The Mind Plays Tricks On You!

1. 60

   jsteve27posted 14 years ago

   How do you control obbessive thinking? Yes there are meds that help. Of course meditation, diet, and excerise....but that seems all to apparent to me. I have tried all of them and sometimes they help but really I think its doing what you LOVE. Lately I've taken up crafting and it keeps my mind busy so I there isn't time to worry, stress, and over analize (as much). However, we all have lives to live and can't always "craft"
   
   Any thoughts?

   replyreport
   1. 63

      Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Are you sure it's "technically" obsessive thinking, or do you just mean you getting yourself all stewed up thinking about everything (the way a lot of people do )? 
      
      On the chance you're just talking about "regular wheel-spinning" (that can get out-of-control sometimes), I just wrote a Hub. (I've been pretty short of ideas recently, and you gave me one - so thanks.    - although sorry to turn your post into "about me"    )

      replyreport
      1. 60

         jsteve27posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Glad I could give you an idea

         replyreport
   2. 75

      Goodpalposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Keeping busy is a good way to stay occupied. This way you are giving your mind some task (like craft) to keep busy with.
      
      However, it does not attack the root of the problem -- obsessive thinking. Negative and obsessive mental chatter can seriously undermine your sense of inner freedom and limit your choices to compulsive behavior.
      
      In my experience, the correct way to tackle the issue is through cognitive therapy or if you would like to do it yourself -- through practice of mindfulness. There is a cost-free way to learn it -- by joining a Vipassana meditation camp. Such camps are organized all over by Vipassana International Academy (www.dhamma.org).
      
      I think you should go for uprooting the problem altogether rather than looking for ways to keep busy.

      replyreport
   3. 0

      Amie Warrenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      When you find out, let me know.

      replyreport
   4. 60

      emotranceposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Focusing strongly on physical sensations can be very helpful. Paying attention to the outside world in general as in, what can I feel, what can I see, what can I hear, what can I sense, what can I scent, what can I taste.
      
      It leads out of loops of thinking where the focus is very internal to opening up channels of communication to bring in new relevant information about the here-and-now.
      
      But especially focusing on feelings in the body, paying attention, tracking movements of emotions and sensations is very good practice.
      
      I would also monitor stress levels, as rising stress levels causes thoughts to become more and more out of control. Once again, putting attention on the here-and-now helps with de-stressing.
      
      Recommend http://stressfish.com for quick destress methods.

      replyreport
2. 81

   akirchnerposted 14 years ago

   I have an extremely active mind and have often wondered about labels like OCD since people refer to me as neat freak or 'obsessed' - nice labels like that. 
   
   I tend not to like labels though so I just think of myself as extremely gifted with extra brain cells - ha~ Seriously though if I feel I'm getting 'too carried away' or being too anal about something, thinking too much, dwelling, ruminating (you get the picture) - I just tell myself to change the channel.  I think about something else - like music, like a joke, a funny thing that happened, someone I love, somewhere I'd rather be right then or something I'd rather be doing - or I read!
   
   Even cooking makes me totally forget about other things sometimes - or gardening - or playing the piano - and I can come back to what I was doing with a little 'less' zeal.  I believe in controlling my mind rather than it controlling me although sometimes it is easy to get caught in a groove and it takes real effort to bump yourself out of that groove and go on to the next one!

   replyreport
   1. 60

      jsteve27posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Ya I sometimes find my thoughts turning negitive and have to force those "demons" away. I'm reading Eat, Pray, Love and the author said when she has negitive thoughts she says "I will not harbor unhealthly thoughts" So I've been trying that too. Sounds like you do some of the things I do to keep my mind busy. I've always wanted to learn how to play piano too! Thanks for your words.

      replyreport
   2. 60

      emotranceposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I think an ability to become extremely focused and engaged is - well, wonderful, really. And as you said, with practice you can steer that level of attention by choosing what you want to pay attention to.
      
      Personally I like to follow my fascinations wherever they may lead, and let other people do the psychiatric labelling if they haven't got anything better to occupy their time with!
      
      lol

      replyreport
3. 60

   LaMamaLoliposted 14 years ago

   Maybe this is completely irrelevant, but I think its a good idea to make sure you have a lot of social contact with other people. I know a lot of people who have very overactive minds to put it politely, and I find that they seem to suffer less with it when they have been socialising or just getting out and about. I am not suggesting this is appropriate to you as I don't know anything about you! but I do find it an interesting subject.

   replyreport
   1. 60

      jsteve27posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I completely agree! Lucky for me I do have a great network of friends to spend time with...however I am also trying to learn to love me and enjoy more time with myself and not rely on others so much.

      replyreport
4. 56

   stevenjones05posted 14 years ago

   Obsessive thinking can come in the form of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) or what some are calling Pure-O - obsessive thinking without the compulsions.
   Whatever the case may be, for some people this kind of obsessive thinking can quickly become a way of life, often to the point that it takes over our life. Thoughts just seem to become stuck in our minds and they replay like a broken record. Learn to identify when this thought process begins so that you can take control of it!

   replyreport
5. 73

   Rishy Richposted 14 years ago

   Dont focus on NOT DOING the wrong things, rather focus on DOING the ryt things.

   replyreport
6. 62

   paradigmsearchposted 14 years ago

   A Quote:
   
   Things to know about worrying:
   
   1. Most of what you worry about will never happen.
   
   2. It’s your subconscious doing the worrying and you’re just along for the ride.
   
   Negative thoughts all the time? Each time you become self-aware of a negative thought, just consciously think one or more of the following: “so what”, “dead issue”, "ignore it", "forget it", "stop it", "shut up", "I've resolved that", "give it a rest", "go away", "learn (learned) from it", "this will pass", "get over it", “let it go”, “let it be”, “move on”; and then change the subject. In time, the practice becomes automatic. After awhile, your subconscious will quit serving up so many of these kinds of thoughts to you.

   replyreport
7. 62

   Cuselaxposted 14 years ago

   i always have obsessive thoughts about dejavu.  Sometimes it can just attack me out of the blue.  One day i was at the beach with friends and out of no where i remembered that i had a dream where the exact sequence of events were occuring.

   replyreport
8. 60

   joshuachlimposted 14 years ago

   what 'paradigmsearch said is correct:
   "Most of what you worry about will never happen."
   the doctor knows very well the symptoms of cancer but don't know the cure. So Goodpal with a good heart suggests a cure : meditation. Initially it does seems to work but after many years later, it makes things even worse.From obsessive thinking, you now enters wrong thinking. The rest you are seeking is still elusive.Only the truth can set you free.
   In the bible if you go to Luke 10:38-42, Jesus said to Martha,
   "Martha, Martha, you are worried n troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, n Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

   replyreport
9. 68

   Sue Adamsposted 14 years ago

   Find people who don't have time for obsessive thinking because they have bigger problems like poverty and hunger or illness and go and try to help them solve their problems with positive thinking and, more importantly, positive action.

   replyreport