Obsessive thoughts can happen to all of us and when this happens we can often feel alone. Whether experiencing a trauma, loss, breakup, or stressful situation you cannot stop thinking about, or you find yourself worrying about the same situations over and over, obsessive thoughts can occur at different times for each of us. Obsessive thinking can focus on something exciting as well! Even when these thoughts are focused on something positive, they can still feel tiring when your thoughts play out over and over again. If you are having difficult managing obsessive thoughts you may feel you don’t have control over what’s happening in your own head, however there are some tips to help you manage these thoughts:
Find an “oasis activity”
Find something that absorbs your attention completely. Whether reading a good book, playing a video game, or playing a sport, find an activity that takes up so much of your focus and attention that it provides somewhat of a temporary “oasis” from usual thoughts. As obsessive thoughts tend to be cyclical, an “oasis activity” helps to break up these thoughts. As you shift your focus onto something else, you can manage your obsessive thoughts and give your mind a break and alleviate stress that can stem from these thoughts.
Try a CBT app
Often obsessive thoughts occur because we are thinking about the same thing over and over again. Shifting your thoughts can help reduce the cyclical nature of these thoughts. A cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) app can help you to identify thoughts you are obsessing over, externalize thoughts by writing them down, and then assessing the thoughts. Often a CBT app can help you see if you are entering any problematic thinking patterns such as all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing, mind-reading, and self-blaming. Using an app like this, you can receive support in challenging obsessive thoughts, replacing them with more helpful ones. This process can help you shift obsessive thinking patterns and find relief from thinking the same thoughts over and over again.
Focus on your body
Obsessive thinking often makes us feel stuck in our heads. Try to focus on your body in these moments; sit or lay down quietly and shift your focus to awareness of your body. Notice physical sensations such as tension, pain, tingling, heaviness, and warmth. Try out a guided meditation to complete body scan which guides you through this process of examining parts of your body.
Make “appointments” with obsessive thoughts
While obsessive thoughts are not the most comfortable, there is a value to exploring them. Additionally, avoiding obsessive thoughts tends to make them more persistent and intrusive. One way to manage obsessive thoughts is to schedule “appointments” with them. Set a time to let yourself focus on these thoughts so that you have a safe and comfortable space set up to engage in them. Consider setting a time for a specific amount of time and journaling or talking out these thoughts so you can explore them with curiosity. When you find your mind going to those thoughts outside of your “appointment”, remind yourself you have an appointment to think about these thoughts, this may help you put these thoughts out of your mind until that time.
Obsessive thoughts, whether good or bad, are exhausting. The tips above can give your mind a break and shift your thoughts in a new direction. Distracting yourself and shifting your awareness away from these thoughts can ease obsessive thoughts. if you think you could benefit from working with a therapist to support you in this process click here.