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- Write it down. When you notice your racing thoughts repeating themselves, write them down. Putting pen to paper and exploring the loop lets logic into your thought process, which can break the cycle.
- Reframe thoughts. Reframing your thoughts involves consciously challenging how you perceive and interpret the thought loop. It gives you the power to examine the thought loop from different angles, inviting yourself to gain perspective.
- Physical activity. Physical activity, regardless of its intensity, is a powerful tool for stopping thought loops. Any type of physical activity helps the brain to redirect its focus from your mind to the movement of your body.
- Practice mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness is an excellent remedy for thought looping because it invites you to be fully present in the moment. Mindfulness encourages nonjudgmental awareness of your thoughts, emotions, and sensations without getting entangled in their narratives.
Aug 9, 2024 · Again, close your eyes, but this time, try as much as you can to keep thoughts of a white bear out of your mind. If the thought of a white bear enters your mind, mark it as a tally on a blank sheet of paper before gently returning your attention to other thoughts. After two minutes, stop and check your tally.
Nov 30, 2023 · One common compulsion when you’re trying to counteract an unwanted word is thought neutralization. “Someone takes an unwanted thought, image, or word and tries to cancel it out or neutralize it by then having a good or desirable thought, image, or word,” explains Kilduff.
- Overview
- Talk or write about it to get it out of your hea
- Let yourself worry for a short amount of tim
- Distract yourself by spending time with friend
- Exercise to focus your attention on your bod
- Do a puzzle or play a game to distract your min
- Practice relaxing self-care to calm your brai
- Remind yourself that thoughts don’t define yo
- Explore and question your negative thought
- Give your thoughts time to pas
Whether you can’t help but dwell on an embarrassing moment, your brain keeps getting distracted by that cute barista, or you’ve made yourself sick with worry about the future, you’re not alone. Our minds are mysterious things that rarely do as we say, but that doesn’t mean we can't cooperate with them to form healthier patterns of thinking! That’s why we chatted with mental health professionals to bring you a list of expert and research-backed ways of getting your mind off something, so you can move on and find some peace.
Quick Ways to Manage Your Thoughts
Hang out with a friend or family member, and talk to them about how you're feeling to get an outside perspective.
Write down your negative thoughts in a journal, and only let yourself think them for 15 minutes a day before moving on.
Externalize your thoughts in a diary or with a close friend.
Sometimes ignoring those thoughts altogether only makes them worse, like shaking a can of soda before opening it. Allow yourself to worry, if only for a little while. Do this by
in a journal, or expressing them to a trusted family member or friend, or even just say them aloud while you’re alone.
You may find that getting your thoughts out of your head and into the “real world” lends you some much-needed perspective.
Set a timer for 20 minutes, when you can worry freely.
This is the only time each day when you’re allowed to focus on your unwanted thoughts.
When the timer or alarm goes off, shout "Stop!" That's your cue to empty your mind of that thought. Think of one intentional thought (the beach, a peaceful forest, etc.) and keep your mind fixed on that image or thought for 30 seconds.
If the upsetting thought comes back during that time, shout "Stop!" again, or move on to another activity on this list to take your mind off it.
Stand up when you say "Stop," or snap your fingers or clap your hands. These actions reinforce the "Stop" command and further interrupt your thought.
Try coming up with a mental shortlist of 5 things you know your mental energy would be better spent on. Then, when you catch yourself thinking about the thing you don't want to think about, turn to something on your mental shortlist instead.
Call or hang out with a friend to keep your mind busy.
Life coach Rahti Gorfien says that “one thing that can help is getting out of isolation” by connecting with other people. In fact, laughing with a friend has a positive effect on your brain itself, reducing stress-related neurochemicals and boosting positive chemicals like serotonin and dopamine.
Get moving to boost your mood and banish bad thoughts.
Whenever you find yourself caught in negative thinking, stop and do 5-10 pushups, or do jumping jacks for 30 seconds, or something similar. These bursts of physical activity work to “reset” your brain and disrupt harmful patterns of thinking with positive endorphins, which in turn helps you move on with your day.
for extended periods, like a daily 15-minute jog, helps to relieve chronic anxiety, stress, and even depression.
Remember to also drink plenty of water and eat 3 square meals a day! Keeping your body nourished also nourishes your mind.
Do something mentally strenuous to cut off negative thoughts.
Read a book, watch a movie, or listen closely to an album you love.
Challenge yourself mentally by completing a Sudoku or crossword puzzle, solving complicated math problems, or following a complex set of instructions, like with a recipe. The mental focus it takes to do these kinds of activities leaves you with no time or mental energy to think your unwanted thoughts.
give yourself a long-term goal
Practice mindfulness or do something indulgent.
When you find yourself worrying,
take a few deep breaths—10 seconds in, then 10 seconds out. Identify each of your 5 senses: what do you hear, smell, touch, see, and taste right now? Then, roll and relax your shoulders. These relaxing practices help realign your body and bring you back to the present moment.
for 10 minutes each day to train your mind. Sit in a quiet place, close your eyes, and focus only on breathing.
Forgive yourself for thinking distressing thoughts.
Your thoughts don’t make you a bad person, and suppressing your thoughts can have a negative effect on your mental health. In fact, one study found that participants who
were less obsessive, had lower levels of depression and were less anxious than those who tried thought suppression.
Certified therapist Samantha Fox says to validate your feelings, ask yourself if you can learn from them, then thank them for their message.
Remind yourself that the worst-case scenario isn’t always that bad.
When we’re worrying about something or someone, it’s often fear that troubles us. But most of the things we’re afraid of never actually happen, or aren't as bad as we think. Remind yourself of the reasons your fear is unlikely to happen, and think about what you’ll do in the slim chance that it does happen.
For example, if you’re worried about a test, remind yourself, “I probably won’t fail because I’ve been studying hard, and I’m a smart and capable person.”
Also, think of it as a lesson, like, “If I do fail, it’s not the end of the world. I’ll talk to my teacher about how to improve, and study harder for the next test.”
Remember that things clear up with time.
Time is the best medicine, take it from us. One day you’ll wake up, and these negative thoughts will just be a memory, and you’ll wonder why you worried so much. Until then, it may be best to let yourself feel your feelings until you’re naturally ready to
Ask yourself: Is this something I have any control over? If not, try to remember that what will be will be, and there’s little use in fussing over it.
If you do have some control, ask yourself what you can do right now to make things right, and get to work! Even small actions can help you feel less stressed and more empowered.
Apr 6, 2024 · For many, it feels like an enԁless loop of reрetitive thoughts аnԁ worries. Getting out of the loop can be much more difficult than pulling the red cord on the stop button.
Jun 14, 2023 · Hopefully, when certain thoughts do arise, you can simply let them pass through your mind rather than fixating or obsessing on them. By getting into this habit, our minds connect this meditation time with being more relaxed and not focusing too much on any one thought. 8. Rest and focus on self-care.
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Aug 31, 2020 · Trying to thought-stop can take a lot of energy, but acceptance can make it easier to focus on the things you need to do, even when unwanted thoughts come up. Keep practicing. It can take some ...
