Nothing changed my perspective on intrusive thoughts like learning they are directly related to mental exhaustion. If you notice them, you need mental rest.
Sleep is helpful but just not doing anything for a little while is helpful too. Sitting around staring into space or looking our a window, no TV, no phone, no book, no shampoo bottle instructions; rawdog reality. Not for super long, 2 or 5 minutes is enough, don’t need to push thoughts away or think of nothing or meditate if that’s not your thing. Just try doing nothing at all for a little bit, let your brain rest.
whenever someone suggest to me that I should “focus on my breathing” it has always had that same effect to me as the meme that goes along the lines of “you suddenly realize that your tongue has never truly had a comfortable place to rest in your mouth”-type of feeling to me during my conscious attempts to control the rate at which I am breathing. esp when there’s someone trying to be a narrator type persona delivering the suggestion, and even more so if I start to feel (for whatever reason) that there is some sort of hope/expectation mixed in with their instruction, that I will be able to safely demonstrate the execution of such a simple yet unfamiliar feat in the moment of suggestion.
Nothing changed my perspective on intrusive thoughts like learning they are directly related to mental exhaustion. If you notice them, you need mental rest.
Sleep is helpful but just not doing anything for a little while is helpful too. Sitting around staring into space or looking our a window, no TV, no phone, no book, no shampoo bottle instructions; rawdog reality. Not for super long, 2 or 5 minutes is enough, don’t need to push thoughts away or think of nothing or meditate if that’s not your thing. Just try doing nothing at all for a little bit, let your brain rest.
Make up your mind. My ADHD and anxiety-ridden thought processes are at their MOST hyperactive, self-referential and -blaming when I try to do nothing.
Trying to do nothing with no distractions is just about the most stressful thing you can do to some atypical neuros.
I get you, I also have raging ADHD.
The point is -not- to not think, you can think as much as you want about whatever you want. This is NOT meditation
Just don’t be doing or watching something for a few minutes. Listen to silence. Not for a long time, just a couple of minutes is enough.
whenever someone suggest to me that I should “focus on my breathing” it has always had that same effect to me as the meme that goes along the lines of “you suddenly realize that your tongue has never truly had a comfortable place to rest in your mouth”-type of feeling to me during my conscious attempts to control the rate at which I am breathing. esp when there’s someone trying to be a narrator type persona delivering the suggestion, and even more so if I start to feel (for whatever reason) that there is some sort of hope/expectation mixed in with their instruction, that I will be able to safely demonstrate the execution of such a simple yet unfamiliar feat in the moment of suggestion.
I’m sorry mate but I’d be resting 24/7 then. I just kinda let them flow and not act on them
That’s just not true. I have intrusive thoughts whether I am rested or not.