Try to remember that there are vets and doctors that can help and that death is a natural part of life. If it gets too bad, don't try to self-medicate. Pick up a hobby to keep your mind and body busy. Understand why we have intrusive thoughts, when they may become a problem, and what to do to make them stop. If you're ruminating, you need to change the channel. "The other person did this, so I can attack." Have a cup of tea. Constantly checking who they’re hanging out with or what they’re up to is only going to slow down your recovery. The best way to do that is to get involved in an activity that distracts you. If you think that you've developed an obsession with your disturbing thoughts, seek help from a mental health professional. Are you considering hurting yourself or others? By using our site, you agree to our. Avoid perpetually negative people. And it goes both ways. The more you think about sad things, the worse you feel. If your mind wants to think about that worry, let it worry. Is this a disturbing thought? Every time the scene enters your thoughts, you need to push it away. What is it about and what is so disturbing about it? You may need to experiment with a few different strategies until you find the activity that best helps you change the channel in your brain. References Change your body language Take time to observe your body language. Don’t try to just ignore the thought. When you are disturbed such that you can’t sleep, use a self-hypnosis technique that often works for me. You know you would never do it and you know it's an horrible thought, but for some reason you just can't get it out of your head. This article was co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS. Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. Avoid experiences and situations that trigger the thoughts, or find a distraction such as music or reading that helps you forget about them. Thanks to this article, I know now that I'm not a bad person. Try it: whatever you do, don’t think of a pink elephant! Use cognitive distancing. Imagining running over your boss with your car. Call a friend and talk about a completely different subject, Challenge yourself to rearrange your bookcase in 10 minutes, Spend a few minutes clearing clutter in a particular room, Work out vigorously (a slow stroll will give you more time to think but a fast-paced workout requires concentration). You know the harder you try to stop thinking about something, the harder it is to get it out of your mind. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Stop trying to forget about it. I also prayed to God so that helped a lot. Try as you might to block it … For general tips on studying, try reading through. Most importantly though, try and learn from this. There's nothing to feel embarrassed or ashamed about. … How do I get rid of dirty words inside my head? I cannot forget a fight with my friend. In other words, distract yourself with a game or anything along those lines! Brain scientists aren’t sure why humans dream in the first place, but they think it has something to do with memory. Keep a tally the number of times the thought occurs to become more aware of any patterns like when in the day or week the thoughts occur more frequently. Stop Virtual Stalking. Overwriting the Memory: Use thought substitution to overwrite the horrible image. If you're behind on your bills, thinking about how to get caught up can be helpful. It's not clear why this occurs, but the brain has a way of reminding you of the things you don't want to think … Managing Your Fear Limit your intake of negative news. Remind yourself how good your life already is, and, when the thought pops into your head, just think of that. Are your obsessive thoughts or behaviors affecting your home or work life? Yes, that is a very disturbing thought. So for example, say that you are thinking about something disturbing like stabbing someone. And sometimes, you can turn those thoughts and feelings into something more productive. a pet) a disturbing thought? Do meditation relating to cleansing mind. When you're feeling sad, for example, you look at the world through a gloomy lens. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. Write a poem, draw a picture, sing a song. Instead of simply trying to block those ... 2. How do I get rid of thoughts that I am something I'm not? Here are some examples of how you might change the channel in your brain: The key is to find something that works for you. Meditation is a great way to focus your mind on body and breath, … Remember that thinking about some disturbing or intrusive thoughts most likely does not mean you are crazy. 3. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. There are many OCD support websites that contradict some of the advice given in this article. This article received 12 testimonials and 87% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. In the future, when you have the thoughts, they won't cause as much distress. It's completely normal to have these thoughts. If you’re having disturbing thoughts, write down the thought and how it makes you feel, and make a list of actions that you can take to stop yourself from thinking about these things. It is natural to sometimes think about disturbing things (especially with the media coverage we are immersed in). You can also stay off of the parts of the internet that will expose you to dirty words. ", "This article was so helpful. A disturbing thought is something that comes into your mind out of nowhere. If you struggle doing this, mentally write out your shopping list, or a things to do tomorrow list. It also had something to do with a dog, and I feel very bad for the dog in this situation. Over and over. This article has been viewed 249,472 times. Studies have shown that people who try to stop thinking about something actually think about those thoughts more than those that don't actively try to stop thinking about it. to label these free-floating feelings. This is true in the dream state, but it … The more you practice this, the easier it becomes. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. Keeping Busy Get active. A lot of our thoughts stem from our unconscious. Manage your story. Now, every time I go to eat anything, I think about what i saw and I can't eat. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. It sounds like you're just going through puberty. Some people become obsessed with these thoughts and have a hard time moving past them. Do these thoughts make me a bad person? ", How to Stop Obsessing over Disturbing Thoughts. Engaging in a sport that requires you to focus on your body and/or … 1. ", not. ", thoughts could be worse, and also could be helped. Taking revenge makes it 1-1 in your book, but 1-2 in the other person's, who may lash out again, and so forth. To stop any single thought, you need to turn on or activate a different stream of thinking. "This article helped because I was having bad thoughts about other people and thinking that what they were doing was, "I had a bad experience with my elder brother when he was high, and the day after, he forgot everything, but I did, "I read through this article, as well as the article on sociopathic behavior. The article does a good job at helping here, but I want to specifically address the revenge part. The way you think affects your emotional state and your emotional state affects the way you think. Unfollow, unsubscribe and unfriend! But you were attacked, so in your mind, it's 1-0 - you're behind. For example, are you actually worried you will actually throw the baby against the wall, or are you more bothered by the thought of. Find something that requires some serious mental energy for at least a few minutes. Are you frowning? It can be, if these thoughts are very intrusive and affecting your quality of life. Are the thoughts disturbing to you or are others telling you your thoughts are disturbing? The inverse is also true--thinking about unpleasant things increases the chances you'll develop a mental health issue. Try staying away from people who say them. You're not a bad person, you're just curious. You have to be proactive about changing the channel in your brain (sort of like you'd change the channel on your TV). I keep thinking of everything I see or hear in a dirty way, but trying to think of something else makes me think of it more. Scared that I am something I 'm not a bad person, you should your. Delivered from my inferiority complex because of these ideas. `` is, and, they! T try to remember that thinking about how unfair it is going to slow down your recovery while.! Anything to you control, it is that you can ’ t be afraid to seek and. 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