Letting go of obsessions sounds easier said than done. We’ll show you exercises and tips on how obsessive-compulsive thoughts can become “normal” thoughts again and how you can find professional support.
thoughts accompany us every day. As soon as we wake up they greet us, during the day they come and go like the waves on the sea and in the quiet evening hours we can either sort them, analyze them or gradually let go. In addition to thoughts that give us pleasure, we also come back from time to time negative thoughts on. Forgotten birthdays, procrastinated to-dos or obsessions. Our thoughts are a colorful mixture of our lives and reflect relatively precisely what is preoccupying us at this moment. Thoughts are always with uslike our breath. Sometimes we are consciously aware of them, in other moments they seem to gain the upper hand over our minds. It is completely normal.
Also Obsessive-compulsive thoughts line up with ours Trains of thought one and are not abnormal. What is important is how we deal with them and which ones Kind of attention we give them to you. If you want to get rid of your obsessions, you must first accept them – and let them go.
What are obsessive-compulsive thoughts?
Obsessive thoughts are called thoughts that keep boarding our minds. They repeatedly solve fears Panic, internal tension and malaise in us and can completely different content to have. We can feel at our mercy, keep thinking about a traumatic event, fear illness or fear that we have not turned off the stove. Obsessive-compulsive thoughts stir up a fear in us, it can be in the past or in the future.
The burden of obsessive-compulsive thoughts is that they suffer in most of the cases no action can do to calm these obsessive thoughts. The easiest option would be to turn halfway around and see if the stove is off. Then you can start the day calmly again. But not all obsessions can be resolved that easily.
Most obsessive thoughts are not based on any action, but stand on their own and cannot simply be turned off. That is exactly what makes them so stressful. The mental sufferinggrows, the more affected people against these thoughts struggle. A natural reaction, but there is simply no satisfying feeling of letting go. Tension persist and the inner unrest grows instead of softening. Self-accusationsandGuilty verdicts solidify in oneself, we convince ourselves that we are the problem. We exacerbate these negative thoughts with every self-assessment.
This behavior leads to an automatic Self-sabotage, the psychological pressure and suffering increases exponentially and your own Self-worth is dwindling.
At this point we would like to ask you to rate how badly your obsessive thoughts burden you psychologically. The following tips and exercises can help you deal with your obsessive-compulsive thoughts, but are not a substitute for psychological treatment. If obsessive-compulsive thoughts are severely restricting you in your daily life, we recommend that you seek psychological help to treat depression, pondering compulsions, or depressive episodes if necessary.
The difference between obsessive-compulsive thoughts and “normal” thoughts
First of all we want to emphasize that too Obsessive-compulsive thoughts “normal” thoughts are. There are no abnormal thoughts. However, you redeem very intense feeling in us what sets it apart from other thoughts that come and go every day.
Repeating thoughts that make us think or act are useful. They can be put into practice, whereupon they evaporate. Obsessive thoughts, on the other hand, do not or only rarely disappear through an action.
It is very important to understand that you’re not your thoughts. Tries, no conclusions about your person to draw, but to perceive them independently of an evaluation.
Getting Rid of Obsessive-Compulsive Thoughts Alone: 3 Tips
There is no button, mantra, or keyboard shortcut to get rid of obsessions and get them out of your mind. That is not our aim at all. Rather, obsessions should come back Part of the “normal” thoughts that you perceive, reflect and let go again.
1. Evaluation of thoughts
Thoughts are not dangerous. They are a small bubble in our head that we can artificially inflate by thinking about it. If we give them pay little or no attention, the bubble will burst after a short time and other, perhaps more beautiful thoughts will enter our minds. Sounds plausible in theory, but in practice this often cannot be implemented immediately. And that’s not a problem either. The best thing is: we can do this Train behavior.
2. Observe thoughts
This is a great exercise for this Mind watching. It is about learning that thoughts come and go. Like clouds that pass in the sky and then completely disappear again after a while. Some days the sky is full of clouds so we can’t see the sun. But on other days there is not a single cloud to be seen and our mind is figuratively completely free.
3. Meditation
Mediation can help ours Perceiving thoughts, classifying them and letting them go again. They are nothing threatening. Like a movie scene that can scare you but not threaten you physically. Watch your thoughts like a movie that has no effect on your health. the Meditation exercise of mind observation you can do at any time. When you have obsessions, are relaxed, or want to end the day in complete peace.
To do this, sit up straight on the edge of a piece of furniture or lie on the floor. If you have a meditation cushion, sit on it in your favorite seat. the Your back is straight, your arms and legs relaxed. If you want, you can do yours Close your eyes or blur your gaze. What do you see outwardly? Noises, smells, a comfortable temperature around you? Then turn your gaze inward. What do you perceive in you? Everything can be there, you don’t need to change anything. Register just it. What thoughts emerge? Do any appear at all? Perceive it and let it go again. Like waves on the sea, clouds in the sky or snowflakes that evaporate on the ground. All thoughts are welcome. Try to watch them, accept them, and let them go again. Do you find it difficult to let go of a particular thought? That’s not a problem, sometimes it takes a little longer. You should do this exercise at the beginning for no longer than three minutes execute. Increase yourself from time to time and set yourself an alarm clock. If you’d rather be guided, there are plenty online Meditations for letting go of thought.
Getting Rid of Obsessive-Compulsive Thoughts: Harnessing the Power of Thoughts
Obsessive-compulsive thoughts can be immensely distressing and painful the more we pay attention to them. Through the meditation exercise you can not only learn to let your obsessive thoughts become “normal” thoughts again, it can also help you to live less prejudiced in everyday life. Then Thoughts are not always true. A shy person doesn’t automatically mean arrogance just because they don’t talk to you a lot. Even if your thoughts want to tell you something else. To jump to conclusions often do not correspond to the truth and are just thoughts. It often has nothing to do with the truth.
Those who deal with their thoughts are working on theirs Personality development and will learn a lot about himself from time to time. It takes a lot of courage, but it leaves you grow inside.
Types of obsessive-compulsive thoughts and forms of therapy
Obsessive-compulsive thoughts differ in their intensity and nature. You can let go of some obsessive thoughts alone, others require professional support. The following types of obsessions can be understood and addressed with the therapist:
- Obsessive-compulsive thoughts in the context of obsessive-compulsive disorder: Here, experts differentiate between Obsessive-compulsive thoughts with a stimulus character and Obsessive-compulsive thoughts of a reactive nature. Obsessive-compulsive thoughts with a stimulus character increase this Tension of those affected. Thoughts like “I could do something to my: my partner” are very stressful. Behavioral therapy with accompanying medication can help get rid of obsessive-compulsive thoughts.
- Obsessive-compulsive thoughts with a reactive character: You, however, will too “Thought constraints” called. A particular Action leads to a reduction in tension. You will become neutralization the forced impulses used. A Compulsory counting can be such an act. The stringing together of numbers in a certain system assumes, for example, that a fear emanating from an affected person does not occur. Lines of thought could go like this: “If I count to 100 in steps of three, nobody in my family will get sick.” The logic no longer follows reality and is not understandable for outsiders. For an affected person, however, it is. In treatment, it is important not to work on the compulsion to count, but rather on the compulsion or fear underlying it.
- Obsessive-compulsive thoughts in the context of depression or anxiety: Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be related to a variety of mental illness accompanied. Compulsions go with it social phobias, depression, personality disorders, or hypochondriac disorders hand in hand. Here, too, it is important not to deal with coercion, but rather with trigger. An intensive assessment by a specialized psychologist is very important. This is the only way to find a suitable one Form of therapy being found.
Getting Rid of Obsessive-Compulsive Thoughts: The First Steps to Psychotherapy
If mediation and mind watching are not working, it could be because your obsessions are unifying deeper psychological origin to have. You have already taken a big step by grappling with yourself and your train of thought. One Treatment by a psychotherapist can lessen and even end your inner restlessness and suffering. Talk to your GP about one Referral to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist. You can also use the nationwide Hotline 116117 to arrange an initial meeting. In this case, a: e Psychologist: in your area will be suggested to you quickly, who: has the capacities for you.
Mental illness is not a taboo subject. They are just as real as a broken leg and can be treated by a psychologist. According to “Facts and Figures of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy” (as of July 2019) are about 2.5 million legally insured people by specialists in psychiatry and psychotherapy treated in outpatient practices. Nationwide every: r fourth adult fulfills the criteria of a mental illness within a period of one year. The most common clinical pictures Anxiety disorders, depression and Disorders from alcohol or medication use represent.
We wish you a lot of strength on the path to recovery and we believe in you to master the path to psychological therapy.
Sources used: “Figures and facts in psychiatry and psychotherapy”, dgppn.de