How Do You Stop The Thoughts?

[Zemi]

I'm trying to heal, trying to get help, doing everything I can think of to try and make things better. I have no desire at all to die; I'm terrified of it even and yet those thoughts of wanting to still come and still taunt and still try to tempt and tease and whisper away. I've read different self-help guides that say let the thoughts pass; imagine them float away like clouds (CBT guide I think and something similar in a DBT one) had a therapist tell me the same thing but although I've read to do that I have no idea of the "how" to do that. I wish it were that easy! Instead the thoughts come and I go from one thought to another to another and quickly run way down. Fighting them just seems to be exhausting; being scared of them seems to make them have more power; letting them pass hasn't worked. Anyone know what else might help?

 

[Tinyflame]

Zemi, can you try to replace them? Just a thought, but see if you can figure out what got the thought started, and also distract yourself. Do something that you at the very least used to enjoy. And talk to someone, if possible.
Hugs to you-

 

[mohsen]

Hi Zemi
What are those thoughts? Who's trying to taunt and tempt and tease you? If you have no desire to die, so they can't be your thoughts, could you explain more about them?

 

[Linda Lee Bogard - King]

Zemi, keeping the body busy will help the mind, do anything to keep your mind and body busy if you must learn to play a new instrument- paint - or run like hell down the road to burn up the energy in your head as well - Also, write out the thoughts as they come - walk away - come back - see what is valid or simply silly paranoia.... Courage does come after the fact. You do something difficult especially when afraid to take the risk, but if you take a chance to try - courage follows.

 

[Zemi]

Thanks Junebug, Mohsen and Linda Lee

Junebug, I think I must end up replacing them at some point or they wouldn't leave, just seems very hard to at the time I'm aware of them :confused: Isn't really anyone to talk to about any of this but I like Linda Lee's comments about writing things down and going back to them later.

Moshen, my thoughts try to tempt and taunt and tease and they must be mine, they just don't fit what I really think :alien:

 

[Vee Lagrome]

Well, I struggle with suicidal thoughts, but I don't have that same level of fear of dying. Every time I have attempted suicide, it was a fear of the attempt failing and someone sending me to the psyc ward. The thing that I am afraid of is how impulsive I am when it comes to suicidal feelings. It's like, ah, I feel suicidal => swallow every bottle of pills near me. I find that those impulses are really a sign that I'm undermedicated, so I usually tell my psychiatrist and we work out a plan to get to a better place medication-wise. That eliminates most of those impulses.

The other thing I do is I immediately start walking because it's a good way for me to redirect my attention so that I don't end up doing something stupid. I really hate talking about my suicidal feelings, but I find that it really helps to talk to someone when you're feeling that way. It's good to have someone ask "why do you want to kill yourself?" and "is that really worth ending your life for?" and "what do you think you could do to work on the situation without killing yourself?" For me personally, it doesn't help me to write things down for whatever reason, but calling someone or talking to someone does help. My family is aware of my strong suicidal impulses and that if I do attempt it, I could wind up seriously hurting myself or actually succeeding, so they have volunteered themselves to talk to me whenever I have those impulses (even though I hate doing that because it's embarrassing to me).

If you ever need to talk about it, just send me a PM. If it would help and you'd rather talk to someone who isn't looking at you like you're crazy, I would be glad to help. :x3:

 

[Lionheart]

Zemi, I think that at first, just noticing your thoughts can help you learn to stop them. It just takes time and practice. If you are like me, you have intrusive thoughts that can be very subtle and they will 'whisper' in your ear. Again, learning to stop the thoughts and replace them takes time, try not to be too impatient with yourself and I believe you will get the hang of it. Also treat yourself well physically because we get even more depressed and out of it when we are tired, cold, hungry, exhausted etc.

 

[OKRADLAK]

They can be exhausting. After a round of Paxil I had more than a year of SOLID OBSESSION about it. They were so obsesssive that I started to realize they were pure energy. I used a trick I learned when I took psych. at university. Like out of operant conditioning. It got complicated. But basically I linked that energy to something else.

So I really l like a country that has a rather complex language and began this mad obsession t o learn it and all about the country. I transferred it. Of course, it was hard as hell. People thought I was a genius and I am laughing like, "Then you have no idea of the power of these thoughts.!!:" That is all it was. It was transferring that power.I am not that smart at all. It surprised me actually. The language is soooo hard to understand and I nailed it! LOL!!!

When I took a class in it, even the prof was asking where I had received previous training! I made something up. Autodiadacts do not have a good reputation!

It is so strong, if you can transfer it, you can do a lot.It is hard, but if they will NOT GO AWAY then you must use them, is my philosophy.

I am not as good at it n ow. I have internet now...hee...and I am more depressed . But I still try.

 

[The Albatross]

I had a friend help me at first, but now I have a visualization I use.

The first one was a "God Box"... it was a recipe box with a slit in the lid and the top glued down. At my worst, I was obsessing about plenty... it is exhausting. My friend recognized the tendency and told me that when I recognized that I was obsessing or compulsively revisiting something. To write it down on a piece of paper and give it to God. It was how I got the realization of my mental state... because I did it, I kept doing it... but I kept wanting to get the piece of paper back. She recognized in me and taught me something about my thoughts and mental states.

The second one, was a visualization I picked up from a friend/life coach who was also a Huna healer... I visualize I am standing beside a river... there are big trees and it is fall. There is a breeze and the leaves are blowing all around. I pick one, and examine it. Only that leaf. When I am finished, I place it in the river and watch it float away before I turn my attention to another leaf.

It has taken a couple of years... but I can actually say that with practice, most often I can stop the thoughts... because I learned how to slow them down, choose one, examine it and send it away before choosing another. It has helped a lot.