Today I would like us to talk about an issue that affects many people, and it is nothing other than “not being able to stop thinking”, as a colleague said recently. And it is a very frequent cause of consultation in the clinic.
“I go over and over in my head all day” “I can’t stop thinking”, “I live worried”, “I don’t like thinking like that all the time”… If you identify with any of these phrases, then this article is for you.
Not being able to stop thinking is more common than we think
An acquaintance told me that she can’t stop thinking: that evaluates in your head the possible scenarios of each situation that is, the pros and cons, what things can go right, and what things can go wrong, and how you would react to each of those scenarios.
He also told me that sometimes he gets anxious, that he does not know the origin of said anxiety, and that in general, even his anxiety he thinks about and rethinks a thousand and one times.
Given this, I told him that I understood perfectly what he was referring to, since it also happened to me at times when I am very overloaded by various responsibilities and activities, and during that talk we began to evaluate the possible reasons why she feels this way.
In clinical practice it is very common for issues such as:
How can I avoid thinking so much?
Stopping our head from thinking is not an easy task, especially when a lot of different topics are mixed together. Therefore, since I want to help you, I am going to leave you a list of things to start to stop thinking so much.
1. Make a list with priorities
This implies organize the week if possible, but also with some flexibility (because not everything always goes as planned). It is normal not to be able to do everything, it is a great lesson we can learn, and putting together a list of priorities can help you internalize what we really want to achieve.
Ask yourself the key questions, such as: what is more important? What can I leave for later? Can I do everything at once or does that make me more anxious?
2. Think about each of the topics you wrote down
From what is written you can ask yourself: Can I do something to improve it? Does the solution depend exclusively on me? If the answer is yes, get busy, if the answer is no, it is not worth continuing to think about it, it is better to direct our energy to something else.
3. Set aside time just for your enjoyment
This time must be left outside of responsibilities and duties. It can consist of dedicating one day of the week to going to the beach, playing a sport, visiting a friend, in general, things that can relax your mind from all the duties and obligations.
If you feel alone and you can’t do everything, do not hesitate to consult with a mental health professional ; a psychologist who can listen to you and guide you in a timely manner according to your needs.
With these points you already have the beginning to think less!
