Research conducted by American scientists has shown that we often find ourselves lost in thought and cannot prevent “chaotic” ideas from popping into our heads. These somewhat negative thoughts recur daily, driving us to frustration.
These negative thoughts may include worries about money, mistakes at work, or simply an unnamed fear. The commonality among these thoughts is that they are very difficult to control. The most commonly used method to address this issue is to try to “push” these thoughts out of our minds.
However, many studies indicate that the more we try to dispel negative thoughts, the more we end up thinking about them. After numerous experiments, American psychologist Daniel Wegner from Harvard University has proposed several potential strategies to eliminate unwanted thoughts that stubbornly cling to your mind.
1. Distract Your Attention
An effective way to clear your mind is to try thinking about another issue; this way, you will become distracted and forget the negative thought before you know it.
However, it is important to note that with this method, you need to focus on redirecting your attention to a specific issue rather than just aimlessly thinking. Aimless thinking can lead to negative emotions. Therefore, you should focus on specific issues, such as a TV show, a song, or a particular task.
2. Create Pressure on Yourself
Another intuitive method is to create pressure for yourself. The basis of this method is that the pressure created makes us see the nagging negative thoughts as less significant.
Instead, the brain will direct us to complete the assigned tasks, not wasting time on trivial matters. As your mindset becomes more relaxed, you will work more productively and achieve better results.
However, in some cases, this method may intensify those thoughts even more. At that point, you should allow your mind to relax and engage in something enjoyable.
3. Postpone Your Thoughts
Researchers have asked individuals who frequently experience negative thoughts to “postpone” these worries for 30 minutes, a period referred to as the “worry stage.”
Some cases have shown that this approach is very effective in setting aside chaotic thoughts. Thus, “postponing” worries for a fixed period can help you feel more at ease.
4. Use Paradoxical Therapy
In situations where instead of avoiding anxious thoughts, such as fear of death, you confront and focus on the issue, what would the outcome be? Some studies indicate that this method can be effective in dispelling persistent thoughts that cling to your mind.
The basis of paradoxical therapy is founded on the principle of “exposure therapy”: individuals with arachnophobia gradually get exposed to spiders until their fear begins to diminish. However, this approach may not be suitable for those who are “faint-hearted.”
5. Acceptance
Instead of trying to push negative thoughts out of your head, you can learn to accept them. A study aimed at reducing sadness conducted by British scientists in 2005 found that: “Struggling with thoughts in your head is no different than struggling in quicksand.”
Thus, each person should consider their thoughts and imagine that the thought is escaping from your mind through your ears with special signals controlled by elite soldiers. Don’t try to argue, avoid, or dispel these signals but observe them as they march in front of you.
6. Self-Affirmation
This is a new psychological method for healing various mental ailments. Self-affirmation means you need to think about your strengths and have faith in yourself. As a result, you will feel more confident and better able to control yourself. Consequently, you can more easily eliminate unwanted thoughts.
7. Rewrite Your Worries
Contrary to the method of self-affirmation, rewriting your innermost thoughts and feelings can have beneficial effects not only psychologically but also health-wise. Writing down your true feelings will help dissipate unwanted thoughts.
The methods and therapies mentioned above yield different results depending on each experiment, but a common feature is that they do not harm the participants. After a period of experimentation, they all provide significant improvements in addressing obsessions and “discarding” daily anxieties.
