When bad thoughts constantly come to mind, it is annoying. Perhaps they relate to work mistakes, worries about money, or unexplained fear. Whatever sphere of life is affected by bad thoughts, it is very difficult to control.
The easiest, most intuitive way to get rid of bad thoughts is to crush them, throw them out of your head. Unfortunately, this is not the most effective way to deal with them. On the contrary, when you make efforts so as not to think about the bad, thoughts come back and are still more intrusive, torture you even more.
But there are at least 8 ways to eliminate bad thoughts.
According to the American psychologist Daniel Wegner, obsessive thoughts can be defeated by more subtle methods.
Targeted Entertainment
Suppose you compromised yourself in the eyes of the public. Then the best way to forget about an awkward situation is to distract yourself with something else. And you begin to wander thoughts in different directions. Be sure to find something nice and interesting. But the fact is that the aimless wandering of the mind for the human psyche is a dysfunctional state. And although the human mind is a lover of entertainment, it is much more efficient to be distracted by one thing: listen to a musical composition, complete a specific task, or watch a television program.
Avoid stress
Very often, people begin to subject themselves to stressful situations, hoping to defeat unpleasant thoughts. At the same time, they think that fuss and speed will help them forget about the problem. In vain, because stress only enhances general negative feelings. Bad thoughts come back again, but with more obsession. Do not stress yourself.
Postponement
While attempts to suppress thoughts do not end in success, an obsessive inner voice can be asked to remind yourself later. Studies have shown that this method works better than the commonly practiced suppression of bad thoughts. So give your inner “enemies" a special time. Worry and get nervous on schedule, and the rest of the time, take a break from adversity.
Paradoxical therapy
What if you do not run away from bad thoughts, but rather focus on them? Paradoxically, this method often works. This is a peculiar method of treatment of constant exposure. So people with phobias treat the fear of spiders, leaving them alone with insects until the fear passes.
This approach is not for the faint of heart, but it can be very effective.
Adoption
Accepting bad thoughts can be a very useful way to deal with them. Imagine soldiers coming out of your ears with slogans on which your thoughts are written. They are demonstrating in front of your window, and you are not trying to avoid them or drive them away. Just read what is written on the posters and watch the parade.
Meditation
By resorting to the help of Buddhism and its practices, you can correct the situation for the better. Conscious meditation is similar to acceptance, because it develops qualities such as compassion and impartiality in relation to thoughts that slip in the head.
Self-affirmation
This way of dealing with bad thoughts is innovative in psychology. It is to think about your positive character traits and believe in the best. Among other things, this attitude towards oneself improves social adaptation and self-control.