How to get rid of obsessive thoughts and anxiety? It would seem that terrible in the thoughts that invariably arise in the head, distracting from current events. However, this position is fundamentally erroneous, since obsessive thoughts exhaust a person, pursuing him, they take energy, take time and have a destructive effect on health, interfere with enjoying their own being. Life is fleeting, so every minute you should appreciate it, and not waste it. Obsessive thoughts can greatly complicate your daily existence. Psychology calls intrusive thoughts an obsessive-compulsive disorder and offers many methods for getting rid of them.
The modern abundance of information, which a person has to process every day, provides individuals necessary knowledge, but at the same time often leads to a misperception of this information. Pesky ideas visit everyone, but in some individuals they "settle" for a long time and greatly complicate their existence, often acquiring the scale of mental deviation, especially if they are caused by mental trauma in the present or are associated with past shocks. There are many types of similar psychoemotional deviations. In most situations, you can get rid of obsessive thoughts and fears on your own using simple methods and special exercises.
Past emotional blows are common causes of anxious moods and annoying thoughts of impending horrors or setbacks that may occur.
They can be based on the fear of repeating an undesirable situation and not understanding how to get out of it. At the same time, similar thoughts may appear groundlessly. Accumulating, and anxiety provoke nervous overstrain, leading, first of all, to dysfunction of the digestive tract. The most common disorder arising from an imbalance in the emotional background is a stomach ulcer, followed by a disorder of the myocardium.
In addition, the constant exposure to stressors and obsessive thoughts give rise to the following problems:
- various addictions, for example, food, alcohol;
- excess weight, which is a consequence of overeating or abundant production of the hormone cortisol (with emotional shock, cortisol is thrown into the bloodstream in order to help the body in overcoming difficulties, however, with prolonged stress, this hormone inhibits metabolism);
- ailments of the reproductive system due to hormonal surges (there are disruptions in the hormonal cycle, a violation of the microflora of the genital organs, neoplasms often appear, a decrease in potency, a deterioration in the quality of sperm);
- weakening of immunity, as a result of which the body becomes easily susceptible to various infections;
- there are mental abnormalities generated by depressive moods (suicidal tendencies, complexes, phobias, mental ailments).
First of all, in order to eliminate anxiety and obsessive thoughts on your own, it is recommended to allow the positive to settle in the soul. It is necessary to try to control the flow of thoughts, avoiding negative assessments of reality, thoughts with a minus sign. If a bad thought, an unpleasant association, or a bad image occurs, you should immediately switch your own attention to any pleasant event or memory. You can also indulge in joyful dreams or rainbow planning for tomorrow's existence. It is necessary to recall life events when a person felt the happiest, most successful, loved, successful, and remember these emotions in order to be able to refer to them when apathy rolls over, sad thoughts and depressive thoughts begin to prevail.
People are immersed in their own world, filled with despondency and indifference to what is happening, when they lack positive emotions. This often leads to depressive moods, and sometimes it can give rise to real depression.
If it is difficult to switch to pleasant thoughts or memories, then it is recommended to acquire an interesting hobby or other occupation to your liking. For example, you can start going to the pool, water has the ability to eliminate negativity, sign up for a sports section, because sport contributes to the production of the hormone of happiness. Besides the beneficial effects physical education on the mental attitude of a person, sport also takes up free time, which leaves no opportunity to indulge in sorrows or succumb to the influence of obsessive thoughts and anxiety.
It is necessary to introduce into the habit of small breaks, diluting active daily life. Man is a living, functioning organism, and he needs ordinary rest. A common cause of obsessive thoughts and anxiety is banal overwork.
It is also recommended to allow yourself to "laze around" a little during the day, for example, watch an interesting movie, read a novel. This will eliminate anxiety. 
When obsessive thoughts are the result of the habit of "grinding" daily events, replaying over and over again in your head, take off it is quite easy to cope on your own. First of all, it should be recognized that not all thoughts are logical, smart and true. After all, thoughts that are constantly reproduced by the brain are not necessarily part of the surrounding reality. Obsessions are often illogical and completely inadequate. You should know that thought is only a reflection of the conditions of being of individuals, their mood, moral guidelines, values, mood, life circumstances, outlook, imagination, reading and worldview. The confusion and intricacy of all these components in the brain often gives rise to obsessions.
Resisting internal conversation, as well as ignoring it, is not only meaningless, but often dangerous. Since a person by such behavior independently drives his own person into a trap, where panic and anxiety reign. Therefore, it is recommended to realize the presence of obsessive thoughts, to admit the very fact of their presence. After that, you should try to become an outside observer, looking at the ongoing "dance" of thoughts from the side. At the same time, even the slightest attempt to analyze them should be avoided. Questions like "why these thoughts appear", "what led to them" will be driven back into the trap.
It must be remembered that annoying internal dialogue is only a stream of thoughts, in which it is not at all necessary to believe. It is more important here to listen to your own feelings, which arise as a result of annoying thoughts. Perhaps the person experiences anger, irritation, joy, sadness, or denial. These emotions should not be feared, one should accept and live them. Such a process will lead to transformations in the psyche. The consequence of this will be the attenuation of the described sensations and the restoration of mental comfort.
At the same time, one should not expect instant relief from obsessive thoughts and anxiety. It is necessary to prepare yourself for the fact that the process of releasing from the yoke of annoying thoughts is quite long. Therefore, you should closely familiarize yourself with relaxation techniques. After all, the brain also needs rest and constantly nervous thoughts will drain it. Various breathing practices, self-hypnosis, auto-training can help you relax and eliminate unnecessary stress.
It is also advised not to avoid social contact. Since a benevolent interaction helps to distract from obsessive thoughts and tune in to positive. And the deliberate fencing of oneself from society will only aggravate the condition and intensify the symptoms.
Most psychologists agree that obsessive compulsions are often the result of traumatic events. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to be a witness of the tragedy or to experience the sudden death of a loved one. For some people, the death of a pet can become a trigger mechanism, since it will give rise to deep emotional experiences that the human psyche is not able to overcome on its own for any reason.
Before embarking on the path of dealing with obsessive thoughts, you need to understand the following:
- the situation will not be resolved by itself if you constantly think about it;
- any annoying thought is devoid of a rational foundation, while if it is due to a specific problem, then it is this problem that needs to be solved, there is no point in thinking about it all the time;
- it will not be possible to eliminate annoying internal dialogues through reflection and finding logical argumentation.
Today, many methods have been developed that allow you to cope with annoying internal dialogue on your own.
Below are some ways to get rid of obsessive thoughts on your own.
As already mentioned above, first of all, it is necessary to stop fighting annoying thoughts, since this battle is a losing battle in advance. Obsessive thoughts thus take away the strength and energy of a person, and if the individual also consciously begins to pay attention to them, plunging deeper into negative experiences, then he will simply weaken his own body. One well-known expression can be used here: “In order not to remember the black cat, one must remember purple dog". This statement can be found in different variations but the meaning remains the same.
When obsessive thoughts begin to overwhelm, it is recommended to mentally imagine that there is a "delete" button in the brain, which should be pressed, and switch attention to topical activities or more pleasant things. 
Creativity is one of the most effective ways to get rid of neurosis-like states. It is necessary to write on a sheet of paper about everything that torments, causes inconvenience, that interferes with a comfortable existence.
You can draw problems. In this case, it does not matter at all whether there are artistic abilities. Beauty and clarity of lines are not important here, the main thing is to give freedom to your own imagination.
You can sculpt the disturbing problem out of clay or plasticine, or cut out of colored cardboard. The main thing is to allow yourself to do everything that your soul wants at the moment, to express the tormenting ideas the most in a convenient way... After the work done, you must carefully listen to the sensations inside. If you don't want to write, draw or dazzle anything more, then it's time to get rid of obsessive thoughts and anxiety on your own. You can tear it into smallest pieces, burn it, throw it away, fly it into the distance by airplane, crush it, crush your own "creation".
Exhausting fantasies, ideas and feelings can be transformed into new opportunities, resources, development zones. For example, if the thought of an unplugged iron or an unlocked door has eternally pursued, then you need to start developing your own attention and memory. In addition to the fact that this will help to remember exactly about the turned off iron, these skills will also contribute to work and greatly facilitate daily life.
In order to get rid of obsessive thoughts and anxiety, it is recommended to try to identify the patterns of their occurrence. For example, disturbing thoughts begin to prevail closer to the evening or early morning. Maybe they arise only because a person's subconscious wants to help a person - to evade an undesirable business, work, call. Intrusive thoughts can be a kind of bell, signaling the need to look back at your own life: maybe boring work or everyday life tortured you. When obsessions arise, it is important to understand what triggered them.
The distraction method has proven to be equally effective in getting rid of obsessions. Indeed, sometimes a person needs so little to feel happy - to hear the sound of the sea, to see sunny sunset enjoy the singing of spring birds. 
Sometimes you can stare at the fire and forget about all the disturbing situations for the soul, as if time had stopped and everything had stood still. This is because the brain, being distracted by various dynamic processes, believes that the rest is not so significant, and therefore any sticky and exhausting thoughts, emotions, images go away, as a result of which the individual feels relaxation, feels a surge of strength, and inspiration illuminates him. ... Therefore, the more often the brain is occupied with various tasks, the lower the likelihood of neurosis.
You also need to realize that when an individual from the outside accepts obsessive thoughts and commits certain actions as a result of their influence, then he must take responsibility for these actions, as well as their consequences. Do not shift the responsibility to haunting thoughts. Once a person acted in accordance with them, therefore, it was he who accepted them. In addition, the actions were performed not by thoughts, but directly by the individual himself.
In order to get rid of obsessions, it is recommended to stop relentlessly reproducing thoughts and study. Because it is self-hypnosis that has tremendous power. Thanks to it, you can eliminate pain, cure a psychosomatic disorder, or improve your mental state. The self-hypnosis method is widely used in psychotherapy.
Finding himself in a crisis situation, the individual unconsciously begins to utter statements that can only worsen the condition. Self-hypnosis is connected, leading to a feeling of complete powerlessness, a sense of despair, melancholy, various disorders and ailments. If a person begins to notice that he is constantly repeating a negative attitude, then it is recommended to replace it with the opposite one, trying to repeat it more often.
Also, in order to independently get rid of obsessive thoughts and anxiety, one should deliberately abandon hidden interests and benefits. No matter how unnatural it may seem, an individual, overwhelmed by exhausting annoying thoughts, often looks for an imaginary benefit for his own person in their presence. At the same time, they do not admit this to themselves. Psychologists call this phenomenon “secondary benefit”.
When it seems that the benefits of torture outweigh the benefits of peace of mind. However, this is only self-deception, so you should try to find and comprehend the "secondary benefit". Only after this will the individual be able to eradicate obsession and find a way out of the existing situation.
People suffering from haunting obsessive thoughts should realize the absurdity of these thoughts. Several coherent reasonable theses contribute to the exposure of the absurdity of the thoughts tormenting them. It is important that the arguments are intelligible, clear and concise. It is better not to enter into a prolonged argument with your own obsessive thoughts. Because this behavior is doomed to failure in advance. Such a dialogue will end with emotions gaining the upper hand over reason. 
There is a certain group of annoying thoughts that are easier to overcome than other intrusive thoughts. They are characterized by a connection with certain actions, the future, which is in the hands of people. The described group includes fear of the future, consequences, loneliness. This also includes the popular question of how to get rid of obsessive thoughts about a person.
The basis of these fears is banal indecision. You need to stop worrying and start acting. You should face your own fears directly. After all, it is not known in advance whether they are justified or not, it is not known tomorrow it will be as it seems or otherwise. The only way to find out is to check empirically what happens next. Fears will dissipate on their own when a person is convinced that the reasons for anxiety simply do not exist. You need to concentrate your own will in a fist and follow in the forward direction.
It should also be understood that the problem is best solved in a comprehensive manner. Before embarking on the implementation of the above methods, you need to review your own routine and daily diet. It is recommended to minimize the consumption of psychostimulants. It is better to substitute herbal infusions with an emphasis on sedatives for the usual caffeinated drinks and tea. A collection consisting of St. John's wort, Valerian officinalis and mint will be effective. The effect of this drink can be multiplied by using buckwheat honey.
As already mentioned above, in order to get rid of obsessive states, it is necessary to diversify one's own leisure, so as not to leave even a minimal opportunity for annoying thoughts to take possession of the individual's consciousness. It is necessary to exclude idleness from everyday life. Therefore, the day should be scheduled literally by the minute. You cannot leave even seconds for destructive thoughts.
In addition to the above, it is necessary to carry out daily psychological work with myself. This work should be aimed at eliminating tormenting thoughts from the head. It is easier to do this when there is an understanding that every thought is only a tiny part of the person himself, which is due to the environment, upbringing, environment and many others. Therefore, one should not identify oneself with obsessive thoughts. Only after this postulate is accepted by the individual and assimilated, you can proceed to the next steps.
Obsessions are difficult to resist, and almost impossible to destroy. This statement should be recognized in order to move on. Destructive thoughts should be ignored without engaging in "demagoguery" with them.
You do not need to immerse yourself in your own inner world, giving complete control over yourself to obsessive thoughts. It is better to pay attention to the riot of colors and the variety of events in the real world.
It is exclusively intelligence and the ability to think that distinguishes a person from other living beings. The brain made our individual more conscious compared to the rest of the inhabitants of the planet. The main goal of consciousness is to create the most rational methods of responding to the world around us. We can be aware of one part of our thoughts because we purposefully think about something. We do not control the other, and it remains in our subconscious. We do not always notice this part of our brain's work, while it creates new ones, much more effective options behavior.
As side effect our brains, as a result of the "creative" process, can generate truly strange thoughts that can surprise or even alarming. One wants to move away from such ideas as quickly and efficiently as possible. Let's look at how to get rid of obsessive thoughts and achieve clarity of consciousness.
It is not always possible to cope with this task on your own. However, there are a number of exercises, among which you can choose one or more that are optimal for yourself.
At first, you can try to express your emotions. If disturbing thoughts have taken possession of your mind, it is enough to list them. This method is advised by the gestalt therapist Nifont Dolgopolov. In the event that you are haunted by thoughts like “I don’t have time to do something…” or “I am worried about something…”, you need to remember the circumstances under which you had these feelings. Perhaps, taking on some business, you suspected that you would not be able to finish it on time. You need to try to express your emotions very vividly. It will not be superfluous to enhance them with body movements, shades of intonation and gestures. This procedure is best done where you will not be disturbed. Nifont Dolgopolov states that restraining emotions becomes the reason that thoughts constantly revolve around this problem. After a person has the opportunity to express their emotions, the endless circulation of thoughts stops.
At the heart of the second method which helps to get rid of obsessive thoughts, correct breathing lies... In order for disturbing ideas to leave your head, you need to close your eyes and begin to breathe measuredly and calmly. While performing this procedure, listen to your body, watch its movements, control your breathing, watch how your belly rises and falls. Wellness expert Lelia Savosina, telling, how to get rid of obsessive thoughts through breathing, says that during this exercise it is better to focus on bodily sensations. The procedure helps to focus on something detached and relieves muscle tension.
Another way to get rid of obsessive thoughts is the following technique. You need to take a piece of paper and start writing whatever comes into your head on it. No need to choose words and focus on spelling. You will be able to watch as your handwriting turns from impetuous and sharp to smooth. This will mean that you gradually achieve inner balance. Psychotherapist Alexander Orlov states that this exercise allows you to look at experiences from a different angle and gives an outlet to emotions. The same practice applies to the free association method and the directed imagination method. The basis of psychotherapy is free and confidential communication, during which everything that worries and worries is said.
Remaining mindful is another way to ensure getting rid of obsessive thoughts... If a person is immersed in inner experiences, he begins to perceive worse what is happening around. This mechanism works and vice versa. Existential psychotherapist Maria Soloveichik advises focusing on objects and events around you, immediately after you notice that you have fallen into the trap of obsessive thoughts. You can pay attention to the smallest trifles, such as a leaf on a tree. If you do not focus on such details, you will again return to the realm of thinking. After noticing this reaction in yourself, engage in close observation again. Try to expand your field of perception. For example, after a leaf, start examining the crown of a tree, from time to time switching to small details. Change your focus periodically. Let not only trees fall into your field of vision, but also people, houses, clouds and other objects. This technique can make your life much easier, as it will be much easier to deal with obsessive thoughts.
Many who are fond of psychology know that a person is constantly in one of three states of his inner “I”: Parent, Child or Adult. Everyone tends to make decisions like an adult, help and care like a parent, and obey and act up like a child.
Doctor of Psychology Vadim Petrovsky states that the constant replaying of obsessive thoughts represents endless communication with one of the “I” s. To effectively reduce the notorious internal dialogue to naught, you must learn to understand who is currently speaking of these three "I". In the event that your thoughts are focused on the scenario of failure, most likely your inner voice is speaking to you in the form of a parent. The transactional analyst Isabelle Crespel argues that in such a situation, it is necessary to make the critic speak in the tone of a mentor who tells you how to do the right thing and how to make the right decision. At the same time, you need to mentally support yourself with motivating phrases like “Be sure that everything will work out”, “You can do everything”. This inner attitude will help you focus on constructive solutions.
When answering the question of how to distract yourself from obsessive thoughts, it is worth mentioning another method, which is to ask yourself questions. In most cases, we are not worried about real difficulties, but only about perceived problems. Psychologist Katie Byron, the author of the “Work” method, advises, if it is impossible to change reality, try to change thoughts about it. She suggests asking herself four questions: "How true is this?", "Am I one hundred percent sure that this is true?", "How do I react to these thoughts?" and "Who would I be without such thoughts?"
Let's say you have no idea how to do the right thing because you think someone is going to be upset or angry. Working according to the aforementioned method, you will come to the conclusion that no one will be angry with you and that you have decided this for yourself. Otherwise, you may find that thinking about someone’s displeasure is just an excuse for laziness and inaction. Such a technique will help us understand the relativity of many of our beliefs, change the angle of perception and discover completely unusual solutions to certain problems.
Since it is not always possible to remove obsessive thoughts, you can practice meditation as a way to get rid of unnecessary anxiety. Yoga coach Natalya Shuvalova is sure that a person concentrates on good and bad thoughts. Meditation, on the other hand, helps us focus solely on what benefits us. You can concentrate on your breath, a specific symbol, or even a sound. To begin with, it will be enough to learn to observe your feelings and mental experiences in a detached manner. Having previously taken a comfortable position, begin to follow all the processes that occur in your brain and body. Let your emotions, thoughts and sensations flow by. You should not judge them, you just need to try to study them. Natalia Shuvalova says that it is very important to understand that we are able to manage thoughts and emotions, and not vice versa. Observation turns off thoughts and frees the head from obsessions.
Another method that helps to overcome unnecessary ideas is the sound mute method. Business consultant and Doctor of Psychology Aleksey Sitnikov says that we present the most important events and memories for us in the most vivid and picturesque way. If you imagine the stream of thoughts as a movie, then what better quality image and sound, the stronger the impact on us of this or that plot. Therefore, the most obsessive ideas and thoughts should be "viewed" with muted sound and fuzzy images in order to significantly reduce the level of its impact. This will greatly reduce their importance.
If exercises aimed at solving the question of whether how to get rid of obsessive thoughts, do not help, there is a possibility that the latter have become so intense that the above methods do not provide adequate reassurance. Psychoanalyst Ksenia Korbut believes that obsessive thoughts are correctly considered as a protective mechanism of the human psyche that helps to overcome frightening and unpredictable feelings. They often occur in people who are unable or unable to show emotions. It is in such situations that a person tries to explain logically defined experiences or reduce them to something rational and understandable. In view of the fact that it is impossible to do this, we are forced to repeat them over and over again to no avail.
In the event that you cannot get away from obsessive thoughts, it makes sense to contact a specialist who will create the conditions for understanding the world of your own emotions.
Obsessive thoughts are thoughts that a person cannot control. He does not want to “think of them” at all, but they “think” by themselves. How to deal with obsessive thoughts? To get rid of obsessive thoughts, you need to understand the behavior of a person suffering from obsessive thoughts, and the causes of this condition.
The life of a person suffering from obsessive thoughts and actions that he commits as a result of these thoughts is significantly disturbed. It is very difficult for a person to lead a normal life. The family begins to suffer from this, and troubles appear in the social and social aspect.
Most people with such mental disorders do not want to seek help from doctors, because they themselves are at a loss, as well as there is a fear that they will be enrolled in the ranks of madmen or are ashamed to admit their thoughts. Do not forget that the symptoms of obsession have the ability to develop, and this leads to an aggravation of the condition. Do not be alarmed, but start fighting thoughts.
Healing painting
Surely many people know that creativity is good at correcting a person's mood and emotions. And if obsessive anxiety arises, start drawing, try to put your obsessive thoughts and experiences on paper. Perhaps, there will be a desire to portray something completely opposite from obsession and thus, a person will be distracted from anxiety and anxiety. And you can also use any other type of creativity, for example, singing or needlework - embroidery, knitting.
Exercise - "Twenty Years Later"
With the help of this exercise, you can easily get rid of negative emotions and obsessive thoughts about the bad event that happened the day before, which haunts you for a long time. You need to sit comfortably, close your eyes, relax, breathe regularly and try to present the event to the smallest detail, as if it is happening here and now. In this case, a person will experience all those feelings and emotions that he experienced during the event and after it. These can be: fear, anger, resentment, anxiety, or complete apathy. Then you need to try to imagine how this event will affect your future life and what will happen in a year, five years and twenty.
Everything will come later
A good method is to put an obsession or idea of behavior and behavior aside for later. It is necessary to convince the person that the obsessive thought that has visited him can be dealt with, for example, an hour later or after some events. Then put it off again and again until the obsessive thoughts pass on their own.
How to deal with obsessive thoughts
There is one more way. But I warn you right away - its implementation requires perseverance and fortitude. If you want to get rid of obsessive thoughts, you need to keep in front of your eyes the picture that you cannot get rid of. A picture of what you are afraid of. You need to consider it with all the details, experience all the emotions. At first, of course, it will be difficult. But this must be experienced.
It is necessary not to extinguish emotions in oneself and continue to consider this picture. After a certain period of time, there will be a peak of unpleasant emotions, as well as a weakening, which will be accompanied by a feeling of relief.
Dealing with any fear is not easy. The stage of "obsessive thoughts", as a rule, occurs when fear has already become powerful, has grown, in connection with which it is rather difficult for a person to cope with it on their own. Sometimes it is better to seek help from specialists.
Remember that the described methods of dealing with obsessive thoughts are only temporary help. And people with obsessiveness just need qualified assistance psychologist.
The main cause of obsessive thoughts is fear. These are uncontrollable and uncontrollable thoughts. When a person does not want to “think of them”, but they all “think”. Why? The answer is obvious - because in the subconscious of a person there is a reason why they can appear. This is fear.
The person is scared and he decides to just not think about it. He has only the emotion of fear, but no solution to the situation. Consciousness does not allow thinking on this topic, but fear is so great that it breaks the prohibition imposed by consciousness and breaks through in the form of obsessive thoughts. They arise as an attempt to find a solution at a subconscious level.
If you want to get rid of obsessive thoughts, you should know that obsessive thoughts have both negative and positive sides. The positive side of obsessive thoughts is that they loudly signal the fear that sits deep within.
Man does not control fear, but vice versa. Fear limits a person's actions, his decisions, can force him to act illogically, inadequately, and at the same time fear can be insidiously hidden. As a rule, a person rarely realizes that fear was the reason for his action or decision.
Such situations can usually be clearly seen from the outside. Sometimes we think of someone, "In his place, I would have done this and that." And it seems that everything is very clear. And a person will suffer, commit stupid and illogical acts. Why, then, can we see from the outside how it is correct, but he cannot see from the inside? This is because he is hindered by an unconscious fear.
How to deal with obsessive thoughts? In this case, a contradictory approach is required. There is no need to push them away, but rather “think more” in order to understand what exactly we are afraid of. After you discover fear, you need to figure out - why exactly are you so afraid of it?
What from the past, and perhaps not only yours, but also those of your loved ones, can cause or intensify your fear. Then you just need to remove the fear itself as an emotion, and on a rational level understand that you would not want this to happen to you, but at the same time fear would not fall on you. Once you can achieve this result, obsessive thoughts will bother you much less.
Quite often, we cannot escape from negative thoughts in any way; in our souls we experience the same situation a dozen times. As a result, we become nervous, unable to concentrate on any business. Therefore, it is very important to be able to switch thoughts. How to switch thoughts from negative to positive?
Chat with friends, loved ones
It helps very well to distract yourself a little, to think about something else. Just don't talk about your problems. Get distracted, chat on extraneous topics. Immerse yourself in someone else's problem, maybe you can help with something, you can give advice.
Physical work
Perfectly helps to get rid of obsessive thoughts. When muscles work, the brain becomes less involved in thought processes. Take care of at least cleaning. Better yet, exercise. Muscle fatigue will relieve obsessive negative thoughts.
Think of something good
Think back to a good thing that happened to you recently. Think about something urgent - what kind of dinner to cook, what to wear to work tomorrow, where to go to rest on vacation ... It is important not to think about painful things.
Do things that your hands can't reach
Perhaps you wanted to clean up your closet? Go through the photos? Do needlework? In general, put yourself in painstaking and long work. There will be no time to think about the bad.
Watch a movie, read a book
Immerse yourself in another world. You will observe other people's experiences, live someone else's life. And forget about your problems for a while. And if you also like the plot, you will ponder the actions of the heroes for some time, think about how you yourself would act in this situation.
See photos that will bring positive emotions
Everyone has a bunch of photos from a vacation, wedding, birthday. Those that have not been viewed in years. Look through them, plunge into the past for a short time, relive the memories, impressions, feelings again. In addition, you may find that life is not a solid black streak, that there are joyful moments in it.
You've received advice on how to get rid of obsessive thoughts that are so hard to get rid of. As you can see, there is nothing difficult - you just need to do something else so that there is no time to sit and feel sorry for yourself. There are a lot of options for this, so if you wish, you can score more than one day with deeds. And when you come back to your problem again, you will understand that nothing so terrible is happening.
Usually people consider thought to be something unimportant,
therefore they are very little picky in accepting a thought.
But from the accepted correct thoughts, everything good is born,
from the received false thoughts all evil is born.
Thought is like a ship's rudder: from a small rudder,
from this insignificant board, dragging along the ship,
the direction and, for the most part, fate depends
the whole huge machine.
St. Ignatiy Bryanchaninov,
Bishop of the Caucasus and Black Sea
In crisis periods of life, almost everyone suffers from the invasion of obsessive thoughts. More precisely, obsessive thoughts are the way in which false ideas come to us that try to take over us. Every day, our consciousness is subject to their active attacks. This prevents us from soberly assessing the situation, making plans and believing in their implementation, because of these thoughts it is difficult for us to concentrate and find reserves to overcome problems, these thoughts exhaust, and often lead to despair.
Here are some thoughts that come with a breakup:
· I won't have anyone else. Nobody needs me (no need)
He was the best and I won't find such (such) again
I cannot live without him (her)
Everything that happened is only my fault
I will not be able to build a relationship with anyone, because I no longer respect myself
· There will be no further joy. Real life is over and now there will be only survival
· Better not to live at all than this. I see no point in such a life. I see no point and no hope
I can't trust anyone now
· How will I tell my parents about this?
· Now everyone condemns me.
· I can’t do anything. I will not be able to become normal and respected.
And similar thoughts. They pervade our consciousness. They do not let us go for a second. They make us suffer much more than the very events that triggered the crisis.
There are a number of mental illnesses (depression of organic genesis, schizophrenia, etc.), in which obsessive thoughts are present in the complex of symptoms. With such diseases, we know of only one possibility of help - pharmacotherapy. In this case, it is necessary to consult a psychiatrist to prescribe treatment.
However, most people who suffer from obsessive thoughts when experiencing a crisis do not have psychopathological disorders. With the help of our advice, they can successfully get rid of these thoughts and get out of the crisis.
What is the nature of obsessive thoughts?
From the point of view of science, obsessive thoughts (obsessions) are the incessant repetition of unwanted ideas and drives, doubts, desires, memories, fears, actions, ideas, etc., which cannot be eliminated by an effort of will. The real problem in these thoughts is exaggerated, enlarged, distorted. As a rule, there are several of these thoughts, they line up in a vicious circle, which we cannot break. And we run in circles like squirrels in a wheel.
The more we try to get rid of them, the more they become. And then there is a feeling of their violence. Very often (but not always), obsessive states are accompanied by depressive emotions, painful thoughts, and anxiety.
To overcome this problem, we need to answer the questions:
· What is the nature of obsessive thoughts? Where do they come from?
· How to deal with obsessive thoughts?
And then it turns out that psychology has no exact answer to this question.
Many psychologists, speculatively and unsubstantiated, tried to explain the cause of obsessive thoughts. Various psychological schools are still at war with each other on this issue, but most still associate obsessive thoughts with fears. True, this does not clarify how to deal with them. We tried to find at least some method that would allow us to effectively deal with them, but in the last century they found only a method of pharmacotherapy, which for a while can help to cope with fear, and, accordingly, with obsessive thoughts. The only bad thing is that it is far from always effective. The reason remains, and pharmacotherapy only temporarily relieves the symptom. Accordingly, in the overwhelming majority of cases, pharmacotherapy is ineffective as a method of dealing with obsessive thoughts.
There is one more old way, which creates the illusion of a solution to the problem, but only very seriously aggravates it. Despite this, this method is often resorted to. We're talking about alcohol, drugs, crazy entertainment, extreme activities, etc.
Yes, for a very short time this way you can disconnect from obsessive thoughts, but then they will still "turn on", and with increased force. We will not dwell on explaining the ineffectiveness of such methods. Everyone knows this from their own experience.
Classical psychology does not provide recipes for effectively dealing with obsessive thoughts because it does not see the nature of these thoughts. To put it simply, it is quite difficult to fight the enemy if he is not visible and it is not even clear who it is. The schools of classical psychology, presumptuously canceling out the vast experience of spiritual struggle accumulated by previous generations, began to rebuild certain concepts. These concepts are different for all schools, but the main thing is that the reason for everything is sought either in the faceless and incomprehensible unconscious of the person himself, then in some physical and chemical interactions of dendrites, axons and neurons, then in frustrated needs for self-realization, etc. NS. At the same time, there are no clear explanations of what obsessive thoughts are, the mechanism of their influence, the laws of their appearance.
Meanwhile, answers to questions and successful solutions to the problem have been known for more than one thousand years. There is an effective way of dealing with obsessive thoughts in a mentally healthy person!
We all know that the power of obsessive thoughts is that they can influence our consciousness without our will, and our weakness is that we have almost no influence on obsessive thoughts. That is, behind these thoughts there is an independent will, different from ours. The very name "obsessive thoughts" already suggests that they are "imposed" by someone from the outside.
We are often surprised by the paradoxical nature of the content of these thoughts. That is, logically, we understand that the content of these thoughts is not entirely justified, not logical, not dictated by a sufficient number of real external circumstances, or even simply absurd and devoid of any common sense, but, nevertheless, we cannot resist these thoughts. Also, often when such thoughts arise, we ask ourselves the question: "How did I come to this idea?", "Where did this thought come from?", "This thought got into my head?" We cannot find the answer to this, but for some reason we still consider it ours. At the same time, the obsessive thought has a huge impact on us. Everyone knows that a person, persecuted by obsessions, maintains a critical attitude towards them, realizing all their absurdity and alienation from his reason. When he tries to stop them with an effort of will, it does not bring results. This means that we are dealing with an independent mind, different from ours.
Whose is this reason and will, which are directed against us?
The Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church say that a person in similar situations deals with the attack of demons. I want to clarify right away that none of them perceived demons as primitively as those who did not think about their nature perceive them. These are not those funny hairy ones with horns and hooves! They have no visible appearance at all, which allows them to act discreetly. They can be called in different ways: energies, spirits of malice, essences. It makes no sense to talk about their appearance, but we know their main weapon is a lie.
So, it is the evil spirits, according to the holy fathers, that is the reason for these thoughts, which we take for our own. It is difficult to give up habits. And we are so accustomed to consider all thoughts, all our internal dialogues and even internal battles as our own and only ours. But in order to win these battles, you need to stand on your side, against the enemy. And for this you need to understand that these thoughts are not ours, they are imposed on us from the outside by a force hostile to us. Demons act like banal viruses, while trying to remain unnoticed and unrecognized. Moreover, these entities act regardless of whether you believe in them or not.
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) wrote about the nature of these thoughts in the following way: “The spirits of malice fight against man with such cunning that the thoughts and dreams they bring to the soul seem to be born in it itself, and not from an evil spirit alien to it, acting and working together take cover. "
The criterion for determining the true source of our thoughts is very simple. If a thought robs us of peace, it is from demons. “If from any movement of the heart you immediately feel confusion, oppression of spirit, then this is no longer from above, but from the opposite side - from an evil spirit” - said the righteous John of Kronstadt. Isn't this the effect of obsessive thoughts that torment us in a crisis situation?
True, we are not always able to correctly assess our condition. The famous modern psychologist V.K. Nevyarovich in the book “Therapy of the Soul” writes about this: “The absence of constant internal work on self-control, spiritual sobriety and conscious control of one's thoughts, described in detail in the ascetic patristic literature, also affects. It can also be assumed, with a greater or lesser degree of evidence, that some thoughts, by the way, always almost felt as alien and even forced, violent, really have a nature alien to humans, being demonic. According to patristic teachings, a person is often unable to discern the true source of his thoughts, and the soul is permeable to the demonic element. Only experienced ascetics of holiness and piety, with a bright soul already purified by prayer and fasting, are able to detect the approach of darkness. Souls covered with sinful darkness often do not feel and do not see this, because on the dark, the dark is poorly distinguished.
It is the thoughts “from the evil one” that support all our addictions (alcoholic, gambling addiction, painful neurotic addiction to certain people, etc.). Thoughts that we mistake for our own, push people to suicide, despair, resentment, unforgiveness, envy, passions, indulge pride, unwillingness to admit their mistakes. They obsessively suggest that we, disguising ourselves as our thoughts, do very bad deeds in relation to others, not work on correcting ourselves. These thoughts prevent us from embarking on the path of spiritual development, instill in us a feeling of superiority over others, etc. Such thoughts are precisely these "spiritual viruses".
It is the spiritual nature of such thoughts-viruses that is confirmed by the fact that, for example, it is often difficult for us to do a godly deed, to pray, to go to church. We feel internal resistance, we make great efforts to resist, it seems, our own thoughts, which find a huge number of excuses so that we do not do this. Although, it seems, what is difficult about getting up early in the morning and going to the temple? But no, we will get up early wherever we go, and it will be hard for us to get up to go to church. According to the Russian proverb: “Although the church is close, walking is slimy; and the tavern is far away, but I walk slowly. " Sitting in front of the TV is also easy for us, but it is much more difficult to force ourselves to pray for the same time. These are just some examples. In fact, our whole life consists of a constant choice between good and evil. And, having analyzed the choices we make, everyone can see the action of these "viruses" every day.
This is how spiritually experienced people viewed the nature of obsessive thoughts. And their advice on overcoming those thoughts worked flawlessly! The criterion of experience unambiguously indicates that the church's understanding of this issue is correct.
How to overcome obsessive thoughts?
How, according to this correct understanding, can we overcome obsessive thoughts?
The first steps are as follows:
1. Recognize that you have obsessive thoughts and need to get rid of them.!
Make a firm decision to get rid of this slavery in order to continue to build your life without these viruses.
2. Take responsibility
I want to note that if we accept these obsessive thoughts from the outside, perform certain actions under their influence, then it is we who are responsible for these actions and the consequences of these actions. It is impossible to shift the responsibility to obsessive thoughts, because we accepted them and acted in accordance with them. It was not thoughts that acted, but ourselves.
Let me explain with an example: if an assistant is trying to manipulate a manager, then if he succeeded, and the manager made an erroneous decision because of this, it is the manager who will be responsible for this decision, and not his assistant.
3. Muscle relaxation
To all affordable means the fight against obsessive thoughts, if they are caused by fears and anxieties, is muscle relaxation. The fact is that when we can completely relax our body, relieve muscle tension, then along with this, anxiety will necessarily decrease and fears recede, and, accordingly, in most cases, the intensity of obsessive thoughts also decreases. The exercise is quite simple to do:
Lie down or sit down. Relax your body as much as possible. Start by relaxing the muscles of the face, then the muscles of the neck, shoulders, torso, arms, legs, ending with the fingers and toes. Try to feel that you do not have the slightest tension in any muscle of your body. Feel it. If you could not relax any part or group of muscles, then first strain this area as much as possible, and then relax. Do this several times, and this area or group of muscles will definitely relax. In a state of complete relaxation, you need to be from 15 to 30 minutes. It is good to imagine yourself in a comfortable place in nature.
Do not worry how successfully you achieve relaxation, do not suffer and do not strain - allow relaxation to arise at your own pace. If you feel that during the exercise extraneous thoughts visit you, try to remove extraneous thoughts from your consciousness, switching your attention from them to visualizing the place in nature.
Do this exercise several times throughout the day. This will help you to significantly reduce anxiety and fears.
4. Switch your attention!
It is better to switch attention to what helps. effective fight with these obsessive entities. You can turn your attention to helping people creative activity, social activities, housework. Our ancestors believed that it is very good for the expulsion of intrusive thoughts to engage ourselves in useful physical work.
5. Do not engage in self-hypnosis, repeating these thoughts to yourself!
Everyone is well aware of the power of self-hypnosis. Self-hypnosis can sometimes help in very severe cases. Self-hypnosis can relieve pain, treat psychosomatic disorders, and significantly improve the psychological state. Due to its ease of use and pronounced effectiveness, it has been used in psychotherapy for a long time.
Unfortunately, self-hypnosis of negative statements is often observed. A person who is in a crisis situation, silently and aloud, constantly unconsciously utters statements that not only do not help to get out of the crisis, but also worsen the condition. For example, a person constantly complains to acquaintances or makes an assertion to himself:
I was left alone.
I won't have anyone else.
I don’t want to live.
I will not be able to return it, etc.
Thus, the self-hypnosis mechanism is turned on, which really leads a person to certain feelings of helplessness, melancholy, despair, diseases, mental disorders.
It turns out that the more often a person repeats these negative attitudes, the more negatively they affect the thoughts, feelings, sensations, emotions, ideas of this person. Do not repeat this endlessly. By this you not only do not help yourself, but also drive yourself deep into the crisis swamp. What to do?
If you find yourself repeating these spells often, then do the following:
Change the setting to the exact opposite and repeat it many times more often.
For example, if you constantly think and say that life ended in divorce, then 100 times carefully and clearly say that life goes on and every day it will be better and better. It is better to do such suggestions several times a day. And you will really feel the effect very quickly. Avoid the prefix "not" when making positive statements. Example: not "I will not be alone in the future," but "I will still be with my beloved in the future." This is a very important rule of thumb for making statements. Pay attention to this. It is important. Do not make statements about what is not achievable, ethical. You should not give yourself instructions to raise self-esteem.
6. Try to find hidden benefits from the state you are in! Discard these benefits!
Paradoxically, a person who is constantly attacked by heavy, exhausting obsessive thoughts often finds imaginary benefits for himself in their presence. Most often, a person cannot and does not want to admit these benefits even to himself, because the very thought that he has a benefit from the source of suffering seems to him blasphemous. In psychology, this concept is called "secondary benefit". In this case, the secondary benefit is the side gain in the given situation from the existing torment and suffering, which outweighs the gain from the resolution of the problem and further well-being. It is impossible to list all the possible benefits that a person receives from his own suffering. Here are some of the more common ones.
1. “He was the best and I won't find such a thing again. »
Benefit: no need to change yourself. Why strive for something? Why look for mistakes in relationships? All the same, nothing else will happen! Why seek God's help? It's all over anyway!
If you agree with this idea, then you can do nothing and get the sympathy of others. And if a person is actively involved in the struggle for happiness, then he will no longer receive such sympathy for himself.
2. “There will be no further joy. Real life is over, and now there will be only survival "
Benefit: no need to think about how to get out of the situation (life is over), no need to think too much, no need to work. Self-pity appears, the severity of the situation (presented) justifies all the mistakes and wrong actions. There is a pleasant sympathy from others and attention to oneself from friends and relatives
3. “Better not to live at all than this. I see no point in such a life. I don't see any sense and hope "
If there is hope, then it seems that steps should be taken. But I don't want to do this. Therefore, the easiest way is to come to terms with this thought, but do not try anything. Sit back and feel sorry for yourself, accepting the role of the victim.
4. "Everything that happened is only my fault"
Benefit: no need to think about real mistakes, look for ways to recover, think objectively about the reasons that led to such an ending. Just give up, but not reflect, not admit that in relation to this person he built illusions (taking the blame on himself, you can not think about it).
Such obsessive thoughts are replaced by similar ones: “I was always unlucky / unlucky, I was born under an unfortunate star” ... Ie. it is more profitable to transfer responsibility for your own life to circumstances or events, and persuade yourself not to do anything to improve the situation and its solution, because the excuse appears again.
5. “I can't build a relationship with anyone because I no longer respect myself. I can’t do anything. I will not be able to become normal and respected "
Benefit: no need to think about what needs to be done to be respected. Self-pity and complacency give reason to do nothing for this.
In this case, agreeing with the idea that we are unworthy or defective, we give ourselves the opportunity not to strive for anything, treating others like a consumer, looking only for sympathy or praise.
7. "Now everyone condemns me"
They cannot condemn everyone. But if you agree with this idea, then this is a great reason to feel sorry for yourself, not to seek help from people. And again passively go with the flow, without remaking yourself
8. "I can't trust anyone else."
Benefit: no need to understand the reasons for betrayal, no need to find reasons, no need to try to fix yourself and get out. There is no need to learn to select friends by deeds, not words. There is no need to change the communication environment for a better one, in which there is a place for trust. Because if you do not change yourself, then the circle of communication remains the same, therefore, the circle is closed, and there is no way out.
9. "I cannot live without him (her)" or "How am I going to be alone / alone now?"
It is difficult to realize our own dependence on a specific person and the infantile or, on the contrary, overprotective position that we take in relationships. These thoughts arise when personal space was completely subordinated to the Idol (idol). (No wonder many of these idolaters write the pronoun denoting Idol, with a capital letter: He, She, or even HE, SHE.) It is beneficial in this situation not to become an adult, changing your own attitudes, remaining immature, not to take responsibility for your life. In a hyper-protective position, it is beneficial to be aware of one's importance and "omniscience" as being better for someone, without taking into account the opinion of this person.
10. "How do I tell my parents about this?"
We must learn to cope with false shame. Humble yourself too. Learn to be an adult and take responsibility. And here you just do not want it! And thus the final solution of the issue is being delayed. It’s hard for myself to admit that it’s over in the relationship. It is difficult to put an end to it.
Think about what "benefits" you can have by agreeing with these thoughts. Do not find anything positive in them. Typical thoughts are listed at the beginning of the article. State exactly what you mean. If you want to justify yourself, feel sorry for yourself, not take any steps, not take responsibility for your decisions, then obsessive thoughts will always offer you their services and justify all your actions. But we must remember that these "services" of obsessive thoughts will have to pay off with their further dependence on them.
When looking for “benefits,” everything that is “exposed” looks very unattractive, and a person ceases to be what he WANTS to see himself. This process is very painful, however, if the secondary “benefit” is found and realized, you can find both other ways to realize it, and eradicate this “benefit”, as well as find a successful solution from your own difficult situation.
Once again I want to note that all secondary "benefits" are hidden from consciousness. You cannot see them now. You can understand and reveal them only by an impartial analysis of your actions, thoughts and desires.
Pay attention to the contradiction between your interests, your logic and those thoughts that are trying to take possession of you! Assess their paradox, irrelevance, logical inconsistency. Assess the consequences and disadvantages of the actions that can lead to following these thoughts. Reflect on this. Think if you do not see in these thoughts a direct inconsistency with what your consciousness tells you. Surely you will find many inconsistencies between obsessive thoughts and your consciousness.
Recognize that these thoughts are not yours, that they are the result of an external attack of other entities on you. As long as you consider the obsessive thoughts as your own, you will not be able to oppose them and take measures to neutralize them. It is impossible to neutralize yourself!
8. Do not try to defeat obsessive thoughts by arguing with them!
Obsessive thoughts have one peculiarity: the more you resist them, the more forcefully they attack.
In psychology, the phenomenon of the "White Monkey" is described, which proves the difficulty of dealing with external influences within consciousness. The essence of the phenomenon is as follows: When one person says to another, "Don't think about the white monkey," then it is about the white monkey that he begins to think. An active struggle with obsessive thoughts also leads to this result. The more you tell yourself that you can handle it, the less you can handle it.
Understand that this condition cannot be dealt with by willpower. You cannot resist this attack on equal terms. This situation can be likened to how a heavily drunk person sticks to physically weaker passers-by. Moreover, the more attention is paid to him, they call for order, they ask him not to bother him, the more he does it and even begins to behave aggressively. What is the best way to act for the weak in this case? Paying no attention to pass by. In our case, it is necessary, without entering into conflict with these thoughts, just to switch your attention from them to something else (more pleasant). As soon as we switch attention and ignore obsessions, they lose their power for a while. The more often we ignore them immediately after their appearance, the less they annoy us.
Here is what the holy fathers say about this: “You are accustomed to talking to yourself and you think to argue your thoughts, but they are reflected in the Jesus prayer and silence in your thoughts” (Venerable Anthony of Optina). “The crowd of tempting thoughts becomes more incoherent if you allow them to slow down a little in your soul, and even more so if you also enter into negotiations with them. But if they are pushed away from the first time with a strong will, rejection and turning to God, they will immediately withdraw and leave the atmosphere of the soul pure ”(St. Theophan the Recluse). “A thought, like a thief, comes to you - and you open the door for him, lead him into the house, start a conversation with him, and then he rob you. Is it possible to start conversations with the enemy? They not only avoid talking to him, but the door is also locked tightly so that he does not enter ”(Elder Paisiy Svyatorets).
9... The most powerful weapon against intrusive thoughts-
World renowned physician, Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine for his work on vascular suture and blood vessel and organ transplantation, Dr. Alexis Carrel said: “Prayer is the most powerful form of energy emitted by man. It is as real a force as gravity. As a physician, I have seen patients who have not been helped by any therapeutic treatment. They were able to recover from illness and melancholy only thanks to the calming effect of prayer ... When we pray, we associate ourselves with the inexhaustible life force that sets the entire universe in motion. We pray that at least some of this power will be transferred to us. Turning to God in sincere prayer, we improve and heal our soul and body. It is impossible that even one moment of prayer does not bring a positive result to any man or woman. "
The spiritual explanation for the help of prayer in this problem is very simple. God is stronger than Satan, and our prayer appeal to Him for help drives out evil spirits who “sing” their monotonous lying songs in our ears. Everyone can make sure of this, and very quickly. You don't have to be a monk to do this.
In a difficult moment of life
Is sadness crowded in the heart:
One wonderful prayer
I repeat it by heart.
There is a blessed power
In consonance with the words of the living,
And the incomprehensible breathes
Holy charm in them.
From the soul, as the burden rolls down,
Doubt is far away
And I believe and cry,
And so easy, easy ...
(Mikhail Lermontov).
As with all good deeds, prayer must be practiced with deliberation and effort.
We must consider the enemy that he inspires us, and direct the weapon of prayer towards him. That is, the word of prayer should be opposite to the obsessive thoughts that are suggested to us. "Make it a law for yourself every time trouble happens, that is, an attack of hostility in the form of a bad thought or feeling, not to be content with one reflection and disagreement, but add prayer to this until opposite feelings and thoughts are formed in the soul," says St. Theophanes.
For example, if the essence of obsessive thoughts is grumbling, pride, unwillingness to accept the circumstances in which we find ourselves, then the essence of prayer should be humility: "Let the will of God be done!"
If the essence of obsessive thoughts is despondency, despair (and this is an inevitable consequence of pride and grumbling), a grateful prayer will help here - "Glory to God for everything!"
If the memory of a person torments, just pray for him: "Lord, bless him!" Why will this prayer help you? Because he will benefit from your prayer for this person, and evil spirits do not wish anyone well. Therefore, seeing that good comes from their work, they will stop tormenting you with the images of this person. One woman who took this advice said that prayer was very helpful, and she literally felt next to her the powerlessness and annoyance of the evil spirits that had dominated her before.
Naturally, we can be overcome by different thoughts at the same time (nothing is faster than thought), therefore the words of different prayers can also be combined: “Lord, have mercy on this person! Glory to You for everything! "
You need to pray continuously, until victory, until the invasion of thoughts stops, and peace and joy reign in your soul. Read more on how to pray on our website.
10. Sacraments of the Church
Another way to get rid of these entities is the Sacraments of the Church. First of all, this is, of course, confession. It is at confession, contritely repenting of sins, that we seem to wash off all the adhering dirt from ourselves, including obsessive thoughts.
It would seem, what are we to blame?
Spiritual laws say unequivocally: if we feel bad, then we have sinned. Because only sin torments. Those very murmurs about the situation (and this is nothing but a murmur against God or an offense against Him), despondency, resentment against a person - all these are sins that poison our souls.
By confessing, we do two things that are very beneficial to our souls. First, we take responsibility for our condition and tell ourselves and God that we will try to change it. Secondly, we call evil evil, and evil spirits most of all do not like exposure - they prefer to act on the sly. In response to our deeds, God, at the moment the priest reads the permissive prayer, does His work - He forgives us our sins and casts out the evil spirits that besiege us.
Another powerful tool in the struggle for our soul is the sacrament. Partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we receive the grace-filled power to fight evil in ourselves. “This Blood removes and drives away demons far from us and calls Angels to us. Demons flee from where they see the Lord's Blood, and Angels flock there. Shed on the Cross, this Blood washed the entire universe. This Blood is the salvation of our souls. Her soul is washed ”- says St. John Chrysostom.
“The Sacred Body of Christ, when it is well received, is a weapon for the warriors, for those who move away from God, it returns, strengthens the weak, rejoices the healthy, heals diseases, maintains health, thanks to it we are more easily corrected, in labors and sorrows we become more patient, in love - more ardent, more refined in knowledge, more ready in obedience, more receptive to the actions of grace ”- St. Gregory the Theologian.
I cannot imagine the mechanism of this deliverance, but I know for sure that dozens of people I know, including my patients, got rid of obsessive thoughts just after the Sacraments.
In general, hundreds of millions of people felt the grace after the Sacraments. It is they, their experience, that tell us that we should not ignore the help of God and His Church with these entities. I want to note that some people after the Sacraments got rid of obsessions not forever, but for a while. This is natural, since it is a long and difficult struggle.
11. Tackle yourself properly!
Idleness, self-pity, apathy, despair, depression are the most nutritious substrates for growing and multiplying obsessive thoughts. That is why try to constantly be in the right business, be physically active, pray, watch your physical condition, get enough sleep, do not maintain these states in yourself, do not look for benefits in them.
Mikhail Khasminsky, crisis psychologist)
Man differs from other living organisms in the ability to think and reason. Thanks to the brain, the behavior of a human being, in comparison with other inhabitants of the planet, is more conscious. However, the brain can also present unpleasant surprises. How to get rid of obsessive thoughts if consciousness begins to regenerate negative ideas?
The main function of consciousness is to create the most rational methods of responding to the environment. A person is able to be aware of part of his thoughts, as he purposefully thinks about something. The other part is beyond control, remaining at a subconscious level.
A person is completely unable to notice the work of his brain. However, this is only possible as long as the mind is effectively doing its job of creating optimal behaviors.
Unfortunately, the brain in the process of its activity is able to reproduce strange thought forms that give rise to a feeling of anxiety. I want to get rid of such thoughts as quickly as possible. However, it is not always possible to cope with this problem on your own.
Psychologists have developed a number of exercises through which you can calm your mind. The selection of methods should be carried out individually. Only this approach is able to remove obsessive thoughts.
Obsessive thoughts are sometimes accompanied by compulsions - obsessive behavior.
Obsessive thoughts arise without the direct participation of the person himself. At the same time, there are no changes in the intellect and consciousness. The feeling of anxiety is what accompanies such thoughts in most cases.
Each person has their own fears. Most often, there are thoughts about incurable diseases, fear of doing something wrong and being punished for this, an irresistible desire to double-check their actions.
In most cases, obsessive thoughts are not a sign of mental disorders. You can eliminate them by following certain rules.
More often than not, obsessive thoughts are the result of exhaustion. nervous system, psychological trauma, overwork, stress.
All events that have ever occurred in a person's life are firmly preserved in his memory. The brain stores the most important information, which subsequently influences thoughts and actions.
In moments when a person experiences stress, anxiety, resentment, anxiety, negative thoughts arise. Subsequently, such sensations can cause negative experiences, obsessive fears.
The initial task for a person who asks himself the question: “how to get rid of obsessive thoughts and fears” is the awareness of what is happening to him.
Only then can you take actions to eliminate obsessive fears:
Gestalt therapists, when asked "how to get rid of negative thoughts", advise to express your emotions, not to withdraw into yourself. At the moment when obsessive thoughts begin to take possession of you, you should remember the events that led to their occurrence.
Sometimes, before making a decision or before performing work, a person admits that he may not be able to cope. After realizing the problem, you should start expressing your emotions as vividly as possible. You can enhance them with gestures, intonation or body movements. Such exercises should be performed alone, so that no one interferes with you at these moments.
Gestalt therapists argue that holding back emotions can trigger obsessive thoughts. Only after a person learns to express his feelings, the endless stream of thoughts will stop.
Correct breathing is capable. In order for all disturbing ideas to leave you, you should close your eyes and breathe calmly at the same pace. During breathing, you need to monitor your body and its movements, control how the stomach goes down and up. The procedure allows you to remove obsessive fear into the background due to full concentration on a detached object. In addition, breathing relieves muscle tension.
It is necessary to take paper and begin to depict on it everything that is in currently comes to mind. No need to concentrate on spelling and words. After a while, you should be able to see your choppy become smoother. This will indicate that inner balance is returning to you. This technique makes it possible to consider obsessive fear from a different angle, allows emotions to come out.
Obsessive thoughts with this technique are removed through trusting communication. During therapy, a person should express everything that worries him, talk about his problems and emotions.
Psychotherapists offer advice on how to get rid of negative thoughts by staying mindful.
To do this, you need to carefully observe what is happening around, focus on people and objects.
As soon as you feel that you are having obsessive fear, you should find an object to which you can transfer your attention. Even the smallest thing, for example, a pen in your hands, can become it.
As soon as you stop concentrating on the details of the world around you, you will again fall into the realm of thinking.
In the process of mastering the technique, the field of perception should be expanded. Over time, your attention needs to be transferred, for example, from a pen to a shelf with books. However, from time to time you need to return to small details. From time to time you need to turn your attention to other objects.
Thanks to this technique, you can keep your obsessive thoughts under control.
Another effective technique that allows you to weaken obsessive thoughts is talking to yourself. A person tends to worry not because of real problems, but because of perceived possible difficulties.
How to get rid of obsessive thoughts using this method? You should ask yourself just four questions: "Is this true?", "Is there a hundred percent certainty that this is true?", "What is my reaction to the thoughts that visit me?" to get rid of these thoughts? "
Thanks to this technique, you can understand that all our obsessive thoughts are relative. One has only to change the angle of perception, and recently seemed insoluble questions will become obvious.
Unfortunately, there is not always an answer to the question: “how to get rid of obsessive thoughts”. Sometimes a person is so deeply immersed in the experience of his fears that it is not possible to completely remove them.
In such cases, meditation can come to the rescue. It will allow you to reduce the level of anxiety, to concentrate on the things that are important at the moment.
During meditation, you can focus on a specific sound, symbol, or your breath. First, you should learn to watch your feelings with a detached view.
When starting to meditate, you need to take a comfortable position, then switch your attention to the processes that take place in your body and brain. Let your emotions pass you by. Shouldn't give them qualitative characteristic... Observe them from the side.
In order to cope with your fears, you need to understand that they are controlled by a person, and not vice versa.
One type of obsession is over-focusing on a particular person. Life is arranged in such a way that everything that is dear to us changes sooner or later. In some cases, for a number of different reasons, we have to lose loved ones.
How to get rid of obsessive thoughts in this case:
The inevitable law of truth - people come into our life and leave it. If you look at the problem from this point of view, it will be much easier to cope with the separation or loss of a loved one. Thinking about a person who is no longer around should not be painful. It's better to remember happy moments and thank him for being there.
Give your love to the people around you: friends, family members, colleagues. Help and support them in difficult situations. By giving others your support, you will become stronger.
How can you get rid of obsessive thoughts about the past? Only by loving your life. Realizing that she is only one, that you should not over-concentrate your thoughts on the past, you can become free.
If the methods that are designed to solve the question of how to permanently rid yourself of obsessive thoughts do not give the desired effect, then we can say that negative ideas are overly intense.
Many psychoanalysts believe that all negative thoughts should be viewed as a defense mechanism that aims to overcome all unfamiliar, and therefore frightening, feelings. Such forms of protection arise in people who cannot express their emotions correctly, fully and in a timely manner.
In such situations, people tend to reduce all their experiences to the rational, understandable to them, easily explainable from the side of reason. However, due to the fact that it is impossible to replace emotional sphere on a rational one, a person has to repeat his actions over and over again. At the same time, it is impossible to achieve the result as such.
It is in such cases, if there is no way to escape from destructive ideas, if you do not know how to properly get rid of obsessive thoughts, you should seek the advice of a specialist. Only he can create conditions that will help you understand your emotional world.
