Obsessive Thoughts: Why They Appear And How To Combat Them
Our ability to think sophisticatedly and from abstract concepts is what distinguishes us from animals. However, this quality has not only brought us advantages. With the possibility of thinking, new problems have also come; uncomfortable situations that other species do not have to face. Obsessive thoughts are an example of this
In this article we will see what to do when these obsessive thoughts appear and why they appear.
Why is it that, at certain stages of our lives, certain ideas or mental images emerge again and again into our consciousness? In the end, it is paradoxical that we tend to think of consciousness as the “command center” of our body and that, at the same time, there are unconscious mental processes capable of imposing themselves over and over again on that supposed authority. And no matter how much we want it, we cannot directly “force” those obsessive thoughts not to appear.
The truth is that the ins and outs of psychological processes are not yet known in depth, but we do know something for which there is already a lot of evidence: emotional memory is as important or more important than memory based on words and concepts.
When we experience something that marks us, whether related to experiences related to the environment or thoughts, it leaves different types of traces in our brain: on the one hand, the narration of what happens, what can be explained by speaking. On the other hand, the sensations and emotions that that experience leaves us ; for example, fear, joy, etc.
Obsessive thoughts appear again and again in our consciousness, among other reasons, because their emotional charge is relatively high and, furthermore, they are associated with common experiences in our daily lives. For example, if these mental images have to do with family arguments, seeing other families, familiar consumer products, or even the word “dad” written on an advertising billboard can bring it back to us.
What to do to manage them?
Below we will see some tips to deal with obsessive thoughts. However, you should keep in mind that in the most serious cases it is necessary go to personalized psychological therapy services since following guidelines individually and without professional help and advice will not work.
1. Don’t try not to think about it
Trying to “force” obsessive thoughts to be forgotten simply does not work. The urge to stop thinking about it leads us to a state of stress and alert which achieves precisely the opposite effect, since everything we feel we will associate with that image that we intend to quarantine.
The best thing, then, is to opt for other strategies that do not have to do with denial, but rather with acceptance.
2. Change habits
It may seem counterintuitive, but the key to preventing obsessive thoughts from becoming a constant source of discomfort does not have to do with “working on the internal aspects of our mind,” but with the opposite: making changes outward, in our way. to relate to the world and to others.
Therefore, it is good to radically change habits and routines, in all aspects. Go to different places, look for other contexts in which to interact with others and, ultimately, submit to new stimuli.
What do you get with this? Faced with this torrent of new sensations and experiences, obsessive thoughts are diluted, since there are many elements on which to focus our attention and that we will unconsciously try to memorize due to their emotional nature.
3. Focus on a new and exciting project
Having new goals in life makes the mental associations we make in our daily lives linked to what we give importance to at that moment. If there is something that competes in importance with obsessive thoughts for our focus of attention, it is more likely that they will gradually lose strength.
As well as What keeps us excited is a true magnet for our attention focus obsessive thoughts disappear, something that is noticeable in the frequency with which they come to our mind: from more to less, until they evaporate.
4. Practice relaxation techniques
It is good to combine the previous steps with relaxation techniques, since anxiety itself leads us to think about what we are obsessed with.
