Dealing with unhelpful thoughts - Cognitive Diffusion

Image by Kevin Turcios https://unsplash.com/photos/7qT9A9QzcUA

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt stuck in an endless loop of overthinking, obsessively struggling against a thought? It happened to me many times in my life, I just did not want to have a certain thought in my head and tried to suppress it. It did not work at all! The harder I tried to eliminate a thought from my mind, the more it was lingering around.

It does not need to stay like this!

We can learn how to observe our thoughts instead of identifying with them and letting them influence how we perceive our surroundings. This skill is called cognitive defusion. It's the difference between having a thought and buying a thought.

Cognitive defusion is about: − looking at thoughts rather than from them as if they were the reality − noticing thoughts rather than getting caught up or buying into the thought − letting thoughts come and go rather than holding onto the thought.

Cognitive defusion exercise:

• For the next minute, write down all of the thoughts that run through your mind.

• Now put in front of a few of them “I’m having the thought that…”

• Pause for a moment at this point and just read what you have written: “I’m having the thought that….” Can you notice it just as a thought you are having at this moment?

• Now read the whole sentence example “I’m having the thought that… it’s not going to work”.

Did you notice a sense of separation between the thought and yourself?

• While you're noticing yourself having thoughts, take a moment to expand your awareness to what else is going on in your mind. Are there any other thoughts?

• Take the next thought and do the same thing with it.

This exercise can help you to learn to distance yourself from unhelpful thoughts and see them just as thoughts. Thoughts do not have meaning unless we cling to them and give them meaning.

Participation questions:

Are you easily getting lost in your thoughts and wrapped up in the mental stories you tell yourself?

How do you believe your thoughts define you and the world you live in?

Helpful videos:

Cognitive Fusion and Defusion in ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy)

Leaves on a Stream

Helping yourself is always a great option but sometimes it’s simply not enough and professional support is required.

If you feel that you need more guided support please reach out to your doctor or a therapist.

7cups has online, certified therapists with a paid option. For more information click on link https://www.7cups.com/online-therapy/?ob=1

Taglist updated 3-23-22

@adventureawaits777 @adventorousBranch3786 @allnaturalWillow7138 @ambitiousGlobe3422 @ambitioushope1234 @amiablePeace77 @Ashy123 @augustine1304 @balderasdavid799 @BeamsOfHope00 @Beepyy @bestThinker1986 @blissedNblessed @Brittanny17 @charmaeausty @courageousPomegranate766 @creativeCar5713 @crystalclearnow @dlynn88911221 @Desmynn6789 @dysfunctionjunction1224 @EllyMerelyn @enthusiasticAcai2032 @enthusiasticTortoise6681 @exuberantStrawberries9544 @FaithMagic @FlowerEV777 @FracturedPurple @Fradiga @fruityPond7887 @geribear @Ghasaq997 @GlitteryHearts @GoldenNest2727 @heartstopper13 @helgafy @helpfulDime0407 @iamwhoiamwhoami @imaginativepear6493 @ingeniousLove9924 @Jordan1872 @k87 @Kenn13chan @kindcircle3085 @LisaMeighanMBPsS @lovelycoacoa @meaningfulSilence @modestTangerine2193 @MoonMomm @Mscooper2789 @mytwistedsoul @nessa104 @oa4me @OneErased @orangypie @paperBird3348 @patientwater @peacefulRainbow05 @PhilosophicalModel @PinkTriangle133 @politeGrapefruit179 @Randumuser1 @Rebecca @redirecting @ reservedPark4029 @Scarletpear1945 @ShapeshiftSystem @SilverSeastar @slothgurl17 @soulsings @SparklyFly @sorrowedbunny1256 @SpongeBob2021 @stephbrent @SugareeIsMe091121 @tallWalker4850 @ThadSterling @thoughtsbubbleexpress @tifecandy @toughLand5970 @UniversalSmile @warmheart0890 @WentToBruv @waves @WorriedMagpie