Squashing those invasive thoughts

[ErinKC]

What are everyone's best tools for kicking invasive thoughts out of your head? I've been doing great with turning off my hyper-vigilance, which as made a massive difference in my anxiety the last several months. The only thing I still struggle with from time to time are those thoughts that just pop in when I least expect them.

Here's an example: I have a small umbilical hernia (like smallllll and my doctor has put no restrictions on me and does not see a need to repair) and a mildly crappy pelvic floor. #thankschildbirth This morning I did a boat load of gardening, including shoveling a border around my garden, weeding, and carrying REALLY head bags of dirt/weeds across the street to the garbage pick up spot. At the time I knew I was pushing it a bit with the heavy bag, but I felt find doing it. Now, of course, since I'm back inside relaxing those thoughts start invading! ... "you shouldn't have lifted those bags, you could have worsened your hernia, you could have worsened your weak pelvic floor, you're going to be so sore tomorrow and that will make you anxious, why didn't you just wait for someone else to help carry the bags?????" You know how it goes!

My best defense in these situations is usually just distraction and moving on... which I'm doing. I mean, I'm not freaking out or googling anything, etc... But I guess I need a few more tools in the tool box to try and even more effectively push out these thoughts.

Has anyone found any good exercises to turn off this kind of thing? Any tips totally appreciated!!

[ankietyjoe]

I think trying to push the thoughts away is counter productive. By attaching negative meaning to them, you are elevating them to a bigger problem than they actually are.

Thoughts are fleeting, and they are not real. They are just thoughts.

You're already distracting yourself and doing something else, so carry on doing that for now.

When the thoughts occur, let them be. Don't try and attach meaning to them positive or negative. Accept the anxiety based thought patterns and let them come and go. The more you try and not think about something, the harder it is to move on.

DON'T think about an elephant....

[pulisa]

Maybe don't qualify the thoughts as "invasive" with all the negative connotations? Thoughts are just thoughts..Recognise them and let them pass without allowing them to bother you and generate adrenaline.

[pulisa]

Sorry Joe..I've just duplicated your response!

[ErinKC]

Thanks, guys! Really good points! I let myself sit with the thoughts for a minute - "I just did hard work, I hope I didn't hurt myself" and then I let it pass and I feel good now. Totally makes sense to not automatically place negative vibes on the thoughts as they come.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Reacting negatively to thoughts just tells the subconscious they are important. Just like the panic cycle shows you add to them at that crucial stage and feedback to reinforce them.

I found Mindfulness excellent for this as it taught me to sit with my thoughts as an observer rather than an interactor.

There are the ways that CBT used, such as labelling thoughts too, but I found more benefit from meditation. It's not quick though and you find you just, sort of, change to intuitively not react as much the more you do it.