If we talk about eliminating thoughts, the first question is to analyze the content of the thought and its consequences to see what is disturbing us. This evaluation must be done the first time the thought appears and there is no need to repeat it when it arises again later.
This analysis is of great importance, since knowing the problem we face is the best way to establish the most appropriate action strategy to confront it. The common objective of all applicable techniques will be to remove obsessive thinking from conscious attention and ensure that we focus on the experiences of the present moment.
In this Psychology-Online article, we will see the fundamental aspects to know how to eliminate negative thoughts of your mind.
Normalize negative thoughts
We must try to stop negative obsessive thoughts interfere as little as possible using appropriate psychological techniques. It is about accepting the thought without dwelling on it. It is shown that with acceptance The effort used to combat it decreases and this results in a decrease in emotional tension and unpleasant physical sensations.
Even so, it must be taken into account that if the emotional charge that accompanies the thought is intense, it will be very difficult to recover a stable and balanced psychological state, since it requires enormous effort and great mental strength, as is the case with .
Learn not to distort reality
How to eliminate negative thoughts? If the content of thought is distorted or deformed, we must eliminate the distortions and errors that mask it and undertake a cognitive restructuring that helps us to become convinced of what the authentic reality is and that its consequences are not as we think.
If we manage to achieve a high level of conviction of the “abnormality” of negative thoughts, it is very likely that the intensity, frequency or duration of the worries associated with them will be significantly reduced.
Establish an action protocol
When negative thoughts are about a future event, an action protocol must be established. This protocol must establish the measures to be taken and actions to be undertaken to try to avoid it or, at least, minimize the expected negative consequences. Some examples of this may be making an effort to obtain financial resources for the future, living a healthy life to prevent possible diseases, acquiring the necessary training to face future challenges, seeking social support to deal with loneliness, etc.
Having the protocol established provides a feeling of control and self-confidence to deal with any event and any negative thoughts that may appear. In this article, we tell you.
Differentiate yourself from your thoughts
To eliminate negative thoughts it is advisable to establish a distinction between the thinker and the thoughtthat is, between my conscious Self, capable of generating a multitude of different thoughts, and the specific thought that is occurring in my mind.
If you are clear that the thought is not you, but it is a phenomenon of the mind different from you, you will be able to handle it better. In this sense, the English psychologist Johnson-Laird (1988) points out:
“Being able to be self-aware is like becoming the observer of our actions, thoughts and emotions, in a way that allows us to modify our way of doing, thinking or managing feelings.”
In relation to this approach, it is advisable to establish an empathetic dialogue with oneself. For example, we can ask ourselves the following questions:
- What advantages and disadvantages do I get from holding those thoughts?
- Is it of any use to anyone?
- Is it worth focusing on it and putting aside other, more pleasant thoughts?
Stop thinking
Another technique to eliminate negative thoughts from your mind is thought stopping, effective in situations of low emotional intensity. To help trigger thought stopping you can inflicting physical pain, such as a pinch or a slap on the face, which will focus all of the mind’s attention on that sensation. Then you have to smile a knowing smile (self-empathy) and say to yourself a phrase like “that’s it, now on to something else” before returning to pay attention to what you were doing.
As a longer-term strategy, we can imagine a symbol, visual or verbal, that causes us aversion or rejection and associate it with that negative thought, with the intention of eliminating it from the mind. Specifically, this is a form of learning by and must always be the same symbol so that learning and subsequent habituation can occur.
Distraction activities
How to eliminate negative thoughts? To eliminate negative thoughts, the most appropriate psychological technique must be used depending on the chosen strategy. If circumstances allow it when this type of thinking appears, it is advisable to do activities that encourage attention to elements of the environment that replace this thought in our minds with another more pleasant and rewarding experience.
They can be activities related to , such as listening to music or watching a movie, physical exercise, talking with a friend, etc.
Relaxation techniques
Training the mind with techniques such as meditation, yoga or mindfulness will serve to gain self-control over our thoughts and learn to focus attention on other areas when recurring thoughts appear. Humor is also a good antidote to dismantle these types of thoughts. In this article you will find information about different .
Eliminate inappropriate behavior
An effective method to eliminate negative thoughts is. It’s also interesting develop activities in the various areas of life that are rewarding for you and reinforcing them through self-reward. In this way, the negativity generated by negative thoughts is counteracted.
In conclusion, it has been proven that the psychological suffering generated by negative thoughts lacks clear positive compensation, that is, a valid justification, which is why it is absurd to accept it in our minds. The ideal is to overcome it and employ the mind on more useful and rewarding thoughts that allow us to enjoy the moment.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Flavell, J. H. (1993). Cognitive development. Viewfinder. Madrid
- Wegner, D. M. (2002). The illusion of conscious will. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press
- Wells, Adrian (2009). Metacognitive Therapy for Anxiety and Depression. New York: Guilford