Sleepless Thoughts Troubling Your Peace of Mind?
Feeling stuck on past decisions and thoughts that haunt you? You're not alone. With so much going on in our personal lives and the world, it's easy to get caught up in the things that stress us out. But what can we do to leave these thoughts behind and move forward?
Clinical psychologist Adam Borland, PsyD, explains the reasons behind this phenomenon and offers some practical tips on how to break free from a loop of stressful thoughts.
Why do we hold onto certain thoughts?
According to Dr. Borland, it's human nature to focus on sources of stress during times of high anxiety. With the multitude of stressors bombarding us on a daily basis, it's like we're getting hit from all directions. It can be hard to pinpoint exactly why certain thoughts become fixated, or if they might amplify any existing mental health challenges.
Fixation on thoughts and anxiety or panic attacks
Whenever we become fixated on situations or outcomes, it's possible to trigger an emotional chain reaction. Dr. Borland likens it to a pot of water on the verge of boiling over. If our mind is already overflowing, the addition of more stressors might be enough to push us over the edge. For some, this might result in panic or intense emotions like anger or sadness, while others might internalize their feelings.
When talking to a friend or family member doesn't help, it's crucial to seek professional advice.
Not all worries are small
Whether you're grappling with a disagreement with a friend or a difficult decision at work, any situation that weighs heavily on your mind warrants attention. If it's dwelling on your mind or disrupting your sleep patterns, Dr. Borland encourages you to reach out to a mental health professional.
Avoid getting consumed by thoughts
To keep yourself from getting caught up in a cycle of worry, Dr. Borland suggests tapping into resources that you likely already have access to: exercise, fresh air, and gratitude exercises.
“I'm a big proponent of exercise and getting fresh air," he says. "Deep breathing also helps slow things down and create a natural relaxation response in the body."
Remembering to be grateful for the good things in life, even if they seem hard to find, can also make a significant difference in how we perceive and cope with our thoughts.
Fixation on certain thoughts can stem from cognitive biases, unresolved unconscious conflicts, or even psychological disorders like ADHD. Clinical psychologists often recommend mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, attention shifting exercises, and therapy for dealing with repetitive thinking patterns [1] [2] [3] [4] [5].
- Dr. Borland suggests that considering exercise, fresh air, and gratitude exercises can help individuals avoid getting consumed by stressful thoughts.
- In order to leave behind thoughts that are causing anxiety or panic attacks, it's important to recognize that not all worries are small and to seek professional advice when talking to a friend or family member doesn't help.
- According to Dr. Borland, fixation on thoughts can be a result of cognitive biases, unresolved unconscious conflicts, or psychological disorders like ADHD.
- Mental health professionals often recommend mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, attention shifting exercises, and therapy as tools for dealing with repetitive thinking patterns related to health, relationships, nutrition, fitness-and-exercise, mental-health, news, and health-and-wellness.
