How to overcome negative thoughts in your day to day

In most cases, negative thoughts are not in themselves a psychological problem; they are just the reflection of a world in which many times things do not turn out as we would like, not even what comes to mind.

In the same way that the world in general is not designed to fit our interests and preferences, Mental processes, which are largely beyond our control, embody this diversity of good and bad experiences, and they do not have to correspond to our tastes.

However, there are cases in which negative and discomfort-generating thoughts become part of the problem. This occurs particularly when we “go into a loop” and they become, in addition, intrusive thoughts, which They come to mind over and over again despite (or precisely because of) how badly they put us through.

However, faced with these kinds of problems, there are several things we can do. Here you will find some of these proposals in the form of tips to overcome negative thoughts that are repeated too much.

• Related article: "10 daily habits that improve your emotional balance"

5 tips to learn to overcome negative thoughts

The first thing you should know is that the most effective way to deal with negative thoughts problematic (that is, those that generate a very intense discomfort and that are repeated with too much frequency) is Go to the psychologist.

It is not necessary to have developed a psychological disorder to benefit from professional support of this type: if you have significant difficulties in managing your emotions and the thoughts associated with them, going to professionals is the Better option. In this way you will have an expert who will supervise your particular case and design a psychological "training" program adapted to your characteristics and needs.

Now, if you consider that the discomfort produced by negative thoughts does not constitute a problem that deserves psychological assistance, you can choose to introduce some changes in your day to day. Here you will find a summary of the most important and simple to apply, although you must bear in mind that achieving absolute control of your thoughts is impossible, for good and for bad.

1. Don't try to keep your conscience clear of negative thoughts

As I mentioned before, it is not realistic to set out to totally block negative thoughts. But not only is it impossible; In addition, trying it is counterproductive, because it leads us to put ourselves in a state of alarm to try to be police of our own conscience. This leads us to predispose ourselves to attract to it those thoughts to which we give more importance, including the ones we want to eliminate.

2. Understand what gives you anxiety

You have been experiencing thoughts that cause stress or anguish in you for a while, but that does not mean that you understand. But if you come to understand the logic of appearance of these intrusive thoughts, you will detract from them.

For it, just observe the content of those thoughts as if you were a third person that takes note of what goes through your mind. In this way you will detect themes and generalities in the contents of those thoughts, and you will begin to see them not so much as an element of the life that you cannot avoid, but as a construction of your mind, with its own stereotypes, narrative resources, simplifications, etc.

• You may be interested in: "What is anxiety: how to recognize it and what to do"

3. Have a clear sleep schedule

One of the times when recurring negative thoughts wreak the most havoc is when we are trying to fall asleep, with hardly any sensory stimuli to distract us from our thoughts and the predisposition to worry if we notice that there is something that keeps us awake.

To minimize the chances of having problems in this regard, it is important to have a clear sleep schedule and, if we notice that it is difficult for us fall asleep, get out of bed for 15 to 20 minutes and do some relaxing and not physically or intellectually demanding activity before going back to try to sleep.

4. Learn how to "reset"

When you notice that you are in an anxious state that prepares you to "go into a loop", do a simple activity that allows you to focus your attention on short-term goals: go for a run, read, meditate, etc. Think that it is not wasted time, but that its beneficial psychological effects will allow you to focus and perform better when carrying out the tasks and responsibilities that you must fulfill.

5. Adopt a healthy lifestyle

People in good physical condition are less likely to suffer from problems with managing their emotions. Eat right (without obsessing over diet), exercise regularly, and take care of yourself in general.

Do you want to have the help of a psychologist?

If you notice that recurring negative thoughts significantly affect your quality of life, I suggest you contact me. I am an expert psychologist in cognitive-behavioral psychology and I attend online by video call or in person in my office in Madrid.