How to Take the Power Out of Anxious Thoughts

1. Simple noticing

• Pause what you are doing.
• Take a "reset" breath—slowly inhale, hold your breath for a couple of seconds, then exhale slowly (repeat if you want to).
• Tune into your mind chatter—ask yourself gently: What is my mind saying?
• Take a few moments to just listen to your mind at work.

2. Thinking of your mind like a river

An effective way to notice the act of thinking is to use visualisation. Think of your mind like a river—a never-ending flow of thoughts. Using this metaphor you can do the following:

• Imagine yourself swimming/in the middle of/stuck in the river—this represents you being fused with your thoughts.
• Visualise wading through the river, fighting the current—this represents you struggling with your thoughts (“I don't want these thoughts!”).
• Imagine sitting on the bank of the river (or maybe in a rowing boat on the river), watching the water move on by—this represents you defusing from your thoughts, watching and noticing them as they move through your mind.
• You can play around with the imagery to see what is most helpful to help you step back from your thoughts and notice the act of your thinking. Once you have visualised the river a few times, it can be useful to have a "shortcut" to it when you notice you are fused: Ask yourself, “Am I in the river right now” or “Have I fallen in the river?” Once you have noticed you are in the river, ask yourself, “How can I get myself out? What is going to help me step back from my thoughts?”

3. I am having the thought that...

A simple defusion technique that helps you notice the act of thinking is to simply say to yourself, “I am having the thought that….” Try this exercise:

• Pick one of the difficult thoughts that tends to show up for you on a fairly regular basis.
• Spend a moment or two getting really fused and caught up in that thought; say it over and over again to yourself.
• Now say to yourself, “I am having the thought that….[insert your thought].” Repeat this a few times.
• Now say to yourself “I notice I am having the thought that…[insert your thought].”

What did you notice during the exercise? Usually, people report that when they started to notice they were having the thought, it took the power out of it, made it seem smaller somehow, and less loud in their minds. This, in turn, can help reduce anxiety.

Read the complete article available at Psychology Today!

Reflection:

What are your thoughts on these coping mechanisms?

#Anxiety #AnxiousThoughts #Coping #MentalHealth

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