Is there something that can not be separated from your mind? Is it starting to interfere with your life? Obsessive thoughts may frustrate you for years. However, you can do various things to overcome and control these thoughts.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Organizing Your Own Thoughts
Step 1. Distract yourself from distracting thoughts, for example by drawing, playing games, listening to music, dancing, or watching movies
By doing other activities, the brain will focus on those activities so you don't think about things that are distracting.
However, remember that distraction is only a temporary measure to overcoming overthinking, and is not a long-term solution
Step 2. Keep a diary
Writing is a healthy way to express emotions and track thoughts. When your superfluous thoughts fade, take notes! The note can "whip" you into overcoming the obsession. Also note the things that provoke you to overthink. Create a new notepad to keep track of your thoughts so you can easily remember them.
- Diary can also be used to find out why you are overthinking. Knowing the root of the problem will help you to overcome these thoughts.
- However, keep in mind that writing down your thoughts can cause you to think the same thing over and over again. Therefore, reflecting is an important process to break the cycle. Ask yourself the question, why do I think that way? What did I do before that thought crossed my mind? What can I do to change it?.
- If you start to think excessively after writing a diary, try to stop. Instead of thinking the same thing, try to do some introspection. Where did that thought come from? Why do I keep thinking about it?
- Change bad thoughts when you realize them. For example, if you think that no one likes you, find supporting evidence (such as "Yesterday, I was rejected by someone") and refute that thought (such as "My family and friends love me, really. Yesterday I was invited to meet you at the bus stop." bus. My partner still likes me").
Step 3. Avoid ineffective short-term distraction strategies
Such strategies cannot overcome distracting thoughts in the long term. For example, if you think about torturing an animal, and you are afraid that the thought will make you feel bad, you might try to do something to get rid of the thought. Short-term strategies to avoid because they can't solve problems in the long term include:
- Inspection. For example, checking that all the ropes in your house are in a safe place so you can't do the thing you had in mind.
- Avoidance. For example, avoiding pets completely so you can't do what you have in mind.
- Calm down. For example, you might take your pet to the vet more often than usual to make sure you don't hurt him.
Step 4. Face your fear
One good long-term distraction strategy is exposure and response prevention (ERP). When following an ERP, you will be exposed to scenarios that generally provoke overthinking. However, at the same time, you can't use short-term strategies to deal with it, such as evasion or checks.
- First identify the cause of your overthinking. Continuing the example above, do these thoughts occur when you see a pet, hear its voice, or are in the same room as the animal?
- If you're having trouble avoiding a short-term strategy like avoidance, try delaying the strategy for 30 seconds. Once successful, you will be able to put off using the strategy for a longer period of time, until you end up not using the strategy at all.
Step 5. Manage stress levels
Bad thinking can be triggered, or exacerbated, by stress. Therefore, try to reduce stress levels by trying the following steps:
- Eat healthy foods, such as lean meats, fruits, and vegetables, in balanced portions.
- Get enough sleep. Know how much sleep you need to wake up refreshed, and try to get enough sleep each night.
- Get support from friends and family, and socialize regularly.
- Reduce your intake of caffeine and other stimulants. Caffeine and various types of stimulants can increase anxiety.
- Avoid escapism in the form of alcohol and drugs as neither will improve the situation. Alcohol and illegal drugs can even cause or exacerbate anxiety.
- Try stress-relieving exercises like yoga, or aerobic exercises like running.
Step 6. Know the possibility of bad things happening
Sometimes, bad thoughts arise from the very unlikely. For example, if you fear that the plane you are traveling in will crash, remind yourself that thousands of other planes fly and land safely every day, and that plane crashes are rare.
Remember that the news only covers the plane crash, not the plane that landed safely. The news can influence your thoughts on the possibility of a plane crash
Step 7. Meditate
When you meditate, you will be invited to accept the contents of your thoughts, instead of trying to avoid them. The essence of meditation is to accept whatever thoughts come to mind without judging. Try to see thoughts from the other person's point of view.
Another important aspect of meditation is paying attention to the breath. Inhale, hold for a few seconds, then exhale. Pay attention to body movements as you breathe in calmly
Step 8. Try the progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) technique
Sometimes, the anxiety will get worse when the muscles feel stiff. You can relax your muscles and reduce anxiety by trying to calm your body. By following a progressive muscle relaxation technique, your muscles will gradually relax. Follow these steps to follow the PMR technique:
- Inhale, then stretch or grip a specific muscle area to apply pressure to that area.
- As you exhale, reduce the pressure on the muscle by gradually releasing the grip. If done correctly, the muscles will be more relaxed.
- Repeat the same steps on different muscle areas until you feel relaxed and the bad thoughts are reduced.
Step 9. Set a specific time, say 20 minutes each day, to feel anxious
Concentrate all your anxiety on that time. For this step to work, make a pact with yourself that you won't feel anxious outside of your pre-arranged "anxiety time."
Try to find the right time to feel anxious. You may think that anxiety is better felt in the morning or at night
Method 2 of 2: Seeking Help
Step 1. Seek professional help
The most effective way to get rid of an obsession is to talk to a psychologist or other mental health professional, such as a licensed psychiatrist or counselor.
- In the US, you can find a psychologist by visiting
- The site https://iocdf.org/find-help/ can also be used to find licensed mental health professionals in the US.
Step 2. Talk to family and friends
Sometimes, your family or friends understand you better than a psychologist because they know who you really are. Keep in mind that friends and family may not be able to help you deal with overthinking, but you may feel more comfortable and understood when you pour your heart out to someone you know closely.
Step 3. Accept the fact that strange thinking is perfectly normal
Research shows that most people sometimes have strange or worrying thoughts. If you're worried that your thoughts are weird, or don't match your personality, remember that this is normal and experienced by many people.
You may feel at ease knowing that you are not alone
Step 4. Perform therapy periodically
Getting rid of excess thoughts is not an easy thing. Therefore, follow the therapy recommended by the mental health professional you visit until completion.
- Common therapies given to those who think excessively include: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), anxiety medication, or antidepressants.
- If you have any doubts about therapy, seek the opinion of another therapist.
