Anxiety Treatment NYC: What You Can Do to Interrupt Intrusive Thoughts
It’s not uncommon to have thoughts that “get away” from you or break your concentration. Daydreams happen. Distraction is a daily occurrence for most of us.
In fact, spontaneous thinking can be positive. Or annoying. Or decidedly upsetting. If you’re imaginative or creative, you probably experienced them all, depending on where your mind takes you.
However, when your thoughts feel intrusive, rooted in worry, or lead to unproductive rumination, they are worth exploring. When thoughts are linked to anxiety and left unchecked, errant thoughts can also be a source of perpetual upset and negativity that is difficult to rein in, even compromising the quality of your life and relationships.
So, are your worrisome thoughts contributing to negative self-talk or a negative mindset? Are you so distracted by intrusive thoughts, memories, and rumination that your functioning and productivity are hindered?
You aren’t alone and you don’t have to suffer ongoing mental sneak attacks from within. Consider the following tips for managing unproductive worry and your runaway thoughts.
7 Tips to Interrupt Intrusive Thought
1. Consider Your Current Situation
If you’re dealing with a pattern of routine, distressing, intrusive thoughts life may feel unmanageable right now. To start dealing with your thoughts, it’s important to know what might be contributing to your state of mind. Are you experiencing something difficult or disturbing? You may be more likely to have negative, disruptive thoughts if you are…
- dealing with a high-stress lifestyle or situation.
- coping with unresolved negative emotions like anger, guilt, or shame.
- managing a loss or significant life change.
- living through trauma.
- experiencing a health problem or sleep deprivation.
2. Schedule a Time to Worry
Have you ever spent hours ruminating on intrusive thoughts instead of focusing your energy on the goals and relationships that matter to you? Though it may seem counterintuitive, allowing yourself a “worry period” may help you feel more in control.
Setting a mental appointment gives you a way to contain runaway thoughts. Essentially, you are paying attention to the intrusions only at a designated time, instead of fearfully avoiding them or allowing them to control you or your time.
3. Notice, Allow, and Let Go
Mindfulness meditation is a helpful way to pause repetitive, disruptive thinking. With a focus on nonjudgmental observance, attention, and acceptance, you displace intrusive thoughts as negative, positive, or reality. Thoughts are neutral.
You, thus, remain in the moment when intrusive thoughts show up and allow them to just exist. Paying attention to what is happening in your mind, body, and surroundings at the moment creates a habit of noticing and accepting what is. This lessens the anxiety-making impact of intrusive thoughts. You may naturally start to feel less disturbed and more emotionally focused, able to let thoughts pass without devoting much time to them.
4. Track Your Thoughts
Instead of allowing your thoughts to take over, simply track them when they happen. If you plot them on a daily chart or in a notebook, 1) you have a way to notice them without being distracted by them 2) you have a record to review. Essentially, you have a way to take charge and even share the record with a therapist.
As you record your thoughts, you can effectively notice and deal with the frequency of intrusive thoughts, the subject matter, and any related meaning behind both. With so much information, you may soon find that your anxiety recedes and recovery feels more possible.
5. Tune In to Your Triggers
While you are tracking your thoughts, you may also notice certain triggers that precede them. Intrusive thoughts often have power because they feel “out of the blue.” If you can study what triggers them, you may feel less blindsided and prone to follow them down a mental rabbit hole.
Pay attention to what situations, events, and people trigger anxiety and negative feelings. If runaway thoughts and rumination are so routine that you struggle to pinpoint triggers, a therapist can help you uncover them.
6. Talk Back to Anxious Thoughts
The plan here is to challenge the fear at the root of those bothersome thoughts. Basically, replace fear with logic. Again, you might need professional support at first but that’s okay. You simply want to get curious and combat the assumptions that may be fueling such distraction.
What evidence supports your negative thoughts and worries? How likely are you to be in danger, disliked, or experience a past difficulty again? What keeps you from taking charge?
Honestly evaluate how realistic your thoughts are. With support, try to reframe persistent, intrusive thoughts based on the information you gather. Objective loved ones or a therapist can help you make this a routine process.
7. Journal with Joy and Gratitude in Mind
Keeping a gratitude journal reminds you that you get to choose where to focus. Shift your perspective by intentionally listing the things that are good, positive, and energizing.
Journal your strengths, your accomplishments, and your loved ones. Consider the lessons of your weaknesses, failures, and difficult relationships. Soon, you’ll start replacing anxiety-driven intrusions and ruminations with those that are more true and helpful.
Anxiety Treatment NYC: Seek Help to Feel Better
You can learn how to regulate your anxious thoughts with qualified, compassionate support. Working with a therapist can help you rein in unhelpful rumination and restore a sense of mental and emotional control and well-being.
Learn more about our Anxiety Treatment counseling services for help.
The Relationship Suite
We are a group of skilled therapists specializing in individual and couples counseling. Since Covid, we have been working with couples via Online Counseling in New York, and New York City including Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island, South Hampton, East Hampton, and Montauk. To schedule a complimentary consultation, click HERE.
We also provide Virtual Counseling in New Jersey, Hoboken, Jersey City, Princeton, Chatham, Morris, Westfield, Union, Bergen County, Colts Neck, Tenafly. Schedule a complimentary consultation by clicking HERE.
