How to stop thinking so much: 10 tips against rumination

How to stop thinking so much and learn to relax and connect with yourself?

Being able to imagine has been a great evolutionary breakthrough, making it possible for humans to not only live in the moment, but also to remember past situations and consider future ones.

But that's not all good. Sometimes, remembering what we have already experienced or thinking about what might happen makes the mind, which may have seemed so liberating at first, the real prison of our species.

Our highest capacity becomes a trap, making us enter a loop of rumination and obsessive thoughts that can be paralyzing. It is in this type of situation that we ask ourselves how to stop thinking so much, and this article is intended to be the answer.and this article aims to be the answer to such a complex question.

When thinking too much becomes harmful

As we were already saying, sometimes, thinking becomes something that cannot be controlled, especially when we are talking about worries.

Obsessive thoughts begin to occupy all the space in the mind, making the person unable to stop focusing his attention on negative events, either past or those that may occur in the future. This is a source of discomfort, manifested in the form of anxiety, irritability and sadness..

When we talk about thinking too much about something bad, we cannot ignore the concept of rumination, which refers to when the focus of attention remains completely centered on a fact, whether real or imaginary, which produces a certain feeling of discomfort. In this case, the thought does not flow, it remains stagnant in the same concern, which becomes an obsession.

The person makes every effort to prevent these intrusive thoughts from appearing, but it seems that the more effort he or she makes, the stronger they appear. Thus, one enters a loop in which the person who is living it is unable to put an end to it, being completely trapped in a whirlwind of unsettling thoughts.

How to stop thinking so much? A few tips

It is clear that the human mind does not have a switch that can turn it off as we would do with a television, nor is it possible to decide which thought to watch as one who decides to watch his favorite channel on the device.

However, it is possible to make worrisome thoughts fade away, especially if you stop paying attention to them. Let's look at some useful strategies for this:

1. Don't try to stop thinking

Although it may seem counterintuitive, one of the best things you can do to try to stop thinking so much is to just stop thinking, Do not become obsessed with stopping thinking about the intrusive thought..

That is, if the recurrent thought appears suddenly, trying to consciously stop thinking about it will only make it more vivid.

The thought will eventually disappear at some point or another, so it is best to try to ignore it.

2. Don't feed them

We are sitting quietly in our living room and, suddenly, we think about the uncertainty generated by not knowing how the current political situation is going to end. We get up from our armchair and start thinking of possible scenarios, each one more catastrophic than the last, even to the point of thinking that a civil war could start.

This is an example of what not to do. If the thought comes, it should not be given more force as one who adds fuel to the fire.

The problem with ruminating is that it is something that can become addictive.. If you have not been able to find an answer to the thought that generates anxiety, perhaps the best thing to do is to forget that such a solution exists.

3. Live in the moment

It may seem a cheap and very utopian advice, but it is something plausible and effective. If we focus on what we are doing in the moment, however simple it may be, it can be a very good way to cut obsessive thinking.

Whether it is while doing the dishes, reading a book, or simply standing in line at the butcher's, being mindful of what you are doing and where you are takes the focus away from the intrusive thought.

It is not possible to be fully aware of two activities at the same time, for that reason, living in the moment is a very good option to take away the weight of what has happened or what may happen..

4. Do not react emotionally

This may be a little more complicated, but ideally, when an obsessive thought occurs, you should remain calm.

If you react, either by getting angry or sad, you enter a loop in which you look for more reasons to be worried, you enter a loop in which you look for more reasons to be worried and, on top of that, you give more reasons to be worried. and, on top of that, you give the thought more gravity.

The goal is to stop paying attention to them, and that also means not giving them the pleasure of making any emotional impression on us.

5. Listen to relaxing music

This is a simple yet comfortable and economical option, especially if the songs do not have lyrics or are sung in a language you do not understand.

Although it is a somewhat far-fetched situation, it is possible that when listening to a song sung in the native language, if something related to the worry is mentioned, the person enters a constant loop in that intrusive thought.

Relaxing music, especially of the New Age genre, induces an atmosphere of relaxation and distraction thanks to its large number of instruments thanks to its large number of instruments that imitate the sounds of nature.

6. Change habits

It is quite possible that the thoughts that worry us are linked to some action we perform every day, although it may seem that their appearance is completely random and without apparent reason.

Working on the worry itself is quite complicated, but making a change in the person's habits is not so complicated. That is why it can be very beneficial to make some small changes in your daily life. making some small changes in the day to day, such as frequenting newFor this reason, it can be very beneficial to make some small changes in your daily life, such as going to new places, getting in touch with old friends, in essence, submitting yourself to new stimuli.

If the change is made in a radical way, one must be careful, since it is not easy to introduce several new habits at the same time.

If achieved, it can be a great source of liberation, since the new tends to occupy greater prominence in the mind than the old, in which obsessive thoughts are found, causing attention to be paid to new experiences.

7. To propose a new goal

Closely related to the previous point, you can propose to reach a new goal, which will make you pay more attention to it than to the invasive thoughts. to it rather than to the invasive thoughts.

However, this strategy can be a double-edged sword. If it is done badly, there is a risk that it will be one of the many projects that the person started and did not manage to finish, becoming in turn an invasive thought.

That is why the new goal must be realistic, even if it is also a challenge.. An example of this type of project would be to collect insects, to make a model, to obtain the B2 in English...

If the activity is truly pleasurable, the person will devote attention to it not only while the activity is being performed, but also when it is not being done, especially because he or she feels like doing it.

8. Mindfulness

This type of meditation technique has been one of the most studied in the field of psychology. and that is why it is known to have many benefits when it comes to reducing anxiety and, at the same time, obsessive thoughts.

During the sessions in which this activity is performed, you can concentrate on physical sensations, breathing control, the voice of the person in charge of the activity... You enter a state of deep tranquility, in which it seems that negative thoughts are dissipating more and more.

9. Physical exercise

It is well known that exercise is a good ally of both physical and mental health, and can not miss when learning how to stop thinking so many bad thoughts.

It not only has the great advantage of producing endorphins but also, especially in directed activities, allows you to focus on aspects such as posture and the correct execution of the movement..

In addition, once the exercise session is over, both muscles and nerve connections are recovering, as well as initiating changes that are beneficial to the proper functioning of the body.

10. Walking

Related to the previous point, walking is also an effective ally against intramuscular is also an effective ally against the intrusion of unwanted thoughts..

While walking, not only the legs move. The person looks at the places he or she frequents, although ideally, if you want to stop thinking about obsessions, visit a bucolic place like a park or take a trip to the mountains, where there are no distractions or the mundane noise of the city.

The fresh air of the countryside has a relaxing effect on the organism, in addition to the fact that, by nature, the human being associates the green color of the grass with calm and well-being..

Being a different environment to the one we are used to, especially if you are an urbanite, the sight of wild flowers and plants also allows us to decenter our attention from the trap that can become our mind.

Bibliographical references:

• Abramowitz J. S., Schwartz S. A., Moore K. M., Luenzmann K. R. (2003). Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in pregnancy and the puerperium: a review of the literature. J Anxiety Disord 17 (4): 461-78.
• Julien D., O'Connor K. P., Aardema F. (2007). «Intrusive thoughts, obsessions, and appraisals in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a critical review». Clin Psychol Rev 27 (3): 366-83.