Intrusive Thoughts & Anxiety In Difficult Times (Plus Q&A) - All of the coronavirus stuff has got the whole world on edge right now, and if you're someone who has dealt with a toxic relationship, you're already familiar with what it feels like to have intrusive thoughts that make you feel scared and miserable.

Do you sometimes feel like your thoughts are beyond your control, and some of them make you uncomfortable? If so, you can relax. Intrusive thoughts are very common and usually harmless.

One study reported by Psychology Today asked volunteers to talk about what goes through their minds. They found that the average participant had about 500 unintentional thoughts each day, and about 30% were socially unacceptable or downright shocking.

Let's talk about how meditation and other self-help techniques can tame intrusive thoughts.

Meditating to Tame Intrusive Thoughts:

1. Let go of judgments. Most of your discomfort probably comes from resisting what’s on your mind rather than from the thought itself. With regular practice, mindfulness meditation can train you to observe and accept your thoughts.

2. Focus on your breath. Paying attention to your breath keeps you in the present moment. You learn to distinguish between you and your passing thoughts.

3. Slow down. Most intrusive thoughts last 14 seconds or less. Patiently waiting them out may make them pass even quicker.

Other DIY Methods for Taming Intrusive Thoughts:

1. Avoid suppression. Trying to avoid intrusive thoughts usually backfires. It’s like the famous Harvard experiment that asked subjects to stop thinking about polar bears and wound up making it difficult to think about anything else.

2. Change your expectations. Dreading unwelcome thoughts also reinforces them. Try to view them as a routine part of daily life.

3. Change the script. If you tend to replay unpleasant events, give yourself something more pleasant and productive to think about. Forget about office politics and focus on what to eat for dinner.

4. Stay on task. Do you avoid certain activities because they trigger thoughts you find it difficult to manage? You may be able to free yourself from such limitations by planning more constructive approaches. Develop more compassion for someone you disagree with instead of shutting them out.

5. Try to disengage. Depending on your personality and preferences, you may want to minimize your involvement with involuntary thoughts. Consider them irrelevant and carry on with what you’re doing.

6. Think it through. On the other hand, you may feel more relief when you face things head on. Write your thoughts down or talk them over with someone you trust if you find that helpful and not distressing.

7. Rest and relax. It’s natural for your mind to wander, but you may feel like it’s getting too much exercise. In addition to meditation, use relaxation methods like listening to soft music and taking a long walk.

Intrusive thoughts will probably continue to pop into your head, but you can live more comfortably with them through meditation and other simple techniques. If you need more help, talk with your doctor to find the treatment and relief you need.

QOTD: Have you struggled with intrusive thoughts? What are the best ways you've found to overcome them? Share your thoughts, experiences and ideas...

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