Tips for Dealing with Persistent Negative Thoughts

image by djnavv

In this week's podcast we're talking about persistent negative thoughts in response to the following question sent in by a listener: Do you have any advice for persistent negative thoughts? I am so in my mind that my thoughts scare me.

Things that can help stop negative thoughts:

 

Supportive teachings

Ayurveda  teaches that we are not our minds. Your mind may cause you suffering with it's anxious thinking, but you are not your anxiety and you can rise above it by observing your thoughts with your intelligence. You can tell your mind to stop, and you can use your intelligence to guide you to take a deep breathe and pause and choose to use a technique to help you feel better. There can be great comfort in knowing this.

 

 

Here are some techniques that can help you find relief:

 

Labelling and Dropping

Label or name the thought, then use mindful awareness to stop anticipatory anxiety and bring yourself back to the present moment.

 

Here's how:

  • notice the unwanted thought
  • then drop it and describe your physical reality right now

Describe where you are and what you are doing, in plain basic facts. For example: Women in kitchen making dinner. Man in car driving to work. Mother helping child with homework.

 

This takes you out of the loop of repeating anxious or negative thoughts. It brings you away from "what if" thinking and into the present, the truth of what is really happening in this moment rather than what your mind is worrying about and causing you pain.

For further guidance on this, we recommend reading How to be Sick: A Buddhist - Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill byToni Bernhard who shares a rich catalogue of ways to cope with mental suffering.

 

EFT Tapping

Emotional Freedom Techniques is one of our favourite tools for dealing with negative thoughts, it's very quick and easy to apply and gives real relief and insights that can help you feel at peace with your mind.

You can find out more about why we love EFT by listening to the podcast and you can learn how to use EFT for controlling your own anxiety here: EFT for Anxiety Relief.

 

Listen to the full podcast here (if your browser doesn't show the podcast player please listen on iTunes) 

 

 

 

self help anxiety reliefadmindealing with negative thoughtsComment