterns. The very algorithms designed to hold your attention are feeding you information that confirms your existing beliefs, narrowing your worldview and, in turn, diminishing your mental adaptability.

This eco-chamber thinking is not just psychologically harmful (more on this just now), but it also reduces your brain’s ability to adapt, grow, and thrive. The consequences are more profound than you think, affecting your creativity, emotional regulation, social connectedness, and your sense of wellbeing. But how do we stop brainwashing ourselves, and learn to become brain-thriving humans? The answer lies in understanding a key concept: cognitive flexibility.

Cognitive flexibility is the brain’s ability to adapt to new information and evolving circumstances and is essential for problem-solving, creativity, and emotional regulation. At a neurobiological level, this adaptability is largely supported by Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a critical protein for neuroplasticity. BDNF promotes the growth and survival of neurons, allowing the brain to rewire itself in response to new learning and experiences. However, when you are trapped in cognitive rigidity, it actually lowers BDNF production!

When you exhibit high cognitive flexibility, you are more likely to adapt to change, acknowledge your mistakes, understand another person’s perspective, and integrate new information to modify your behaviours or beliefs. However, when we become trapped in rigid thought patterns, those self-reinforcing beliefs and behaviours drastically reduce BDNF. This results in all-or-nothing thinking, leading to a rigidity that hinders cognitive flexibility. It locks your brain into repetitive patterns, limiting your ability to change, grow, or break free from deeply entrenched habits.

To make matters worse, studies have also shown that chronic stress further depletes BDNF levels. This just creates one vicious cycle: reduced BDNF diminishes cognitive flexibility, making it harder to escape rigid thought patterns, which in turn causes greater psychological stress, further lowering BDNF.

On a personal level, decreased cognitive flexibility erodes your self-confidence, motivation, spontaneity, interpersonal connectedness, and overall life satisfaction. You start to see the world through your limiting lens, and a very negative one at that. It is then also no surprise that individuals with low cognitive flexibility often struggle with psychotherapy. A therapist’s role is to offer new perspectives and alternative ways to interpret one’s thoughts, beliefs, and behaviours. But if you are trapped in rigid, polarised thinking, it becomes incredibly difficult to embrace and consider views that contradict your tightly held beliefs. It would then not be surprising to know that these individuals tend to not stick in therapy for long, which is unfortunate given that psychotherapy is one great way to overcome rigid thought patterns.

Apart from psychotherapy, there are other effective strategies that you can use to help prevent yourself from falling into this trap — or break free if you are already caught in it. One of the most effective, though not always accessible, ways is through travel. Immersing yourself in new cultures fosters a deep appreciation for your own heritage while expanding your worldview.

A more attainable method is to diversify your information sources. Do not rely on your usual, familiar news outlets. Alternate between reading left-leaning, right-leaning, and centrist perspectives to broaden your understanding. Another powerful tool, and one that is immediately available, is Socratic questioning. This method involves asking systematic, probing questions that challenge your current thinking. Questions like, “What if I am wrong about this?” or “How would I argue for their point of view?” can help break down rigid thinking patterns.

Lastly, be genuinely curious about others! Stop being intolerant of those who differ from you — they are essential to your growth as a human being. Read that again. In fact, I encourage you to deliberately seek out interactions with people who hold different beliefs, opinions, or perspectives from your own.

In a nutshell, the more rigid our thinking, the more we lose cognitive flexibility, leaving us feeling stuck, isolated, self-righteous, and ultimately, miserable. While it may feel satisfying to have your digital feeds perfectly curated, be intentional about the information you consume. Do not leave it up to the algorithms — because we all know where that road ends up!

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