Last year, Ficklin was feeling a little sad andanxiousabout moving out of her familys home of 23 years.
Or maybe you notice the number 33everywhereand see it as a breadcrumb leading you in a certain direction.
So…whats actually going on here?
CSA-Printstock
When in reality theyre completely random.
Apophenia is a very normal result of your brains ability to recognize patterns.
This tendency to find meaning in the world around us is practically in our DNA.
One of the main things [the brain] is supposed to do is to find patterns.
Imagine how confusing and overwhelming the world would be if our brainswerentreally good at connecting the dots.
You couldnt learn to do algebra or play piano if you couldnt detect patterns.
The price we pay is occasionally connecting dots that dont really belong together.
Were not totally sure why some of us are more apophenia-prone than others, though experts have theories.
Seeing signs from the universe can actually have a positive effect on your mental and emotional health.
Apophenia has its upsides.
The benefit is that you notice more things, Dr. DeYoung says.
You get more enjoyment out of the sensory world.
Apophenia is indeedlinked with creativity, Dr. DeYoung says.
There may even be some psychological or emotional benefits to experiencing apophenia, Dr. Rominger says.
It was so easy to have a doom-and-gloom mindset, Cox tells SELF.
She started seeing the number 444 everywhereon receipts, license plates, clocks.
Cox took it to mean that she was on the right path.
Every time I saw that number, I could just feel my nervous system relax.
Before I even saw the inside, I was like, Im supposed to be here, Cox says.
She nabbed the apartment.
However, putting too much stock into these signs can be risky.
(It doesntcausepsychosis itself, though.)
(Like getting back with that toxic ex.)
Other than that, theres nothing wrong with a little belief in good vibes from the cosmos.
Sometimes you get that confidence boost by assigning meaning to random things.
Sometimes, a little wink is all you need.
