3 ways to control obsessive thoughts and avoid emotional catastrophes

Managing obsessive thoughts is an arduous task. Requires enormous will and discipline. It is a relentless fight against our own mental resources, often unconscious. Furthermore, only those who are victims of this type of ideas know how difficult it can be to separate themselves from them. A part of us wants to get out of the siege, another part fights fiercely for everything to stay the same.

To manage obsessive thoughts, the first step is to understand what they are about. This name is given to those intrusive ideas that tend to become fixed in the mind and in many cases become recurring. . They present themselves in a way that we perceive as involuntary. They just come, cut off other trains of thought, and we can’t get rid of them. Generally its content is intimidating. They talk about catastrophes and damage. They generate fear.

Behind many of these ideas there are unresolved conflicts, almost always related to guilt. not aware or, in any case, has not faced. The repetitive idea is a form of punishment for something that was done and that is considered very reprehensible. However, it escapes awareness. Be that as it may, it is possible to manage obsessive thoughts so that they lose power. These are three strategies to achieve it.

1. The metaphor of quicksand

A good way to manage obsessive thoughts is to see them as if they were a quicksand trap.. Let’s imagine that someone falls into a place like this. His instinct will lead him to want to get out of there as soon as possible. However, if he tries to move by putting one of his legs forward, the only thing he will achieve is sink further.

The same thing happens with obsessive thoughts. One can only get out of this quicksand trap if the person calms down and accepts that he is in an area in which every movement must be calculated. If you try to lie down and float calmly, it is very likely that you will gradually reach the shore.

In this case, it is best to do the same. Obsessive thoughts should not be fought directly. There is no need to resist. Give your obsessive thinking 15 or 20 minutes of your time. Let it be there, observe it, detail all its content. Once that time passes, try to do something else for another 15 or 20 minutes. Repeat the cycle until you feel better.

2. Holding emotions, a way to manage obsessive thoughts

If you want to manage your obsessive thoughts properly, make an effort to sustain your emotions. Accept that you are going to feel emotional discomfort for a while. If you admit to experiencing these emotions – especially anxiety – they will gradually dissipate.

Let them flow until the end. These types of emotions exhaust themselves if they are not interfered with. For better understanding, It’s like you have a pimple or a mosquito bite that is very itchy. You feel it, but decide not to scratch. Of course, it’s very annoying, but it ends up passing.

The discomfort will rise to a point. Then it will begin to descend. The key is not to try to relieve yourself by scratching yourself directly. The same must be done with anxiety or any other negative emotion that accompanies obsessive thinking.

3. Recommended exercises

Remember that your goal is to manage obsessive thoughts, not prevent them from appearing.. Obsessions cannot be controlled with the mind, just like that. They require a deeper and more extensive process, generally through psychotherapy. That said, there are also some small exercises that can help you:

Talk about your obsession out loud, for a minute. Don’t talk to your obsession, he talks about it. You must do it as quickly as you can. It doesn’t matter if you don’t make a coherent speech. The least important thing is consistency. In fact, you can only say one or a few words. For example, if you are obsessed with thieves breaking into your house, repeat “thieves-break-in-thieves-break-in” quickly and uninterruptedly for one minute.Sing your obsession. Find a melody that you like and try to put new lyrics to it that talk about your obsession. Whenever those intrusive ideas come to your mind, start singing. Change the lyrics every time you want.Draw your obsessions. Shape them. Invent characters if required. Don’t make just any drawing, but the best one you can. Fill it with colors, decorations, everything you can think of.

As we said from the beginning, managing obsessive thoughts is not easy. But If the strategies to achieve this are applied assiduously, the effect and frequency of these intruders will surely be minimized.. To banish them, you will need therapeutic help. Don’t hesitate to look for it.

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