5 ways to stop brooding over a thought

Many times we attribute the great evils of humanity to the lack of awareness and general ignorance about great problems that we should have been fighting for a long time. However, the opposite is also the case: there are recurring thoughts that lead us to constantly overanalyze the same idea, blinding us and creating a kind of mental trap from which it is difficult to get out.

that's what happens when we start constantly thinking about a thought: our attention is "hooked" on a problem that we struggle to solve without being able to. And if we do not reach a solution, it is, among other things, because the anxiety produced by having in mind the doing the same thing for a long time affects our ability to reflect and make decisions effectively.

However, this phenomenon, which in Spain is known colloquially as "rayarse", can be stopped adopting some psychological strategies that allow us to get out of that vicious circle of thought.

Why do thoughts appear that obsess us?

The Kind of Worries That Grab Our Attention

over long periods are surprisingly common, and virtually everyone is capable of this nagging feeling of constantly overanalyzing an idea, memory, or belief.

Now, why is it so hard to stop thinking about the same thing all the time when this happens? The answer has to do with the fact that we control fewer mental processes than we normally think we dominate.

Care management, in particular, is often automatic, and the cases in which we consciously direct the attentional focus towards one or another element of our mind are the exception, not the norm. Most of the time, attention is an unconscious process… and this also applies to why it is so difficult to stop overanalyzing something.

• Related article: "The 7 types of anxiety (causes and symptoms)"

rumination

Almost always, what happens when we can't stop thinking about something is a psychological phenomenon known as rumination. In short, rumination is a vicious circle of thought by which, the more we focus our attention on a problem or concern, even to avoid thinking about it, the more it assaults our consciousness.

In rumination, we involuntarily make a memory that causes worry or anxiety It becomes related to our sensations of the present, so that the number of references that automatically lead us to the thought that obsesses us multiplies.

For example, if we believe that we have made a fool of ourselves in front of a person we are attracted to, the concern that we feel about not being able to stop evoking that memory makes us that we behave as a person with anxiety does, and these behaviors remind us that we are anxious about what has happened to us before that person.

• Related article: "Rumination: the annoying vicious circle of thought"

How to stop thinking about the same thing

If what we want is to train ourselves in the ability to improve our ability to "disengage" from recurring thoughts, we must be clear that it is necessary to act on both our thoughts as in the way we interact with our environment and with others.

These are some keys to stop thinking all the time about something that worries us.

1. move, literally

Get out of the spaces you've become used to. In this way, you will make the number of elements that remind you of that concern plummet, and you can expose yourself to other environments with neutral elements, that you have not associated with any particular memory.

In fact, if you go for a walk through natural spaces with a lot of vegetation, you will multiply the positive effects of this strategy, since in this kind of environments there are practically no elements that remind us of our life at home, the office or social situations in areas urbanized. In addition, the calm that nature transmits and the purity of the air contribute to lowering anxiety levels, making us get out of the loop.

2. Reflect on the unnecessary obsession

In certain people, the habit of overanalyzing something is aggravated by the belief that these mental rituals are useful and beneficial. That's why it's worth it take some time to reflect about the futility of looped thinking, the only result of which is increased anxiety. It is necessary to understand that you have a problem (not necessarily a mental disorder) and that this problem has to do with the excessive worry, anxiety and regulation of attention, which is always focused on negative aspects or interpreted as issues.

3. Focus on exciting hobbies

Look for entertainment that totally captures your attention and dedicate yourself to them. Sports, mental games, hobbies related to exploration... This will allow you to get used to keeping the attentional focus away from obsessive thinking for long periods of time.

Of course, it is better that you do not focus only on one hobby, since that could make it become another reference of your concern.

4. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness has been shown to be effective in reduce anxiety levels, and that is why it is a valuable resource to stop overanalyzing the same problem, since it allows our mind to “reset”.

• Related article: "What is Mindfulness? The 7 answers to your questions"

5. Create productive thought chains

Every time you notice anxiety coming on, create productive thought sequences. short term goal oriented. This means that you should think about a project, divide it into different sub-goals and always focus on directing your thinking towards achieving those goals. If faced with an idea that occurs to you the answer to the question of "does this help me to fulfill my mission?" is "no", throw it away and find another.