for many people Anxiety comes from negative thoughts Or worries, which are about situations, others, or yourself. One of the daily ways to reshape our mind is through thought exercises that may help us see our experiences in a new light. You can steer your subconscious in a more productive and beneficial direction over time.
What is thinking practice?
A thought exercise is a new way to think about a particular situation or experience that helps you get out of a stuck or unhelpful way of thinking.Several thinking exercise Some have been extensively studied by researchers in psychology, while others are offered by psychologists and clinical mental health counselors because they are anecdotally useful for certain types of patients. may be suggested your therapistthey are online or in person.
read more: 5 best online therapy services
It is important to keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all thinking exercise. Try one of them for a few weeks and see how it affects your mental health and well-being. Thinking exercises are meant to help you see the world differently, not as a cure.
Benefits of Thinking Exercises for Mental Health
thinking reframing It is one of the components of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and has been shown to be effective in many studies.
- Trusted Thinking Exercises help keep calm It keeps working during stressful moments and prevents more serious reactions like anxiety attacks.
- Thinking exercises can reduce the duration and intensity of anxiety symptoms. Do not combine with conventional therapy.
- when combined with mental health appthought exercises can provide a log of changes in one’s growth and mental health.
- Thought practice allows us to be more mindful of our anxiety triggers and change our lives. experience anxiety albeit infrequently.
read more: What You Need to Know About Anxiety, Symptoms and Treatment
6 Thinking Exercises That Improve Mental Health
Try one of these methods the next time you feel stressed.
self-observation practice
Many spiritual traditions include some form of self-observation and mindfulness exercisesbut it’s also useful in completely non-mental contexts. Once you start experiencing symptoms related to anxiety, use this exercise to be curious and learn more about what you’re going through. You can. Here’s how:
1. When you’re feeling anxious and have the opportunity to take a few minutes to yourself, do so. Stay away from other people so they don’t get in your way, even for a few minutes.
2. Start paying attention to how every element of your body feels. Feeling anxious in your shoulders, neck, stomach, head? Do you have other symptoms, such as fatigue or headaches? Don’t judge your emotions like you’re observing a science experiment and need to know everything please
3. Then turn your self-observation to your thoughts.What is a specific stressor let your mind cycle? Instead of being overwhelmed by them, try to catalog them. Once you are aware, acknowledge and let go of what you “heard”.
Four. If you can get to a place where you can fully focus on your physical and mental sensations, you will be able to relax by releasing muscles that you have found to be tense, by letting your thoughts go rather than clenching them. you may notice. This may take several tries.
The act of self-observation is a way of freeing the mind from anxiety and returning to the body.Of course when we are fight or flee In mode, anxiety guides us to safety, but if physically safe, this could be a way to assess our bodies and find our baseline again.
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keep a record of thoughts
One way people can better understand their anxiety symptoms is to record their thoughts.You can do this with a traditional paper journal, but there are other options, especially if it’s inconvenient to carry extra notes everywhere. thought diary is a simple interface that allows you to write down your moods and details. It also includes other thought exercises, such as gratitude exercises and thought analysis.
Reviewing your thought log from time to time can help draw out connections, such as how sleep, exercise, and nutrition affect anxiety symptoms.
interrupt anxious thoughts
anxious thoughts respond best to distractions by another task. These techniques are about effective distraction, not the technically “right” way to do it.
- Try tensing and relaxing different muscles in your body to focus on muscle activity and see if it helps you stop worrying thoughts.
- breathing Intentionally count like 4 count in and 4 count out.
- When you play music, audiobooks, or radio shows, interrupt anxious thoughts And let your mind turn to something else.
- Say out loud or verbally that you are done thinking this way speak affirmations Get out of your head and hear positive voices more clearly.
- Choosing a healing task that is both mentally engaging and engaging, such as playing word games on your phone, putting dishes in the dishwasher, doing a yoga flow or a series of other stretching routines, is all about it. It can be an effective anxiety breaker.
- Sometimes doing the back-calculation slowly can break the tide of anxiety.
read more: 8 Science-Backed Exercises for Stress Relief
Use Cognitive Diffusion Exercises
cognitive impairment Exercises are all strategies to gain an outside perspective on our thoughts or to help us detach our own thoughts and see them more clearly. used for
- Use silly voices: Some people distance themselves from their thoughts, stupid voice “Oh, you think this is very worrying, don’t you think?” or other observations about thinking.
- Stream leaves: some people Visualization As a way of seeing their thoughts as separate from their core identity, as their thoughts flow in the river, come and go to them.
- Label Your Thoughts: Some people find it helpful to identify thoughts like, “That’s a disturbing thought” or “This is a scary thought.” You don’t have to believe it completely.
- “Thank you mind”: Our mind gives warning in the form of anxious thoughts, thanks to our hearts for trying to help and warn us
practice self-compassion
Anxiety can manifest itself as excessive worrying about yourself not being good enough or having negative traits. Ways to combat this negative self-talk include: practice self-compassionIt may seem strange at first, but you can start by trying to understand your current situation in the same way that a good friend is going through it. Instead of the harsh criticism you often give yourself, give the comfort you would give to a friend.
Another self-compassion exercise is to find a picture and focus on it. me from childhoodInstead of directing your thoughts toward your adult self, direct your thoughts toward that child. Recognize that you, as an adult, deserve the same comfort that your children receive.
worry tree
worry tree Developed for those who experience obsessive or constant worrying, it helps you make a conscious decision to worry or do something else. It’s a flow chart graphic that can be customized according to the person, but basically it starts from asking, “What are you worried about?” and “Can we do something about it now?” Guide people to do something if it helps. It helps you avoid ruminating, thinking the same anxiety-inducing thoughts over and over again without relief.
read more: 9 Ways to Relieve Anxiety Without Drugs
Conclusion
Thinking exercises may feel different from our typical way of thinking, but if you stay curious, you will experience more ways to think positively over time and your mind will become more open. You may notice changes. If you find that thinking exercises make your anxiety symptoms worse, you may be performing ineffective thinking exercises or your anxiety may respond better to treatment from a psychiatrist or counselor. There is a nature. Talking to a mental health professional is a good idea to get better answers about your particular situation.
See also
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute health or medical advice. If you have any questions about your medical condition or health purposes, always consult a physician or other qualified Talk to your health care provider.
