How To Manage Intrusive Thoughts?
Let’s think of a real situation here:
You have a slight fever with a headache. What will your state of mind be in this situation? Will you be thinking worse or anticipating it to be just a mere illness and recover soon? Let’s say, with anxiety and overthinking, you tend to think that you have a major disease and you ignore taking care of yourself. It might just be a simple flu and will be fine in a couple of days. But, your incessant intrusive thoughts about your illness result in a severe thing as you get yourself tested.
Let’s think of another situation:
You prepare for an interview for a lucrative career. What thoughts naturally come to you? Even though you want that position, yet you might think of several detrimental thoughts regarding what if the interview doesn’t go well, what if you are asked difficult questions, what if you are not offered the position, etc. These disturb your true efforts and preparation as you are mostly distracted with intrusive thoughts. On the day of the interview, you failed to answer a few questions purely because of lack of preparation.
Now think, how would the outcomes have turned out if you thought exactly the opposite? If you would have anticipated a positive outcome for the interview, you would have prepared your best and given it all during the rounds. Your efforts have been whole-hearted and your actions have been towards giving your best. You would have got the position.
Had you been optimistic about the illness, you might have taken care of yourself and recovered.
Like its true that thoughts create reality, negative thoughts are not spared. If positive thoughts can create amazing real situations, negative thoughts can land you up in terrible situations. What’s more, these go in cycles and are always repeating in nature. Like it’s a vicious circle where one thought leads to another. Has it ever happened to you? Have you ever sat on negative thoughts which lingered for days/weeks/months? They just keep repeating over and over again. More so, these thoughts are mostly dark and sad. This is simply called rumination.
Effects of Intrusive Thoughts[edit]
These are detrimental to your health. Rumination intensifies depression, impairs your ability to think positively, worsens your mental health and puts you in a trap of lack. What’s more, it not only pushes you from other ways, but also from yourself.
People get paranoia contemplating the unknown and unprecedented. They tend to get hit by all sorts of non-existing thoughts about worries and fears. “I won’t be able to handle this”, “I won’t be able to stay alone”, “Will I be safe?”, “Will I be secure?” “Will my family be safe?”. These are typical thoughts which spearhead during rumination.
Causes of Disturbing Thoughts[edit]
According to American Psychological Association, such intrusive thoughts come to the fore either because:
● A person has a history of emotional trauma, anxiety, depression and fear of unknown
● One has genetics of mental illness
● An individual believes that by having spiraling negative thoughts, he/she can gain more insights into life and solve life problems
● One has undergone physical trauma
● A person is constantly facing stress continuously and is not being controlled or treated.
● An unhealed person carrying baggage of negative emotions on shoulder.
This kind of rumination is very common among people who have some common characteristics like perfectionists or those who are dependent emotionally and financially, neurotics, pessimists, etc. People who overvalue relationships to an extent that they make personal sacrifices to maintain them also are victims of intrusive thoughts. Those who don’t keep themselves on priority and put others above them also suffer from such anxious circling thoughts. These aggravate when behaviors of others disturb them and they let others perturb their peace and happiness. Individuals who let others control their happiness and give the control and keys of their lives to other people tend to endure rumination of dark and worrisome thoughts.
Now knowing how detrimental these can be, are these manageable? Of course, they are. You can easily manage the thoughts. First, let’s understand how you can overcome these and then we will see if you can do it all alone or need some handholding and guidance to put you on the right path.
9 Scientific Ways to Cope With Intrusive Thoughts[edit]
1. Keep Yourself Busy[edit]
Find multiple avenues which you love and are passionate about. Learn to keep yourself engaged with all activities, instead of waiting for others to engage you. Once you keep your mind busy with different actions, you will have lesser scope to have spiraling dark thoughts. How many times have you felt that “Why is he not talking to me the same as before?” or “Does she feel bad about me because of which she is distancing herself?”.
Well, it might be true that she actually feels bad about it. In such a case, go ahead and ask her and clarify. There is nothing great like clear communication. Eventually, you have no control over someone’s actions. At best, you can clarify yourself. But that shouldn’t disturb your peace.
Alternatively, it might happen that you are procrastinating. It’s your thought that feels that something is wrong, but actually it isn’t. He/she might just be busy for the moment. If you dip yourself among multiple events and activities, you will feel less affected by some intrusive thoughts.
2. Keep Yourself Distracted[edit]
Your mind is chewing on a lot of intrusive thoughts and taking it off those will give you some relief. Turn on a movie, tune into a playlist, go out for a change, treat yourself with a massage, start reading something and the list is endless. Ultimately, it’s you who can take yourself out of these intrusive thoughts. Do anything possible to cut that thread of thoughts taking you deeper into a dark hole. Why not try a puzzle? This is an absolute brainstormer to distract you from such negative thoughts.
3. Mindful Meditation[edit]
Practice meditation, and specifically mindful meditation. Mindful meditation makes you aware of your existence, keeps you stay in the present and lets you unleash stress. However, you might need guidance to do mindful meditation. This is one of the most effective ways to manage intrusive thoughts. It keeps your mind under control and balanced. A certified mindfulness practitioner will be able to help you to get accustomed to mindful meditation. It’s very natural to feel distracted at the start. You will find your mind getting swayed with loads of negative thoughts, coming in circles. Hence, supervision by a certified life coach is very important.
4. Surrender[edit]
Did you ever hear about trusting the process and letting go? If there are troubling thoughts which are disturbing your inner peace, accept and let go. Surrender to the Divine and feel lighter. This process might be very difficult at the start with a lot of ruminating thoughts hovering on your mind. Embrace these and accept. Seek guidance from a reputed life coach to help you stay balanced throughout the process.
5. Personal Therapy[edit]
Try reaching out to a therapist who will identify the root of your rumination and guide you the efficient ways to bring out of this trap.
6. Lifestyle Changes[edit]
Do you have detrimental habits of sleeping late, drinking a lot of caffeine, smoking and drinking, etc.? Focus on healthy habits like sleeping on time, not indulging in gadgets before sleep, listening to soothing music, eating right, engaging with the right and meaningful people who exude optimism, etc. These will shift your lifestyle towards positivity.
7. Realize Self-worth[edit]
You of course don’t want to be seen as a weak person, dependent on others. If you try nudging others or rely too much on them for your happiness, you will surely lose out on your dignity. Low self-esteem is triggered with intrusive thoughts. Work on maintaining your self-esteem and feel your worth. Once you realize your self-worth, you will have lesser ruminating thoughts killing your peace.
8. Deep Dive Within[edit]
Why not take a pause and look within? This is an important thing which the majority of us ignore or fail to do. Everytime you feel disturbed with thoughts, try finding the root cause of those. Does it include someone, any of your activities, any of your expectations? Take note of these and you need to heal those from the roots. Either a therapist, a life coach or you yourself can manage these thoughts once you realize the trigger factors. With self-awareness, you will realize How to Stop Obsessive Thinking.
9. Set Life Goals[edit]
You might be circling in a routine activity everyday of working, eating and sleeping. Did you ever question your thoughts or your life purpose? Time to contemplate on those! What you are doing currently might be a way of sustenance, but are you truly living your life? Did you see higher purpose in life? Where do you see yourself? Consider these and start planning on these. Make a list, take one step at a time and take action.
Like we have discussed that a life coach has a great role to play in helping you manage your intrusive thoughts. To make your search easier with genuine results, Dr. Paras is a known life coach who has transformed lives of many over years. Book an appointment with him to have a first chat to understand his exemplary vision towards life. It’s only a life coach with realistic and true-life experiences who knows How to Stop Obsessive Thinking. So, reach out to this ICF certified, globally renowned and award-winning life coach, who is an idol for transformed souls.
