Thought Loops

[davidm75]

Hey guys,
Can't find a forum directly related to this but just wondering, what do you guys do about the thought loops? Any good way to manage these? It's just like a video playing over and over again, I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about. One of my therapists suggested "thought-stopping" but honestly that doesn't do too much for me.

These thoughts put me into a terrible mood, I get irritated so easily and I can't think, concentrate or want to do anything. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[Abstract]

Hi,
I am assuming you mean ruminating thoughts. They are enough to make anyone feel crazy I find. I hate them. Thought stopping is the usual suggestion and I think takes a lot of practice to get right.

The other thing that helps me is to not try to avoid it. I try Radical Acceptance (see dialectical behaviour therapy) and then write it all down and for as long as I need to. I find writing bad poetry also helps me.

Lastly I put it in a plastic container, seal it and then "put" it in the bottom of the deep freeze. It's important I know I will take it out when I am ready though. Sometimes I "put" it in a hot air balloon basket and then release the balloon and watch it float away.

 

[davidm75]

Yes I mean ruminating thoughts. Yeah thought-stop does nothing for me, it's like it's something that's out of my control. I'll try the radical acceptance idea, thanks for the suggestion!

 

[BloomInWinter]

Every time we ruminate, we carve a deeper groove in that neurological pathway, making it stronger. It becomes a viscious cycle.

While I still do it, I no longer lose hours from my life the way I used to. But it's taken distraction, mindfulness, forcing myself to get up and get moving, use grounding techniques, and especially, never giving in.

It's worth it to fight it.

Can you write down your thought loop here? We can give you suggestions for a cognitive challenge to it.

 

[Venusian]

When I find myself doing this I usually just (find a place where no one can hear you) say "GO AWAY" and then maybe a little thing to acknowledge that it either happened or it was heard and understood. That usually snaps me back into now and out of the circular thinking.

 

[naturebaby_85]

I'd love some ideas on this as well.

The ruminating thoughts are soul destroying I find. :(

 

[Abstract]

little thing to acknowledge that it either happened or it was heard and understood.

For me personally I find this is key and I think thats why writing it out helps. The fighting it off straight away seems to be part of what keeps it in a loop for me.

Nice ideas from everyone.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Are you religious? If not, this may not help.

A few years ago I was caught in a horrible negative loop. NONE of my skills worked to stop them. I think it was an 8+ hour long period of crying and anxiety and hysteria in which I would pass out only to awaken to more panic. It wouldn't end.

At this point in my life I was pretty much in a God hating phase. I'd never been a believer before. For some reason 8 hours into this episode I started talking to God. Don't ask me why. I think I figured I'd tried everything else and I was so desperate that hey, it couldn't hurt. Miraculously the episode just stopped. The negative ruminations suddenly ended. It's safe to say that was the day I became a believer.

Now when the bad thoughts come, I call on the angels. I can't explain it but it's the only thing that stops my thought ruminations dead in their tracks. So much for all the therapy...

I don't share this with many. But I'm pretty anonymous here on the Internet so it's all good. (Much of my family are athiest and this sort of thing is fuel for them against me.)

Oh and thought rumination was my worst symptom. It had the power to take me from ok to suicidal in no time flat. Just to give you an idea of how far I've come in dealing with this symptom.

(I don't mean to preach, just want to share what helped me.)

 

[heidi]

Last time I tried to interrupt myself and see how many flavors of baskin-robbins I could count and visualize.