Hello forum friends!
Last year, a friend of mine had noticed that I was remembering emotional (both good and bad) things with far greater detail and vividness than most people apparently do. He also noted, unhappily, that I appeared to be unable to control them and that they were leading me in circles a fair bit.
Last year I started a thread here at SJG, asking for advice about dealing with intrusive thoughts. That earlier thread disappeared, probably in the standard forum prune - so I hope it's okay for me to start this thread. The forum weighed in with many helpful suggestions and recommendations.
For a first step, I started acknowledging the intrusive thoughts as they came to me, but not indulging them. "I understand that I'm remembering that really embarrassing moment, but I'm choosing not to obsess over it. I will let it run its course, and then I will drop it and think about something else."
That worked well. Embarrassing or distressing memories from the past no longer bother me so much. They used to bother me to the point where I would start "talking" to them (usually nonsensical babbling, barely over my breath, but still a clear response). Now they're usually fleeting and relatively uncommon anyway.
Recently, I took the next step recommended by many forum friends, and I started checking out meditation resources. The idea was not to subscribe to spiritual beliefs, but instead to develop a mental self-discipline so I could respond more productively to stress, intrusive thoughts, and other negative mental states.
I'm only in the early stages of my reading, so far. The book I've just finished is "10% Happier" by Dan Harris (professional broadcast TV reporter), which is more of an introductory book addressing the surface level questions like "why meditate?" and "do I have to join a cult to get the benefits?" He started off as a skeptic (and in fact remains skeptical of many auxiliary practices associated with meditation) but he decided on a core practicum of meditation that has consistently improved his mental state. The book's main focus is his examination of various meditation teachers, including Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra, and his rejection of some teachings and adoption of others. There is an addendum chapter which gives a very pared-down "how to" guide for meditation.
I will likely draw from 10% Happier's bibliography for my next meditation reading resource.
Partially related, I have also found a good chiropractor/physical therapist, and this is also contributing greatly to my physical and mental wellbeing. :)
So, that's my three-month update for now. Please share your own experiences and resources here too!
Last year, a friend of mine had noticed that I was remembering emotional (both good and bad) things with far greater detail and vividness than most people apparently do. He also noted, unhappily, that I appeared to be unable to control them and that they were leading me in circles a fair bit.
Last year I started a thread here at SJG, asking for advice about dealing with intrusive thoughts. That earlier thread disappeared, probably in the standard forum prune - so I hope it's okay for me to start this thread. The forum weighed in with many helpful suggestions and recommendations.
For a first step, I started acknowledging the intrusive thoughts as they came to me, but not indulging them. "I understand that I'm remembering that really embarrassing moment, but I'm choosing not to obsess over it. I will let it run its course, and then I will drop it and think about something else."
That worked well. Embarrassing or distressing memories from the past no longer bother me so much. They used to bother me to the point where I would start "talking" to them (usually nonsensical babbling, barely over my breath, but still a clear response). Now they're usually fleeting and relatively uncommon anyway.
Recently, I took the next step recommended by many forum friends, and I started checking out meditation resources. The idea was not to subscribe to spiritual beliefs, but instead to develop a mental self-discipline so I could respond more productively to stress, intrusive thoughts, and other negative mental states.
I'm only in the early stages of my reading, so far. The book I've just finished is "10% Happier" by Dan Harris (professional broadcast TV reporter), which is more of an introductory book addressing the surface level questions like "why meditate?" and "do I have to join a cult to get the benefits?" He started off as a skeptic (and in fact remains skeptical of many auxiliary practices associated with meditation) but he decided on a core practicum of meditation that has consistently improved his mental state. The book's main focus is his examination of various meditation teachers, including Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra, and his rejection of some teachings and adoption of others. There is an addendum chapter which gives a very pared-down "how to" guide for meditation.
I will likely draw from 10% Happier's bibliography for my next meditation reading resource.
Partially related, I have also found a good chiropractor/physical therapist, and this is also contributing greatly to my physical and mental wellbeing. :)
So, that's my three-month update for now. Please share your own experiences and resources here too!
Intrusive thoughts and mental well-being (cont.)
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