You may not able to completely block counter-productive thoughts, but you can deal with them healthfully by identifying them, challenging them, practicing techniques for reducing them, coping with and accepting them, and getting social support for them.
It may not always be possible to stop intrusive thoughts, and that's not necessarily the goal. Instead, you might consider focusing on ways to make them less overwhelming and create some distance between you and the thought. The goal is to feel that you're in control of your thoughts, not the other way around.
But planning out in advance what you'll do when the thought pops in your mind—for example, replacing it with a positive thought—can be effective. Along the way, remind yourself that no thought can be blocked entirely, and some "rebounds" are normal and OK.
Intrusive thoughts are often triggered by stress or anxiety.
Intrusive thoughts can occur due to various factors, including anxiety, stress, depression, trauma, or other underlying mental health conditions.
We are aware of a tiny fraction of the thinking that goes on in our minds, and we can control only a tiny part of our conscious thoughts. The vast majority of our thinking efforts goes on subconsciously. Only one or two of these thoughts are likely to breach into consciousness at a time.
While psychologists are not entirely sure why some people have looping thoughts and others do not, they agree that some brains are wired differently than others. Those with looping thoughts tend to come from perfectionist families, struggle with trauma, have anxiety disorders, or depressive symptoms.
Any Anxiety Disorder Can Cause Unwanted Thoughts
From recurring fears to "worst case scenario" thinking, unwanted thoughts are extremely common with any type of anxiety. The most important thing to realize about unwanted thoughts is that the more you try to fight them, the more common they become.
While intrusive thoughts can be about anything, the negative ones tend to cause the most distress. For some people, intrusive thoughts can be a sign or symptom of a mental health condition like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
You do not know how to relax – When finding time to relax is just another thing on your “to do” list, it becomes counterproductive. You have an untreated anxiety disorder – Living with untreated anxiety makes everything more challenging. Constant stress and worry make relaxation impossible.
Medication for intrusive thoughts
Some recommended medications for OCD include: Clomipramine (Anafranil) Fluoxetine (Prozac) Fluvoxamine (Luvox)
Intrusive thoughts, say experts, have no bearing on a person's intentions or moral character. Rather, they are the product of the brain's constant motion — sometimes what it produces is inexplicably terrifying. Most of the time, people quickly abandon these thoughts.
Stress is one of the “usual suspects” when you can't seem to stop thinking. Stress causes your body to release cortisol, and cortisol helps you stay alert. This means that your brain stays alert, too — even when you don't want it to.
Spiraling negative thoughts can be a result of overthinking. This tends to happen when we have few distractions – which is why lying awake at night churning things over in our mind is a familiar feeling to many. At the time, negative thoughts may seem completely rational and logical. So we believe them to be true.
What Is Rumination? This not-so-fun cycle of thoughts is called rumination. Basically, they're repetitive thoughts that our minds can't seem to stop obsessing over. Unfortunately, they can be ROUGH for our mental well-being. You might call them racing thoughts, or feel like you're always in your own head.
Though intrusive thoughts can make one wonder what they mean or whether they are significant, they have no meaning or significance beyond the meaning and significance that we give them. It's important to realize that just because we feel something strongly does not mean that it is true.
Overthinking can be an early indicator or symptom of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. To stop overthinking, you can try challenging your thoughts, reaching out to loved ones for support, or talking to a mental health professional for extra help.