How to deal with obsession. How to get rid of obsessive thoughts? Psychologist's advice

Obsessive thoughts are a condition in which false thoughts and ideas constantly scroll through the head and do not allow a person to live normally.

In psychiatry, their appearance is defined as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OKP), in neurology this condition is called obsessive-compulsive disorder, in psychology The other stage of such a disorder is encrypted under the name “mental chewing gum.” This condition is exhausting for a person, since the constant thoughts in his head, negative memories, desires or fears create a painful feeling. It is difficult for him to cope with them alone, so there is a fear that he will never get out of this state. This disorder can occur at any age and with varying intensity.

Risk factors and mechanism of occurrence of the disorder

The emergence of obsessive thoughts can be sudden after a traumatic situation, and a person, through his habits and rituals, can lead himself to this state. What are the reasons for the occurrence of OKP?

1. The habit of building internal dialogue. Since childhood, we have been advised to count to 100, elephants, and so on to fall asleep. This is a habit from kindergartens, when all children were taught to live within the same framework. Some adapted well to them, but some children found it difficult to live according to the “Sadikovsky” regime. Therefore, they invented some characters and communicated with them, counted them. This habit leads to constant thinking through problems, discussing issues, counting, and so on. A person’s brain does not rest, because instead of the proper rest, his mental processes work, remembering something, imagining and analyzing. This habit can be carried over into a regular workday, for example, counting passing cars, white windows, and so on.

2. Analysis and review of your attitudes and beliefs. Especially in difficult situations, a person thinks through his answers, principles and values ​​of life, as a result of which he is even more confirmed in the correctness of his beliefs. But such constant repetition exhausts the patient, which leads to anxiety about these thoughts, insomnia, headache and lethargy.

Obsessive thoughts about any problem can turn into a pathological state of the psyche, when ordinary health care becomes hypochondria, and caution before op. This situation turns into paranoia.

Constant physical or mental stress leads to anxiety, chronic fatigue, lack of sleep and neurosis. This is where OKP and other disorders arise. Even with intense work, it is necessary to give yourself a rest, as there may be emotional and mental disruptions in work, expressed through obsessive thoughts.

Reason to worry

Obsessive thoughts can arise for various reasons, even the most illogical. Different thoughts come to a person, there is no need to be afraid of this. This is a reflection of our experiences, incoming information through the media and communication. But what matters is how we relate to these thoughts. When the thought of suicide comes to the patient and he begins to fear it, this is good and does not indicate pathology. For people prone to suicide or murder, such thoughts will not cause fear or negative emotions. Such people are thinking of ways to do this.

A psychologist or psychiatrist will help you get rid of such thoughts in your head. But sometimes you need to help yourself in time. Recommendations for such assistance will be described below. Suspicious people believe everything, even illogical thoughts that arise in their heads as a result of experiences, analysis of information or events. They begin to believe in their illogical thoughts, accepting them as reality. This state also has a physiological and biochemical basis; after prolonged “processing” of thoughts in the brain, certain processes begin:

• excitation of neurons and creation of neural connections, which lead to the formation of a response reflex with constant obsessive thoughts;
• production of stress hormones (cortisol, aldosterone, adrenaline);
• OK manifestation of somatic symptoms when the autonomic nervous system is connected: muscle tone, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased sweating, dry mouth, Difficulty breathing, tremors of limbs.

This is a normal reaction of the body to the anxiety that arises as a result of obsessive thoughts. The brain reacts to both real and imagined threats. It is possible to combat obsessive thoughts and fears, with the help of a specialist this process will significantly speed up.

Manifestations of disorder

Anyone who has survived an attack of obsessive thoughts knows their influence on human behavior. The patient himself brings little pleasure from constant thoughts that are not substantiated by logic. This state is accompanied by illogical actions of a person, sometimes he can whisper to himself, constantly getting lost in his thoughts. He can often be found at the stage of thinking about something.

There are also physical manifestations of the disorder; symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia are typical. It is undoubtedly necessary to get out of such a state, since it affects the productivity of a person’s actions. Some people find music for sleep to help them get rid of such obsessive thoughts, some people constantly distract themselves with something, but this is just working with the symptoms. The underlying disorder needs to be treated, sometimes with medication.

Treatment

So, how can you get rid of obsessive thoughts? There is a certain algorithm of actions of specialists that helps to stop in time attacks of obsessive thoughts that lead to anxiety disorders and panic attacks.

Drug treatment

In some cases, it is necessary to remove obsessive thoughts from your head with the help of medications. Medicines for neurosis are used. This is a common method for eliminating physiological symptoms of mental disorder. But no drugs can replace psychotherapy or a therapeutic heart-to-heart conversation with a specialist. Antidepressants help treat obsessive thoughts for good sleep or inclusion in the process of life. At the same time, the disorder is muffled, but not treated. Most patients do not like taking such medications, as they are constantly drowsy, lethargic and find it difficult to concentrate. The medication is prescribed and adjusted by the doctor.

Psychotherapy

A psychotherapist or psychologist will tell you how to distract yourself from obsessive thoughts at an individual appointment. To overcome this condition, the professionalism of a specialist and knowledge in various psychological schools are required. In a conversation with a patient, the doctor uses different directions.

Cognitive direction

Often a person gets used to observing rituals, for example, before going to bed, counting or thinking through the events of the past day. When working in the cognitive direction, the specialist places emphasis on recognizing responsibility for one’s thoughts. The result of the work should be teaching the patient a constructive response to such thoughts and ideas that defy logic. A person also learns to do important actions without following the usual rituals.

Direction of family psychotherapy

As a rule, a person with such a disorder lives in a family or has his own environment. It has long been a known truth that our environment influences us. The work of a psychologist The work of a psychologist should ideally also involve the patient’s family. Obsessive-compulsive disorder in most cases develops due to problems in relationships with loved ones. The psychologist’s task is to understand the patient’s family relationships and help harmonize them.

Self-therapy

When obsessive thoughts become the result of the habit of “pulling over” and repeating everything in the brain, at this stage a person can help himself overcome this what condition. To do this, you need to follow the recommendations.

1. Recognize that not all thoughts are smart, logical or true. Emerging thoughts are not part of the reality around us or ourselves; they can be completely inadequate and illogical. Thoughts are just a reflection of our living conditions, mood, experience, knowledge, values ​​and circumstances, imagination and assumptions. The interweaving of all these components in the brain sometimes leads to absurd thoughts.

2. Acceptance. When people have obsessive thoughts, they try not to think about them and occupy themselves with something to distract themselves. As a rule, such actions aggravate the condition, so accepting an idea will help you get out of the vicious circle. As soon as the thoughts themselves stop bothering you, the feeling of anxiety will decrease - and this is already halfway to defeating the disease.

4. Create a positive image. Positive experiences will help you free yourself from negative emotions. Try to imagine a bright, joyful event (can be fictitious) in as much detail as possible.

5. Look for secondary benefits. In some cases, obsessive thoughts are a way of protecting yourself from some unresolved problems. Try to understand what they are masking and solve these problems. After this, the neurotic state will disappear. Sometimes obsessive behavior becomes an excuse to be unhappy. This is an excuse not to take on difficult matters, look for a job, etc.

6. Relaxation. In addition to psychological stress, there is also physical stress, so relaxation will be an important procedure for overcoming it. You should do a warm-up for 10-15 minutes a day. For example, lie on the floor and keep your legs straight. Hands along your body, head straight, close your eyes, try to relax every cell of your body and lie motionless. Breathing should be smooth and calm.

7. Fight negative thinking. This technique is called the “switch”, because the essence is to imagine your obsessive fears as clearly as possible, in detail, in the form of a switch and at the right moment simply turn it off. The main thing is to imagine everything in your imagination.

8. Correct breathing. Psychologists say: “Inhale courage, exhale fear.” Even inhalations with a slight delay, and then exhalations, normalize the physical condition during an attack of fear. This will help you calm down.

9. Responding to an alarm with action. A difficult practice when a person “looks fear in the eye.” If the patient is afraid to speak, then you need to put the patient in front of the public. You will be able to overcome fear through “drive”.

10. Play a role. The patient is asked to play the role of a confident person. If this state is practiced in the form of a theatrical game, then the brain at some point may respond to it, and the obsessive fear will pass.

One of the causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder is stress and psychological fatigue. To prevent and treat such a problem, you need to be able to relax and restore your emotional state. Aromatherapy helps with stress or depression. It is necessary to combine it with psychotherapy, because aromatherapy is only a way to relieve tension, but not to solve the root problem.

Almost every person at least once was overcome by unpleasant, disturbing thoughts that took over their thoughts for a short time. However, such experiences did not interfere with fulfilling daily obligations and did not force them to radically adjust their behavior. Unlike such short-lived and unsettling sensations, obsessive thoughts, called in medicine obsessions, “besiege” the brain involuntarily, for a long time and contrary to the volitional efforts of a person.

Peculiarity

Obsessive thoughts are similar to a bad habit: a person understands their illogicality, but it is very difficult to get rid of such experiences on your own. When frightening and disturbing ideas arise, a person maintains a clear consciousness, and his cognitive functions do not suffer. He is critical of his painful condition, and he understands the irrationality of his “obsession.” Often, obsessive thoughts are very frightening due to their obscenity, which in reality is uncharacteristic and alien to a person.

Intrusive thoughts may be adjacent to compulsive actions- an obsessive stereotype of behavior that a person resorts to in order to prevent or eliminate painful ideas that have consumed the consciousness. In this case, we can assume the development of a mental abnormality of a chronic, progressive or episodic nature.

Obsessive thoughts can be accompanied by a high level of pathological or go along with symptoms of depression: depressed mood, ideas of one’s own worthlessness and guilt.

As a rule, a person chooses one of the ways to deal with obsessive thoughts: active or passive. In the first case, the person will deliberately act contrary to his overwhelming idea. For example: if he is haunted by the thought that he will definitely die under the wheels of a car, he will deliberately walk along the side of the highway e. In the second, more common version, he chooses avoidance behavior: he tries to prevent and avoid situations that are scary for him. For example, if a person is convinced that he will inflict a wound with a sharp object around him, he will never pick up a knife and will try not to keep cutting objects in sight.

Classification

How unique each person is, so diverse and extraordinary are the obsessive thoughts that overcome people. Psychologists have repeatedly made attempts to describe and classify obsessive thoughts. Among the most authoritative sources is the classification proposed by Jasper. He divided obsessive thoughts into two large groups: abstract - those ideas that do not lead to fear, and figurative - intense experiences with an affect of anxiety.

The first group includes experiences that are useless and essentially harmless:

• reasoning - fruitless verbosity;
• Arithmomania – irrational need to count objects;
• unnecessary division of words into syllables, and a sentence into words;
• the need to constantly retell your memories to people around you.

The second group consists of more threatening ideas, which are characterized by a persistent affect of anxiety:

• persistent doubts and uncertainty in performing any actions;
• haunting fears of doing something improperly;
• attraction and desire to commit obscene, prohibited acts;
• psychopathic experiences of past events, perceived by the patient as occurring in reality;
• mastering ideas – transferring the individual’s thinking into virtual reality.

People who are haunted by obsessive thoughts can be roughly classified into the following categories:

• « Raccoons" The fear of infection and contamination creates in patients the need for continuous hygiene procedures, washing linen and things, cleaning and disinfecting the apartment.
• « Reinsurers" The anticipation of imminent danger forces people to constantly double-check that electrical appliances are turned off, water and gas are turned off, and the door is locked.
• « Blasphemous atheists" Such persons tend to strive to do everything impeccably, because they are guided by considerations that they will inadvertently sin.
• « Pedants" They are haunted by obsessive thoughts about the need to maintain ideal order, a certain sequence in the arrangement of things, their strict symmetry.
• « Guardians" Such individuals are convinced of the importance of storing any items reminiscent of the past that are absolutely unusable or unnecessary in the present. For them, the idea of ​​accumulation is a kind of ritual, insurance against the “inevitable” catastrophe that will occur if such things are thrown away.

Causes of obsessive thoughts

At this stage of medical development, there is no common understanding of the cause of obsessive thoughts. The most substantiated are two hypotheses that combine provoking factors.

Biological factor:

• congenital anatomical features of the structure of the brain, leading to the peculiar functioning of the nervous system;
• disruptions in the neurotransmitter metabolic chain, deficiency of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and GABA;
• genetic mutations of the serotonin transporter – the hSERT gene, localized on chromosome 17;
• infectious influence of streptococci (PANDAS syndrome).

Psychoneurological factor

• problems of growing up: the emergence of complexes in childhood;
• a type of higher nervous activity existing in humans with characteristic inert excitation and labile inhibition;
• the predominance of anancastic traits in the personality;
• chronic traumatic situations (read more about);
• severe fatigue and exhaustion of the nervous system.

Treatment of obsessive thoughts

A variety of techniques have been developed to treat obsessive thoughts. In most cases, they can be eliminated without resorting to pharmacological treatment, using the arsenal of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy.

Psychotherapeutic treatment

• Cognitive-behavioral technique involves an iterative impact on the source of a person’s illogical and inappropriate beliefs, which constitute the essence of obsessive thoughts. During sessions, the patient is gradually limited, leading to a complete ban, in the use of forced compulsive behavior - habitual defensive actions that alleviate anxiety.
• Cognitive-behavioral approach allows you to completely “reprogram” the brain thanks to a conscious, purposeful focus on catastrophic experiences. In parallel with this, the individual achieves a weakening of the hypertrophied sense of responsibility, learning ways of functional healthy response to emerging obsessive thoughts.
• Group psychotherapy sessions– a useful measure for obsessive disorder. Interaction with people who have similar problems allows a person to dissuade himself from his “abnormality”, gain confidence in the success of treatment, become a more active participant in therapeutic procedures and quickly get rid of obsessive thoughts.

Pharmacological treatment

Drug therapy– an additional measure in the treatment of the disorder, designed to alleviate the symptoms of obsessive disorder. As a rule, a combined treatment regimen is used, consisting of various groups of drugs:

• antidepressants;
• tranquilizers;
• neuroleptics.

In case of involuntary occurrence of disturbing obsessive thoughts, monotherapy using selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) is preferable, for example: venlafaxine. When attention deficit disorder occurs, it is advisable to combine SSRI drugs with the latest developments - drugs from the SSRI group, for example: combination sertalina (Sertralinum) And atomoxetine (Atomoxetinum).

If there is intense anxiety, treatment is carried out at the initial stage anxiolytics, For example: diazepam (Diazepamum). Benzodiazepine tranquilizers, influencing the limbic system of the brain, regulate emotional functions. There is an assumption that these medications inhibit the action of the neurons of the “punishment system”, which determine the occurrence of subjective negative feelings, including obsessive thoughts. However, treatment with these drugs should be exclusively episodic or short-term due to the risk of developing persistent drug dependence.

For the chronic course of obsessive thoughts in the absence of effect from antidepressant therapy, antipsychotics are used ( antipsychotics), For example: risperidone (Risperidonum). It is worth noting that, although taking antipsychotics reduces the intensity of the emotional sphere, there is a direct relationship between increased obsessive thoughts, the development of depression and prolonged use of large doses of antipsychotics. Therefore, in some countries, for example in the USA, the treatment of progressive mental disorder is not carried out with these medications. In the post-Soviet space, in psychiatric practice for severe forms of OBD without depressive symptoms, it is customary to use long-acting drugs, for example: Zuclopenthixolum.

How to get rid of obsessive thoughts without pharmaceuticals? An alternative remedy for the treatment of obsessive thoughts in depression is a herbal product - St. John's wort extract, for example: in the form of a drug HelariumHypericum. A vitamin-like substance has a beneficial effect on the condition of people suffering from obsessive thoughts inositol.

Treatment with biological methods

In severe forms of the disorder and unrelenting obsessive thoughts, an advisable measure is use of non-comatose atropinization, which involves intramuscular or intravenous injections of high doses of atropine. This biological method leads to depression or complete shutdown of consciousness, which makes it possible to relieve symptoms by improving the suggestibility of patients during hypnotherapy.

How to get rid of obsessive thoughts: effective self-help methods

• Step 1. An important step in overcoming unpleasant obsessive thoughts is to collect as much useful information as possible about the nature of the disorder by choosing reliable, verified sources. The more knowledge a person has, the easier it is for him to overcome painful sensations.
• Step 2. How to get rid of obsessive thoughts? The main task in independent work is to understand and acknowledge the fact that obsessive thoughts are not a reflection of the events of reality, but an illusion created at the moment by a sick imagination. You should convince yourself that the fantasies that arise are temporary and surmountable, and they do not pose a threat to life.
• Step 3. Changing negative obsessive thoughts requires daily painstaking work, which requires a responsible approach and does not accept fuss. You should put it on paper, or tell a friend, exactly what experiences are preventing you from living, and what events are associated with their occurrence.
• Step 4. Remember that the “goal” of obsessive thoughts is to protect your brain from the flow of reliable information, isolating you from friends, family, and acquaintances. Therefore, no matter how much you would like to be left alone with your thoughts, you should not withdraw into yourself and refuse friendly communication or support.
• Step 5. In the case of obsessive thoughts, the following method helps many: “They knock out a wedge with a wedge.” For example, if you are convinced that you will definitely become a victim of bites from even a tiny dog, get yourself a reputable service dog. In your own practice, you will see that your fantasies are absolutely groundless, and fear can be tamed, just as you can successfully tame a pet.
• Step 6. An excellent means of self-help for obsessive thoughts are water procedures:
• taking warm baths while simultaneously applying a cool compress to the head;
• contrast shower, dousing alternately with warm and cool water;
• long swims in natural reservoirs.
• Step 7 You should learn and apply relaxation methods, meditation techniques, yoga, which will help relieve anxiety - a companion of obsessive thoughts.
• Step 8 It is necessary to exclude psychotraumatic situations in the work team and in everyday life. A very important task for parents whose children are predisposed to emotional disorders: to raise the child correctly - to prevent the formation of an inferiority complex or an opinion about his superiority, not to cultivate the idea of ​​​​his indispensable guilt.
• Step 9 How to get rid of obsessive thoughts? Take measures to maximize room lighting: remove thick curtains, use lamps with bright light. Remember that sunlight activates the synthesis of serotonin, the pleasure hormone.
• Step 10 Treatment for obsessive thoughts includes following a proper diet. The diet should contain foods high in tryptophan: bananas, dates, dark chocolate, figs.

A prerequisite in the program is how to get rid of obsessive thoughts: to prevent the development of alcoholism, drug addiction and substance abuse - powerful killers of the nervous system.

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03/26/2018 at 22:55 For such offensive definitions of types of people with OCD, for example, “raccoons” and others, I would sue half-educated psychologists and deprive them of their license. Or better yet, hit him over the head with a stick! You are moral freaks, not psychologists!

The problem of suicide has become especially pressing in recent decades. Causes, types, preventive measures to prevent suicide.

Hello, dear friends!

Our brain generates hundreds of thousands of thoughts every day. Some of them are pleasant, filled with good memories and euphoria in anticipation of the next portion of events.

But what to do with those thoughts that are similar to an obsessive, panic attack? Sometimes they can wake us up in the middle of the night and ask us to think about painful things.

Such reflections remind me of the lyrics of a song that, like an “earworm,” takes root in the subconscious and treacherously hums a boring refrain. How to remove obsessive thoughts from your head?

In today’s article I would like to discuss some of the peculiarities of the birth of such mockery of the subconscious over our common sense and logic. And also try to find a way to solve this interesting problem.

Walking in circles

Probably, such obsessions are familiar to many. They can occupy the mind and force endlessly " suck thoughts”, returning to the same experiences in a circle.

Constant experience thoughts in your head, trying to resolve them or even influence what happened a couple of years ago, can drive any reasonable person crazy.

An attempt to untie the “noose tie” often turns into an even more frightening “strangulation”.

And to the usual stress is added a newly acquired question, fueled by an inner voice: “ How to stop this? Can't I do this? ».

Some can boast of such an acquisition since childhood. At times, we caught ourselves thinking that think and worry for something was not a prerequisite.

It would seem that you should sit with your butt in the sandbox and make Easter cakes, but no, thoughts like a hurricane burst into our childish, impressionable reality, gifted with fantasies, and that’s when the marathon of “cartoons” began, which is difficult to stop at a fairly mature age. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Habit of the brain constantly process information and “chew” ideas, situations and events, can catastrophically worsen against the background panic attacks, as well as other psychological problems.

This in turn leads to insomnia, neuroses, nervous breakdowns and bags under your own bags under your eyes.

How to overcome the vicious circle of thoughts and thoughts move to a new, subconscious level of correct perception of reality ?

First rule

First of all, it is worth understanding the peculiarities of your own body. Pondering obsessive thoughts is nothing more than an emotion. Excessive emotionality or inept handling of them expression, leads to such, obsessed fiasco.

Thoughts originate from emotions, as well as from the subconscious, non-rational nature of the adventure.

They are directly related to personal concerns, and of course, anxieties. It is for this reason that they acquired the name obsessive.

When we think, we emotionally color the thought in a certain tone of the narrative with a plus or minus sign. This doesn't seem bad, right?

But! The signal they give appears to us as the following, masterfully encrypted sentence: “ Aw! Human! There's a problem, a problem! You urgently need to look for a solution, otherwise the fluffy animal will personally come to say hello! »

If you look at it from the other side, how I like to do it, you can note a small plus in obsessive states.

They signal to us that there is unsolved problem, which you definitely won’t forget! And you won't be able to disable this notification or the option to stop the unbridled fun.

Again, our brain does not always adequately perceive what is happening. Ghostly phantoms of an inflamed and tired subconscious, adjust to a standard set of alerts, imaginary experiences.

And then, for example, taking care of your body can develop into hypochondria, and the desire to protect oneself is transformed into paranoia and a home bunker made of blankets and a bed.

The conclusion I made is the approach to the situation. Its essence is addressed to understanding the key feature- you can’t fight annoying thoughts with logic, because they irrational roots of occurrence.

So how can we develop a new attitude towards the usual thinking process?

Second rule

The right solution lies on the surface and sends rocket signals into the Universe. First of all, you need to understand the nature of the origin of personal experiences. Are these real events or games of our mind? Is there any justifiable reason nervous and fidgety?

It happens that chewing gum from thoughts drives you to white heat, but in fact it is an empty exaggeration and in fact a fly, not an elephant.

You should consider whether there are causes for annoying thoughts? And immediately write them down on a sheet of paper for visual elaboration.

For example, do you think that you are terminally ill and this thought kills you without a weapon? Maybe the symptoms you feel really indicate a possible health problem? If this is the case, then you should consult a doctor in order to dispel fears and make sure that you noticed the insidious disease in time.

In the case when you have passed all the tests, tests, x-rays and smears, and you are diagnosed with a simple runny nose - forget it.

Once you cross this issue off the list and mark it as resolved, you can move on to the following points and feel like a hero of the MythBusters program.

Regardless of whether the problem is real or a figment of your imagination, concentrating your attention on it constantly is an unfavorable outcome of events in advance. You either solve it or you don't. heating up the Universe with your own panic.

Third rule

Elaboration loosening your grip morbid thinking is possible when you are in optimistic mood and have inner peace. I think the morning before the main procedures would be ideal here.

Believe that scrolling through thoughts one after another is pointless. The purpose of such mockery is to confuse and misinform you through deception and gigantic exaggeration.

• realize absurdity panic state;
• to solve the problem if it is possible to do this, forget- if the exit is not found;
• remember, “thoughts in a circle” is a repetition of the “old song” to a new tune;
• need to realize the need for calm reaction It’s my nature to panic;
• practice pacifying the volcano of emotions at a critical and stressful moment in life;
• do not be afraid, but work with him, because he is the one who can make you better.

Help yourself to see the banality of the situation. Say phrases when you feel increasing tension and the motives of a familiar song:

• « I'm safe! — Tests confirmed that I am healthy! »;
• « Everything is already good! — I am surrounded by positivity and calmness! »;
• « I will complete all tasks on time! - I’m already solving the production problem! Which means I'm smart!" etc.

Argue your own position clearly and clearly. A lengthy argument with repeated thoughts is doomed to lose, because complexes and fear, will win the battle with logic and even intelligence.

In conclusion, I will say that you will have to arm yourself patience and allow yourself to gain new experience of daily work on yourself, which in turn will make your life more successful!

That's all. Friends, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog updates and recommend it to your friends to read. In the comments, tell us about your way of dealing with obsessive thoughts! And have you encountered similar conditions?

See you on the blog, bye-bye!

Often negative thoughts and feelings prevent us from enjoying the good things in life. Gradually, we begin to think about bad things more and more often, and immersing ourselves in negative thoughts becomes a habit that is difficult to eradicate. In order to overcome this habit (as well as any other), you need to change your way of thinking.

When we're stressed about something, the last thing we want is for negative thoughts to add to our stress, so it's important to learn how to cope with the endless stream of thoughts. In this article we will talk about how to rid yourself of unnecessary worries.

Steps

Change your way of thinking

Think about today. When you are tormented by anxious thoughts, what do you think about most often at that moment? You are probably reliving past events (even if it happened a week ago) or thinking about what will happen in the future. In order to stop worrying, you need to remember about the present moment, about today. If you shift your attention from what has already happened or will be, to what is happening now, it will become easier for you to stop perceiving everything too negatively. But, as often happens, this is not so easy to do. In order to learn to live in the present, you must first learn to concentrate on what is happening to you literally at this very moment.

• There is one simple technique: look at a peaceful image (photo, painting). This will allow your head to rest and let go of all the bad thoughts, and this only happens naturally - that is, when you are not deliberately trying to get rid of thoughts and are not waiting for you to finally succeed. This is a very simple but effective way to calm down and relax.
• If that doesn't work, try distracting your mind by counting from 100 to 7, or pick a color and find all the objects in the room that color. This way you can get rid of the chaos in your head, and then you can focus on the present moment again.

1. Don't isolate yourself. One of the consequences of focusing on bad thoughts is often an ever-increasing distance between you and the world around you. If you decide to come out of your shell and reconnect with the world, you will have less time and energy for bad thoughts. Don't scold yourself for negative thoughts or emotions - this will only make things worse. You may have often thought about how much you disliked someone, and then felt guilty about such thoughts or angry with yourself because of it. Because of this perception, cause-and-effect relationships and incorrect attitudes are strengthened in the head, which over time become extremely difficult to get rid of. Below are some simple ways to switch from your inner world to your outer world.

   Develop self-confidence. Self-doubt in all its diversity of manifestations often becomes the main cause of difficult thoughts and strong experiences. This feeling constantly haunts you: no matter what you do, it is with you everywhere. For example, when talking with a friend, you are constantly worried about how you look, what impression you make, instead of just talking. It is necessary to develop self-confidence, and then it will be easier for you to live a full life and not torment yourself with destructive thoughts.

   • Try to do something exciting regularly - this will make you feel confident in your abilities. For example, if you are good at baking pies, enjoy the entire baking process: enjoy kneading the dough, enjoy the aroma that fills your home.
   • When you manage to develop the ability to live joyfully in the present moment, remember this feeling and reproduce it as often as possible. Remember that the only thing keeping you from feeling present is your perception, so stop tormenting yourself with self-criticism.

   Understand how the mind works

   1. Examine your attitude towards negative thoughts or feelings. Because bad thoughts often arise simply out of habit, they can come as soon as you stop taking care of yourself. Promise yourself not to dwell on these thoughts, because you need to learn not only to let them go, but also to prevent new ones from appearing.

      Watch yourself. Identify how thoughts or feelings manage to control you. Thoughts have two components - topic (what you think about) and process (how you think).

      • Consciousness does not always need a topic - in cases of its absence, thoughts simply jump from one to another. Consciousness uses such thoughts in order to protect itself from something, or in order to calm and distract from something else - for example, from physical pain, from fear. In other words, when a defense mechanism is triggered, often the mind is simply trying to latch onto something to give you something to think about.
      • Thoughts that have a specific topic have a completely different character. Perhaps you are angry, worried about something, or thinking about some problem. Such thoughts are often repeated and always revolve around the same thing.
      • The difficulty is that the mind cannot be constantly absorbed in a topic or process. In order to correct the situation, it is worth remembering that thoughts alone will not help the matter. Often we don't want to let go of thoughts and feelings because we want to better understand the situation: for example, if we are angry, we think about all the circumstances of the situation, all the participants, all the actions, and so on.
      • Often our desire to think about something is either simply think turns out to be stronger than the desire to let go of thoughts, which significantly complicates the whole situation. The desire to think only for the sake of the process of “thinking” can lead to self-destruction, while this struggle with oneself is another way to escape from the situation that initially caused the thoughts. It is necessary to overcome the desire to constantly think about something and learn to let go of thoughts, and after some time the desire to let go of thoughts in all cases will be stronger than the desire to scroll something in your head without stopping.
      • Another problem is that we tend to think of thoughts as part of our personality. A person is not ready to admit that he can cause himself pain and suffering. There is a generally accepted opinion according to which it is believed that all feelings concerning oneself are valuable. Some feelings lead to negative experiences, others do not. Therefore, it is always necessary to take a closer look at thoughts and feelings in order to understand which ones should be left and which ones should be released.

   2. Try some experiments.

      • Try your best not to think about a polar bear or something incredible - for example, a crimson flamingo with a cup of coffee. This is a fairly old experiment, but it reveals the essence of human thinking very well. When we try to refrain from thinking about the bear, we suppress both the thought of it and the idea that we need to suppress something. If you deliberately try not to think about the bear, the thought of it will not go away.
      • Imagine that you are holding a pencil in your hands. Think about the fact that you want to leave him. In order to throw a pencil, you need to hold it. While you are thinking about giving it up, you are holding on to it. Logically speaking, the pencil cannot be thrown as long as you hold it. The harder you want to throw, the more forcefully you hold it.

   3. Stop fighting your thoughts with force. When we try to overcome some thoughts or feelings, we try to gather more strength to strike, but because of this we cling to these thoughts even more tightly. The more effort, the greater the load on the consciousness, which responds to all these attempts with stress.

      • Instead of trying to force your thoughts away, you need to loosen your grip. The pencil can fall out of your hands on its own, just as thoughts can go away on their own. It may take time: if you tried to forcefully eradicate some thoughts, the consciousness could remember your attempts, as well as its response.
      • When we go through our thoughts in an attempt to understand them or try to get rid of them, we do not move because the thoughts simply have nowhere to go. Once we stop obsessing over the situation, we let them go.

   Learn something new

   1. Learn to cope with your thoughts. If a thought or feeling keeps coming back to you over and over again, there are many ways to stop it from consuming you.

      • There's probably a movie you've watched many times, or a book you've re-read. You always know what will happen next, so you are not so interested in watching the movie or reading that book again. Or maybe you've done something so many times that you don't want to do it again because you know how bored you'll be. Try to transfer this experience to a situation with thoughts: as soon as you lose interest in thinking about the same thing, the thought will go away on its own.

   2. Don't try to run away from negative thoughts and emotions. Are you tired of the exhausting thoughts that are always with you, but have you really tried to deal with them? Sometimes a person tries to pretend that something does not exist, instead of accepting it. If you deal with negative thoughts or emotions this way, they can stay with you forever. Allow yourself to feel what you need to feel, and then let go of unnecessary emotions. If your mind imposes thoughts and emotions on you, it can cause you to judge yourself. There are many manipulative mechanisms hidden in our minds, and many of them we are not even aware of. Consciousness manipulates us because it strives to control us through addictions to a variety of things and strong desires. By and large, we are driven by our addictions.

      • Remember that your happiness is in your hands, that feelings and emotions should not determine how you manage your life. If you allow worries about the past or future and obsessive desires to control you, you will never be able to live a fulfilling life.
      • Control your thoughts yourself. Turn them inside out, change them - in the end, you will understand that you have power over your thoughts, and not they have power over you. Replacing negative thoughts with positive ones is a temporary measure, but it can also be extremely useful at the right time. It will be easier for you to let go of thoughts if you feel that you are in control.
      • If your thoughts revolve around a problem that you have yet to resolve, try your best to come up with ways out of the problematic situation. Do everything in your power, even if the situation seems completely hopeless.
      • If your thoughts and feelings are related to a sad event (such as the death of a relative or a breakup), allow yourself to feel the sadness. Look at photos of the person you miss, think about the good things you experienced together, and cry if it makes you feel better - all of this is human. It can also be helpful to write about your feelings in a journal.

   Remember the good

   1. Know how to remind yourself of the good. If you're stressed, tired from work, or just feeling down, bad thoughts may return. In order to prevent them from completely consuming you, use special methods of dealing with unwanted thoughts that will not allow them to take root.

      Practice visualization. This method will be especially useful for those who are very busy and who do not have enough time to relax. It is necessary to imagine in detail some pleasant place: it can be a memory of a place where you felt good, or a fictitious place.

   2. Think about your achievements. The world gives us many opportunities to enjoy life: you can help others, get things done, achieve certain goals, or simply get out into nature with your family or have dinner with friends. Thinking about pleasant things develops self-confidence and makes us more receptive to good things.

      • Be grateful for what you have. For example, write down three things for which you are grateful to the universe. This way you can quickly “put things in order” in your head and get rid of the flow of thoughts.

   3. Take care of yourself. Feeling unwell will prevent you from fully enjoying life and remaining optimistic. When a person takes care of his body and takes care of his mental state, negative thoughts and emotions simply have nothing to cling to.

      • Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep reduces vitality and does not contribute to a good mood, so try to sleep at least 7-8 hours a day.
      • Eat well. A balanced diet will ensure your brain gets all the elements it needs. Include enough fruits and vegetables in your diet.
      • Play sports. Regular physical activity will help you not only stay fit, but also fight stress. Both will contribute to better well-being and allow you to free yourself from difficult thoughts.
      • Limit your alcohol intake and don't take drugs. Alcohol is a depressant, and even small amounts can throw you off your emotional balance. This also applies to most drugs. Limit your intake and your mental state will improve.
      • Seek help if you feel the need. Taking care of your mental health is just as important as paying attention to your physical health. If you find it difficult to cope with the thoughts that torment you on your own, seek help from a specialist: a psychologist, a social worker, a priest - and they will help you return to your normal life.

Intrusive thoughts are a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and can often accompany generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). A lot of people write and ask us questions about how to get rid of obsessive thoughts. Therefore, I decided to write to describe some ways to overcome obsessions.

Intrusive thoughts and anxiety

Obsessive thoughts appear suddenly in the head and their content is frightening and causes suffering to those who are bothered by them. For example, a young and anxious mother has the thought that she might harm her child, or a deeply religious woman who sits in church has blasphemous thoughts and fears that she might begin to say them out loud. Compulsions make people afraid, ashamed, and feel like terrible people.

If you are bothered by these types of symptoms, then I think you have noticed that you cannot stop thinking about these disturbing thoughts, and the more you try to stop thinking, they become more and more intrusive.

The biggest fear for a person with obsessive thoughts is believing in their ability to do what they are thinking about.

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Let's look at what to do about compulsions so you can reduce your anxiety and discomfort. It's time to allow yourself to break out of this vicious circle.

Separation with thoughts

The biggest fear for a person with obsessive thoughts is believing in their ability to do what they are thinking about. And the first step in reducing the impact of intrusive thoughts is to understand the fact that thoughts do not equal action.

Example: Imagine you were given a hammer and nails and told to hammer them into a wall. Most likely you will do this calmly. What if they give you the same nails and a hammer, but at the same time ask you to hammer them into the hand of another person. I am sure that you will have a fear of doing this, which will stop you from this action, because you are aware of the consequences.

It is because of fear that you will never be able to do what arises in your thoughts.

Rest assured, intrusive thoughts are not who you are. Thoughts do not determine a person and his actions.

Useful facts about obsessions

Other ideas that may help you detach from your thoughts:

• We don't always control the thoughts that appear in our heads. If you pay attention, you will notice that most thoughts come naturally. For example, you wake up in the morning, and a stream of thoughts is already rushing through your head. And only sometimes, by force of will, we direct them to solve a particular problem. But once this problem is solved, the stream of thought begins to flow in its own direction.
• We have no control over when thoughts come and when they go. In most cases, we don't even know how the thought-producing factory that produces them works.
• We have no way to stop this factory without damaging the brain with surgery or pills. Our head is constantly thinking about something. Try to get rid of thoughts and stop thinking for at least 10 minutes and, most likely, you will see that you are unlikely to succeed.
• We cannot delete a thought we don't like, like a file on a computer. Rather, on the contrary, as soon as we try to get rid of it, it will become a constant object of our thoughts.
• Thoughts will never become reality just because you think about them. For example, you might think that tomorrow you will grow wings. But no matter how much you think, you are unlikely to be able to fly.
• Thoughts are absolutely powerless. Without your actions, thoughts are nothing. You are fully able to control your actions, so obsessions will remain nothing more than words and images in your mind.

Allow obsessive thoughts to flow freely in your head and they will become the background, and focus your attention on those things that are really important to you

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Along with separating yourself from thoughts, accepting (allowing) these thoughts is also important.

Acceptance (allowing) to reduce anxiety and intrusive thoughts

Accepting something that makes you feel pretty bad probably feels crazy, but it's effective. I think you've noticed that the more you fight intrusive thoughts and try not to think about them, the more they overwhelm you. This is because they become the focus of attention and you become trapped by them when you struggle. Gradually, obsessive thoughts absorb almost all your attention.

Instead of fighting them, let the intrusive thoughts just be there. You don't have to love or enjoy them, but don't try to push them out of your mind. Just accept that these thoughts appear without your knowledge and continue with your usual activities.

You can say the following: “I notice a thought in my head...” This will allow you to understand that it is just a thought and separate yourself from it. The main thing is, don’t enter into dialogue with her, don’t argue, in fact, don’t do anything. Allow thoughts to flow freely in your head and they will become the background, and transfer the focus of attention to those things that you are doing at one time or another, to what is truly important and valuable to you.

Thus, you separate yourself from the content of thoughts and agree that they exist, but at the same time they are not real and do not have power over you and the actions that you perform. By ceasing to be a slave to your thoughts, you will free up resources to move towards your goals, rather than remain fixated and stressed.

An interesting metaphor from the movie "Doctor Strange"