Obsessive thoughts: why they appear and how to combat them

Our ability to think in a sophisticated way and from abstract concepts is what distinguishes us from animals. However, this quality has not only brought us advantages. With the possibility of thinking, new problems have also come; awkward situations that other species don't have to deal with. Obsessive thoughts are an example of this.

In this article we will see what to do when these obsessive thoughts appear and why they appear.

• Related article: "The 9 types of thinking and their characteristics"

The appearance of obsessive thoughts

Why is it that, at certain stages of our lives, certain ideas or mental images emerge again and again into our consciousness? After all, it is paradoxical that we used to think of consciousness as the "command center" of our body and that, at the same time, there are unconscious mental processes capable of imposing themselves again and again on this supposed authority. And it is that as much as we want it, we cannot "force" directly that those obsessive thoughts do not appear.

The truth is that the ins and outs of psychological processes are not yet fully understood, but we do know something about what there is already a lot of evidence: emotional memory is as or more important than memory based on words, concepts.

When we live something that marks us, whether related to experiences related to the environment or thoughts, that leaves different types of traces in our brain: on the one hand, the very narration of what happens, what can be explained talking. On the other hand, the sensations and emotions that this experience leaves us; for example, fear, joy, etc.

Obsessive thoughts appear again and again in our consciousness, among other reasons, because their emotional charge is relatively high and, in addition, it is associated with common experiences in our day to day. For example, if these mental images have to do with family discussions, see other families, products family consumption or even the word “dad” written on a billboard can make you revert to us.

• You may be interested: "Emotional memory: what is it and what is its biological basis?"

What to do to manage them?

Here are some tips for dealing with obsessive thoughts. However, you must bear in mind that in the most serious cases it is necessary go to personalized psychological therapy services, given that following guidelines individually and without professional help and advice will not help.

1. Don't try not to think about it

Trying to "force" forgetting obsessive thoughts just doesn't work. The urge to stop thinking about it brings us to a state of stress and alertness which achieves precisely the opposite effect, since everything we feel we will associate with that image that we intend to quarantine.

The best thing, then, is to opt for other strategies that do not have to do with denial, but rather with acceptance.

2. Change your habits

It may seem counterintuitive, but the key to preventing obsessive thoughts from becoming a constant source of discomfort has nothing to do with “Work the internal aspects of our mind”, but with the opposite: make changes outwards, in our way of relating to the world and with the the rest.

Therefore, it is good to radically change your habits and routines, in all aspects. Going to different places, looking for other contexts in which to interact with others and, ultimately, submit to new stimuli.

What do you get with this? Before this torrent of sensations and new experiences, the obsessive thoughts are diluted, since there are many elements on which to fix our attention and that we will unconsciously try to memorize because of their face emotional.

3. Focus on a new and exciting project

Having new goals in life makes the mental associations that we make in our day to day are linked to what we give importance to at that moment. If there is something that competes in importance for our focus of attention with obsessive thoughts, it is more likely that they will gradually lose strength.

As well as what keeps us excited is a true magnet for our attention focusObsessive thoughts disappear, something that is noticeable in the frequency with which they come to our mind: from more to less, until they evaporate.

4. Practice relaxation techniques

It is good to combine the previous steps with relaxation techniques, since anxiety itself leads us to think about what we are obsessed with.

• Related article: "6 easy relaxation techniques to combat stress"