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Have you ever been stuck in a negative thought loop? Sometimes small things can disturb us. Sometimes, a small thing that someone says can stay with us for a long time. Slowly and steadily, you may get sucked by negative thoughts.
You're a thinking being, so you will have negative thoughts. When you get stuck in a thought loop and can't get out of it, your distressing feelings can worsen and mental health can suffer.
Your mental health may gradually decline if you find yourself caught in a negative thought loop. You might have trouble sleeping, and your symptoms of anxiety and sadness might worsen. The more you force yourself to stop thinking, the stronger your negative thoughts can grow at times. It might not be simple, but it's possible to break the cycle of negative thinking.
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How to Stop a Negative Thought Loop
It might be challenging to recognize negative thinking loops at times. It can be challenging to realize that we're in a downward spiral when these worries seem so real.
According to research, the brain is trained to remember negative loops. It tricks us into thinking that there's something fundamentally wrong with us or the entire universe. It can be quite challenging to step back and realize that theyre only thoughts and not actual facts.
Here are some ways to stop a negative thought loop:
1) Thought Stopping
You should practice thought-stopping techniques as you get in the habit of experiencing emotions connected to your negative thought loop in case they persist or pop up at other times of the day. There are numerous methods for doing this.
You can take part in an activity to get your mind off of your problems. That can involve making handicrafts, working out, or reading a book. You can chant the mantra repeatedly to try to block off your thoughts. Negative thought loops can also be broken using a visualization technique, such as visualizing a stop sign and telling yourself that you must remember that tomorrow.
2) Self-Soothe
Embrace your thoughts as they're. You can have a thought without getting attached to it or making it greater than it has to be because a thought is just that — an idea. Allow your thoughts to exist, and work on relaxing yourself. Keep your attention on your breathing while allowing your ideas to pass through unrestrictedly.
Be nice and compassionate with your thoughts as well as with yourself. You can use the emotional freedom method (EFT) to settle down and accept who you are, regardless of your thoughts.
3) Reframe
To break the negative thought cycle, reframe your thoughts. Examine your ideas for accuracy, and think of alternative ways to frame the situation. If they're not accurate, and you're instead catastrophizing them, modify them to something more accurate.
If they seem to be true, think of another way to say that they're equally factual and kind. For instance, alter it to something other than "I made a mistake because I'm stupid." Instead, you might say something like, "I made a mistake, but I can move forward, I can look at things more carefully."
4) Become Conscious
You can try stopping the loop by managing the way you see the circumstances. We often find ourselves 'drowning' in a negative thought loop because we are unaware that we have done so.
Before you realize it, a little thought can quickly grow into an overwhelming one that keeps coming back. If you become aware that this has occurred, the sheer act of becoming conscious of your feelings may serve as a big surprise. If you find yourself in the loop, alert yourself with these:
First, pause for a second, and consider your situation. Be conscious of your thoughts, and tell yourself things like, "I'm thinking about it again," or "I realize that I keep thinking," to help you stop.
The second thing to do is observe your circumstances. Pay attention to your environment and the moment at hand. That could be in the sun and weather, the street or sidewalk, the background noise or music, or anything else that is going on in your immediate environment.
Even something as simple as concentrating on your steps or paying attention to the water running in the shower will help you be present.
Takeaway
By being stuck in a negative thought loop, your sense of self may be affected. Your thoughts may shift from being about what happened to being about what is fundamentally wrong with you. It may make you feel like you're a terrible person and that you're not good enough.
When that occurs, the negative thought loop strengthens the unfavorable thoughts about oneself, which may result in undesirable behaviors. Therefore, it is strongly advised by mental health professionals to put a stop to these negative thought loops.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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