How to get rid of bad thoughts in your head, learn to cope with obsessive thoughts and negativity: exercises, tips, mistakes

Where do negative thoughts come from?

There are several factors and reasons that provoke destructive thoughts in a person.

Anxiety . Negative thoughts appear when you start to worry that something bad might happen. Or, on the contrary, you think that nothing good will happen to you. This is where your imagination comes in. It paints a vivid picture of your sad future, once you think about the worst case scenario.
Feelings of guilt and regret . All people make mistakes. Negative thinking develops when we constantly remember them and return to the past. We feel embarrassed and ashamed. We get angry and blame ourselves for doing wrong. But this experience is needed in order to draw conclusions and move on.
Increased demands on yourself . Overly self-critical people obsess over their shortcomings. They are unhappy with themselves most of the time. And therefore their thoughts are also predominantly negative.
Problems . Negative thinking forces a person to concentrate on the problems that have arisen. And the person completely forgets about what good he has in life. Destructive thoughts greatly exaggerate the scale of the problem. Instead of thinking about how to cope with difficulties, a person simply becomes depressed.
Dependence on material things . If your happiness depends entirely on having material goods, then you are a negative thinker. There is nothing wrong with wanting more and striving for it. However, when we focus on what we don't have, we become stressed and anxious. Life begins to seem incomplete, although it is worth paying attention to what we already have.
Failures . If you have suffered one failure, then you should not transfer your attitude to the entire situation as a whole. For example, being rejected at an interview does not mean that you will not be able to get a job. Failure is a valuable lesson, not a reason for destructive thinking.

So, negative thoughts arise mainly in two cases:

when we regret past mistakes, think about problems;
when we worry about our future, that everything will go wrong, or we won’t get something.

Such reasoning can greatly harm us.

How to get rid of obsessive thoughts and fears?

What is an obsessive thought?
These are unwanted thoughts or images that upset and/or worry you. Also known as obsessions.

You may believe that they mean something bad about you as a person.

This article will help show you what form they take and that they are just thoughts and do not reflect you as a person.

The page is very detailed and takes about 25 minutes to read, so I've included a table of contents below to help you get your bearings. I am grateful that you came to my site to read about the problem, so I offer you the most complete information on the topic.

The purpose of this article is to help you understand what you are currently thinking and feeling so that you can understand what is happening to you.

If you need help from a psychologist, please read my profile and the consultations provided and, if necessary, sign up for a consultation through the registration form or in the contacts section.

Contact and make an appointment Read about counseling and qualifications

How to get rid of obsessive thoughts yourself
Obsessive thoughts - signs and treatment
Types of obsessive thoughts - how to remove intrusive thoughts
Intrusive sexual thoughts
Obsessive thoughts syndrome - are obsessive thoughts normal?
OCD - obsessive-compulsive disorder
How to deal with OCD
How to get rid of an obsession
Thoughts of harming yourself

Unwanted intrusive thoughts are thoughts stuck in the head that cause great suffering and do not give peace.

They seem to come out of nowhere, come whistling, and cause a lot of anxiety. The content of unwanted intrusive thoughts often focuses on sexual or violent, or socially unacceptable images, or everyday things.

People who experience unwanted intrusive thoughts fear that they might do the things they imagine. They are also afraid that guessing means something terrible about themselves. Some unwanted intrusive judgments consist of repeated doubts about relationships, business decisions, sexual orientation, thoughts about safety, religion, death, or worries about questions that cannot be answered at all. Some people just have strange thoughts that don't make any sense. Unwanted intrusive judgments can be very obvious, and many people feel ashamed and worried about them and therefore keep them secret.

There are many myths about unwanted intrusive thoughts. One of the saddest things is that the presence of such processes in a person's head means that you unconsciously want to do what comes into your head. This is simply not true and in fact the opposite is true.

The effort that people use to fight negative thoughts is actually what fuels their return. People struggle because the very essence of what comes to their mind seems alien, unacceptable and at odds with the usual image. Thus, people with violent unwanted intrusive thoughts are susceptible and vulnerable people.

People who have unwanted intrusive suicidal thoughts love life. And those who think about yelling and blasphemy in the church value their religious life.

The second myth is that every thought we have is worth examining. In truth, these views are not messages, red flags, signals or warnings.

The problem for people who have these thoughts (one estimate that more than 6 million people in Russia are worried about them is worth thinking about!) is that unwanted intrusive thoughts seem so threatening.

This is because the agitated mind takes over, and the thought - as disgusting as possible - seems to have a power that it does not have.

People are desperate and urgent to get rid of thoughts, which, paradoxically, fuels their intensity. The more they try to suppress, distract, or replace hunches, the stickier the thought becomes.

People who are troubled by intrusive thoughts must learn a new attitude toward their thoughts—that sometimes the content of the thoughts is irrelevant and unimportant. That everyone sometimes has strange, socially obscene and cruel thoughts. Our brain sometimes creates unhelpful thoughts, and they are just part of our stream of consciousness. If you don't pay attention to them or connect with them, they dissipate and are washed away by the stream of consciousness. Junk thoughts are meaningless.

In fact, a thought, even a very scary one, is not an impulse. The problem is not impulse, but control. They are at opposite ends. However, those suffering are in desperate need of reassurance. Belief only works temporarily, and people can become addicted to fearful thoughts. The only way to effectively deal with intrusive thoughts is to desensitize yourself to them. After all, this event, which is so alarming, either will not happen with great probability or is not true.

Unwanted intrusive thoughts increase in intensity and people suffer by becoming entangled with them, worrying about them, fighting them, trying to remove them. Thoughts also become stronger if you try to avoid them. Leave them alone, treat them like they're not even interesting, and eventually they'll fade into the background.

Here are steps to change your attitude and overcome unwanted intrusive thoughts:

Label these thoughts in your head as “intrusive thoughts.”
Remind yourself that they are automatic and not for you.
Accept and let them into your mind. Don't try to push them away
Give yourself time
Don't worry about thoughts coming back again
Continue whatever you were doing prior to the intrusive thought, allowing the worry to be present.
Anxiety can be relieved with relaxation practices, hypnosis or medication

DO NOT try:

Engage in thoughts
Push them out of your head
Try to understand what your thoughts “mean.”
See if something works to get rid of bad judgments

This approach can be difficult to implement. But for those who continue to use it for just a few weeks, there is an excellent opportunity to see a reduction in the frequency and intensity of unwanted intrusive thoughts.

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Psychologist, hypnologist Natalya Korshunova ©

What is the danger

I once came across an interesting comparison. Imagine your mind is like a garden. You look after him. By planting seeds of useful and beautiful plants - positive thoughts, you will receive a rich harvest. As soon as you stop caring for your garden, it will be filled with weeds - negative thoughts. You will no longer have a wonderful harvest.

Our thoughts shape our reality. What we think and feel is what we end up getting.

Destructive thinking causes us great harm.

Attracts negativity into life . Negative thoughts attract bad events into our lives. This is the essence of the law of attraction. If we think bad things, they will definitely happen.
Breaks the psyche . Our thoughts give rise to emotions. Negative thinking causes us to worry, worry, fear, and feel guilty. It aggravates existing problems and distorts the perception of reality. A person who is in the grip of destructive thoughts for a very long time becomes depressed. He develops various nervous disorders. There is a destruction of oneself from within.
It undermines health . People who tend to think negatively often have health problems. And the reason lies precisely in the way of thinking. Scientists have proven that many diseases are psychosomatic in nature, that is, they depend specifically on the internal state of a person and his emotions. For example, as soon as a person gets very nervous, herpes appears on his lips.

It would seem that these are just thoughts, but how much they can harm us. To prevent negative thinking from driving us into depression, let's learn to manage it.

Why are they dangerous?

Before discussing how to quickly get rid of negative thoughts, it is worth knowing their negative impact. In fact, the difference between bad and good thoughts is that the former are intrusive. They begin to haunt a person and drive him into a state of depression.

It may seem that what does not come out is only yours. But in reality everything is much worse. What is the effect of bad thoughts?

It has long been known that thoughts are material, and they can come true. Unfortunately, many things would not happen if people did not think about the bad in advance. That is, a person independently brings trouble upon himself.
You are losing a good future. By constantly replaying the bad, you set yourself up only for negativity, as a result of which self-esteem decreases and apathy sets in.
You are ruining your health. First of all, bad thoughts affect the nervous system. As a result, nervousness, tearfulness and irritability appear
The problem can become pathological. At first there will be obsessive thoughts, then they will become more numerous. As a result, not only depression, but also some kind of mental disorders may appear.

How to manage negative thoughts

Many people try in every possible way to get rid of unpleasant thoughts. The simplest thing a person can do is to drive away bad thoughts. Swing them away like an annoying fly. I will say right away that this method is ineffective. On the contrary, it can worsen the situation.

By actively resisting destructive thinking, a person sinks even deeper into it. I want to offer you another way to stop thinking negatively. It will help to completely clear your consciousness and mind from unpleasant and harmful judgments.

Step 1. Realize

As soon as a bad thought arises in your head, accept it. Recognize that it exists and don't try to make it go away. So, instead of actively reacting to the thought, you will simply observe it. And this will make you independent of destructive thinking.

Look at your negative thought from all angles. This may be a productive idea that will help you make the right decision. As a result, you will become more prosperous thanks to it. Or maybe it's one of those harmful thoughts that just ruin your mood and create negative emotions.

If your negative thoughts are caused by concern for your family and friends, then you will not run away from them. Accept them for who they are. But only for a short period of time. You can tell yourself that you really care about your loved one. This is fine. But don't let these thoughts get the better of you.

Step 2. Find the reason

Until you find the reason why a specific negative thought regularly comes to you, you will not get rid of it. Ask yourself the question: “Why do I think this?” Finding the answer will also help you determine whether a negative judgment is true or false. At this point, you can either accept this negative thought or let it go forever. It's up to you to decide.

Step 3. Replace negative with positive

You have already learned to separate negative thoughts that spoil your well-being from constructive ones. At this stage, you need to replace negative reasoning with positive ones. After all, it is positive thinking that helps us achieve goals and improves our internal state. And it’s just nice to think about something good.

Now the problem cannot ruin your mood and life. Feel free to break it down into specific tasks and complete them gradually. We solved the problem and became happier.

So, when you find yourself thinking like, “I'm worthless! Life is passing me by!”, immediately change it to the opposite: “I am a unique and unusual person! Everything is ahead of me!” Do you think it won't work? It will work! You cannot think about both bad and good at the same time. Take away the power of a negative thought over you. Let there be only positivity in your mind and in your reality.

Are intrusive thoughts normal?

In a word, yes! Everyone has intrusive thoughts, I get them too! The problem is not the thought itself, but what you do with it.

For example, if I have a random thought that I might do something that I think is bad, and if I just continue doing what I'm doing and don't pay attention, the thought won't bother me.

Whereas, if I start to wonder why I had the thought, what does this say about me, what if I follow through with it? Then I add "fodder" to the speculation. And this is where the story begins to be created in your brain.

The only difference between an intrusive thought that pops into your head and then goes away, and an intrusive thought that scares you and sticks, is how you respond to it.

Why are my obsessive thoughts about “bad things”?

Intrusive thoughts cling to what is important to you. For example, I adore animals, if the thought came into my head that I might harm an animal, it would certainly attract my attention as it would shake my values to the core.

I might have a few uninvited thoughts in my head, but most will go unnoticed. The ones that go against my core values will be different from the rest. At the beginning of this article, I mentioned that we all have these thoughts, but some of them we pay more attention to than others. What values you hold can play an additional role in this.

If you receive an unwanted thought that goes against your core values, you are likely to feel something, such as fear, disgust, or anxiety. These strong negative emotions make the thought seem stronger than it actually is.

Once a thought hits your core values, if you leave it alone it will wither and die, but if you pay attention; If you start thinking about it, analyzing it, paying special attention to it among all other thoughts, it will become stronger.

It is important to note that the problem is not the thought, but what you do with it, how much you feed it.

Urges (compulsions) and obsessive thoughts

Touching someone inappropriately
Want to kiss someone, this could include kissing your family members, people of the same sex (if you are heterosexual)
Hurt someone you care about
Admit that you didn't do something
The compulsions you receive depend on what you value; what do you value most
Intrusive thoughts, including urges, tend to go after your value base—things you would never do.

Compulsions may also involve the urge to perform compulsions, for example, if you feel like you might hurt someone, you may feel the urge to remove any implements that might cause harm.

Or, if you falsely believe that you are a bad person and have done something bad, you may be tempted to admit it.

Are urges different from thoughts?

No, both urges and thoughts are actually obsessions.

Methods of dealing with negativity

Negative judgments do not appear out of nowhere. We have already found out the reasons that provoke them. Fighting thoughts without eliminating the cause is ineffective. We must eliminate the negativity within ourselves, because it gives rise to negative judgments. I offer you several effective methods.

Affirmations

Affirmations are special phrases that set a person up for a positive wave, which he pronounces to himself. By saying affirmations every day, you become more confident in yourself, attract positivity and don’t let problems get the better of you.

Affirmations are effective not only in difficult periods, but also in any life situations when everything seems to be fine. The more often you tell yourself pleasant, life-affirming phrases, the faster you will believe it.

There are a huge number of affirmations for women, for men, to attract good luck, prosperity, health, love, etc. Here are examples of affirmations:

I am irresistible, radiate positivity and look great;
luck accompanies me in everything;
I am a healthy, happy and successful person;
I am a wonderful specialist and receive decent remuneration;
I am full of love and open to new relationships.

You can come up with similar inspiring and motivating phrases for yourself. They will help you improve your self-esteem. On our website you will also find an article about how to love yourself.

Work and hobbies

Bad thoughts love to visit us in our free time or when we are alone. And they have no chance at all if we are passionate about the matter. Work distracts us from negative thoughts. To overcome negativity, you need to constantly be busy with something. Then there will be no time left for unpleasant thoughts.

In the evening, make yourself an action plan for the whole next day. By completing planned tasks, you will not only take your mind off heavy thoughts, but also increase your own self-worth. Checking off items on your to-do list will clearly demonstrate that you have already done a lot and achieved a lot.

Meditation

Meditation helps you find peace and get rid of negativity. You immerse yourself in your consciousness, focus on feelings and thoughts, and disconnect from the outside world. Thanks to meditation, you will learn to abstract yourself from problems, cope with resentment, irritation, and anxiety.

To start meditating, you need to create a favorable environment. It is best to do this alone and in complete silence so that extraneous sounds or people do not bother you. You can turn on special music for meditation. It will help you relax and calm down.

The simplest meditation technique is to sit cross-legged, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. Repeat deep inhalations and slow exhalations until your heart rate slows and your thoughts calm down.

Then imagine that you are all alone in a place where there is not a single soul. It could be a forest, a desert, a mountain peak, or a seashore. There you feel secluded and peaceful. Now imagine how all negative thoughts leave you and remain there. At this time, you slowly return to the real world. To achieve complete immersion, you need to practice as often as possible.

Adviсe

Some more recommendations for those struggling with negativity:

You need to understand that thoughts are not reality. They must be perceived separately from reality.
Remembering the past, very often we relive those events and emotions in which something could have been changed. But this is unrealistic. What is done is done.
It is also worth meeting other people - this will help take your mind off unnecessary thoughts.
You need to listen to positive music.
Religious people should also turn to God using prayers. Because sincere appeal will become a defense in the fight against the negativity living in us.

Techniques for getting rid of negative thoughts

Working on thinking requires a lot of effort. I found several interesting techniques that will help you learn not to focus on the negative at the initial stage.

Rubber

This technique helps you control yourself and your thinking. Put a bracelet or elastic band on your hand. As soon as you catch yourself in a negative thought, change the bracelet to your other hand. Or you can pull back the rubber band and snap your wrist.

Aquarium

Imagine that your thoughts are fish in an aquarium. Bad thoughts swim in the form of ugly, ugly fish, and good thoughts swim in the form of bright and colorful fish. It's like you're watching them from the outside. Which fish do you prefer to look at? I am sure that they are smart, beautiful and active. So, fill the aquarium of your consciousness with colorful fish that are pleasing to the eye.

Deferred Thoughts

Do bad thoughts haunt you and prevent you from falling asleep? Tell yourself that you will think about it later - for example, tomorrow. Your brain will accept this command and actually put aside unpleasant thoughts. And then, you see, he will completely forget to remind you about them.

Description

Put your negative thoughts on paper. Write as detailed and colorful as possible what you think and feel. Your experiences will leave you and settle on a piece of paper. You won't return to them as often. After all, these arguments have already become history, and therefore remain in the past. To part with them forever, you can even burn what you wrote.

Confusing

Bad thoughts can and should be confused. The wonderful word “but” will help you with this. For example: “I was rejected again. Nothing works out for me... But I have a fashionable jacket!” Even the smallest positive moments can confuse a whole stream of negative judgments. Finding the good things in yourself won't be easy at first. But over time, it will become a habit for you and doing it will be fun and funny.

Look fear in the eyes

Certain anxiety has a source. It should be found in order to understand what needs to be done next. Especially often, negative situations from the past prevent us from living. At the same time, a person experiences guilt, constantly worrying.

How to get rid of unnecessary thoughts from your head? A person needs to look at things rationally and comprehend: can this happen in reality or is it just a wild imagination? In order to assess the situation, you need to write down all the negative thoughts on a piece of paper. This method will help you look your fears in the eye. Then you should begin to get rid of bad thoughts.

Psychologist's advice

Here are some more tips from psychologists that will help you take your mind off bad thoughts.

Surround yourself with positive people. We adopt the behavior of the people we interact with. By communicating with pessimists, you will also become a pessimist. And destructive thinking will become the norm for you. Communicate with optimists and gain positive energy from them.
Tell a loved one about what worries and concerns you. He will listen to you, support you and, perhaps, suggest the right solution to the problem. Psychologists say that sometimes simply expressing your thoughts in a comfortable environment is enough for negative judgments to leave you. This is especially true for women who just need to talk it out.
Use deep breathing techniques when you feel overwhelmed by negative thoughts. Take a deep breath to the count of 4 and exhale equally deeply. This will help you calm down and relax.
Exercise regularly. Mental and physical health are inextricably linked. Sport helps relieve stress, get rid of tension, and promotes the production of endorphins. And a person in whose body happiness hormones predominate will no longer think destructively.
Listen to your favorite music that makes you feel good. Music has a strong influence on our mood. A perky tune, a cheerful rhythm - and now you are smiling, and all bad thoughts have gone away.
Focus on what is happening in the present moment. Negative reasoning is either related to the past (regret, guilt) or to the future (fear that something will go wrong or not work out). During such thoughts, you lose touch with the present. I really like the phrase from the cartoon “Kung Fu Panda”: “The past is forgotten, the future is closed, the present is granted.”
Thank fate for all the good things in your life, for every day you live. Find joy in small things: sunlight, birdsong, children's laughter, beautiful flowers, etc. Once you understand and feel that happiness is very close - inside you, you will no longer dwell on the negative.

I recommend that you watch a short video in which a young man talks about how he managed to cope with obsessive bad thoughts.

Top 10 technicians

1. Refusal to fight

The very first rule in dealing with negative thoughts is not to fight them. It’s paradoxical, but it’s true. They already take away energy, and if you consciously pay attention to them, exaggerating and immersing yourself in complex experiences, without finding any resource or way out in them, you will simply exhaust your body. You know the expression: “To avoid thinking about a white cat, think about a purple dog”? It exists in different variations, but it has the same meaning.

Imagine that there is a “delete” button in your head, press it and switch your attention to more pressing matters and pleasant experiences. For example, remember the most pleasant event from childhood, what most brings a smile to your face, serenity and touching? You won’t even notice how anxiety will subside, giving space to other feelings.

2.Creativity

A great way to cope with your feelings. Take a piece of paper and write about what torments you and haunts you. If you want, draw, and your artistic abilities do not play a role at all, so you should not try to draw it beautifully and correctly. You can simply mold it from scrap materials, ordinary paper, plasticine, clay is perfect. After you express painful ideas in a convenient way, listen to yourself, did you really write or draw everything you wanted? If yes, then now is the time to get rid of this obsession. Do not regret it, but tear it into small pieces, throw it in the trash, or burn your creation.

3.Conversion

Changing tormenting fantasies and feelings into resources and new opportunities, the zone of proximal development. Yes, it can cause indignation, but think for yourself, if something bothers you for a long time, it means that your subconscious is trying to “break through” into your consciousness, and in such a not very pleasant and desirable way gives you a signal. What pops into your head most often? Alarm about the iron or gas not being turned off? Then start developing attention and memory. Then you will know exactly what you turned on or off, and what else you did.

Believe me, this skill will be very useful to you, both at work and in everyday life and relationships. And this article will help you.

4.Patterns

Try to pay attention to exactly at what moments anxious thoughts begin to bother you, maybe there is some kind of pattern? For example, before bed, or an exciting event? Often our subconscious is looking for ways to evade unwanted work, meetings and other things. Yes, at least from admitting to yourself that you are tired of something, that there is no desire to stay close to an already unloved person, to study in the specialty chosen by your parents and to do something out of habit.

5.Distraction

Have you noticed that while watching the fire, looking at the water, we think about how happy life is and how good it is at the moment? As if everything around you is suspended, and it seems that there is only you and the elements? Do you know why this happens? Because the brain, switching attention to all sorts of dynamic processes, believes that the rest is not so significant, so all sorts of sticky and tormenting emotions go away, and that’s why you feel relaxation, a surge of strength and inspiration.

The more often the brain is occupied, the less likely it is that neurosis will occur.

Therefore, I suggest adopting one technique, as soon as you start to feel that bad thoughts are appearing in your head, start doing:

You need to sit comfortably, close your eyes and count each inhalation and exhalation. That is: “Inhale once, exhale twice.” When you count to 10, it counts as one cycle. You need to do at least three, if you notice that it is not enough, you can continue. It is only important to breathe slowly, fully concentrating on counting, the movements of your chest and sensations.
Then, when you feel that you have relaxed enough, having gotten rid of tension in every part of your body, you imagine an image that is exhausting, and you give free rein to your imagination, destroying it in any way you can think of.

I also recommend reading an article about the basics of breathing techniques. There is a whole program of different methods for relaxation described there, you can use any one you like, adding a second part where you need to deal with the sticky obsession.

6.Physical activity

If you are mainly tormented by dissatisfaction with yourself, not being ideal and echoes of low self-esteem, for example, that you do not look the way you would like, that you have not achieved what you want due to your character, and the like, then physical activity will help you. In principle, it helps in any case when you just need to switch gears and give your brain a chance to rest.

Tired, exhausted - you simply won’t be able to torture yourself any longer, plus a clean apartment, a well-groomed garden, or a noticeably thinner and toned body will be a nice bonus.

As an option, sign up for courses and make your dream come true. For example, learn to sew elegant dresses or climb rocks, skate beautifully or dance tango. When you begin to turn into reality your desires, which you usually did not care about, you will feel happy, and then the level of control over your thoughts and, in general, claims to yourself will decrease.

7.Affirmations

The method of positive affirmations will help you get rid of so-called neurosis on your own. To do this, first try to unravel the meaning of the ideas that prevent you from living, constantly spinning in your head, and then transform them into positive statements that you will begin to consciously repeat to yourself several times a day. Well, if we return to the example with the iron not turned off, we can reformulate it like this: “I am attentive and notice all the details and nuances that surround me.”

You can find detailed instructions on how to compose and use them here. Also, get rid of negative language, and generally avoid using the word “not” in your sentences. And for the success of this action, come up with a punishment, for example, 5 push-ups for each negative wording. You can make a bet with loved ones in order to increase motivation.

Any methods of positive thinking will bring changes to your life, learn to notice the beautiful and pleasant in it, and then your consciousness will be rebuilt, ceasing to torment you with obsessive ideas.

8.Analysis of reasons

If you want to “look deeper” in order not just to get rid of the consequences, but to find out the root cause of your condition, I suggest you try the paradoxical technique, which consists of a thorough and detailed analysis of each thought. Take a piece of paper and do a so-called brainstorm, that is, write down absolutely everything that is swarming in your head at the moment. There’s no need to judge, just write until you feel like you’ve “zeroed out,” so to speak, and are a little exhausted, and you can stop there.

Re-read what you wrote, what feelings do you have about the text? Find scary phrases and “play” with them, writing down at least 5 points for each, answering the question: “What if?” Such exercises help to rationally approach the subject of tension and anxiety, since it often happens that emotions are so “overwhelming” that a person is not able to realize that he is sometimes worried about something that does not actually coincide with reality, and if you look more closely, then you can see it.

9.Reduction to absurdity

Laughter is the best therapy and an opportunity to release pent-up energy and cope with anxiety, so why not resort to it? For example, you constantly replay in your head the situation that a girl won’t like you on the first date. Now imagine how much she grimaces at the sight of you and tries to run away, but falls, this makes her even more scared, and so on. Continue until you feel that the situation is truly fun for you.

This technique can be difficult for serious people who have forgotten what it is to play and have fun. But if you overcome your resistance, believe me, the result will not keep you waiting. I’m not calling you to be frivolous and irresponsible, it’s just that sometimes it’s important to add lightness to your life, and even more so, humor.

10. Postpone until later

Remember Scarlett O'Hara's immortal phrase: “I won't think about it now, I'll think about it tomorrow”? This is from the movie Gone with the Wind. So, this really works. We don't reject an idea, we just put off thinking about it until later. And then she ceases to be intrusive, because the mind is calm, you will definitely return to her, only later. And then, perhaps, the tension level will begin to fall, and other pressing matters will appear that require your attention. But in this method it is important to be honest with yourself, otherwise you will stop trusting yourself, so later be sure to take the time to realize exactly those fantasies that are poisoning your life.

Useful training programs for those who want to get rid of negativity in their heads

I bring to your attention two very cool courses that have collected a lot of positive reviews on the Internet. They help not only to easily get rid of negative thoughts, but also to develop intelligence.

Brain fitness for men and women

Description. When you buy a course on brain fitness, the administration of the Vikium website sends you by mail a specialized device called a “neural interface”. It is needed to analyze the state of your brain and select personal advice and recommendations for you.

The neural interface remains with you forever, you can use it for many years in a row. After this little device counts the electromagnetic waves emanating from your head, it will send them to Vikium, where the data will be analyzed in detail (automatically), and then you will receive instructions for action.

The brain fitness course itself is aimed, on the one hand, at getting rid of all the bad thoughts in your head, at combating stress and nervousness, and on the other, at developing thinking and various other useful qualities. Exercises and free online simulators will help increase your level of attention, improve memory, and imagination.

Authors: developers of the Vikium project.

Cost: 12,990 rub.

Find out more and sign up for training

If you don’t want to buy the course, but you like the neural interface, you can purchase it separately. The thing is, however, not cheap - 1,990 rubles.

Brain Detoxification

Description. Brain detoxification is already aimed only at getting rid of negativity. We are not talking about brain development here.

Victor Shiryaev, who is teaching this course, will offer you several practical techniques, exercises and simulators that will help you easily get rid of all the bad thoughts that are spinning in your head or appear there after some events, communicating with unpleasant people, and so on.

When you complete the training and complete all the practical tasks, you will easily get rid of the negative in your head and switch from bad to good. Friends and family will notice a change in you and feel that it has become much more interesting and easier to communicate with you.

Authors: Victor Shiryaev.

Cost: 1,490 rub.

Find out more and sign up for training

These are the two most popular courses. Do you know other programs? Tell us about them in the comments, I will add to the article.

Getting rid of bad thoughts: mistakes to avoid

There are small steps that certainly won’t get rid of bad thoughts:

Self-pity! Once again we emphasize that all our thoughts materialize, including pity. You are simply immersed in your problems, moving away from getting out of the situation.
Excessive severity with yourself. It works on a different principle, but the result is the same. It will not solve the problem, but will only create new fear.
Repeated replay of the unsuccessful ending. Remember - this is just a work of your imagination! But it will prevent you from acting, because there is already a fear of failure in your soul.
Constantly putting off until tomorrow. This is not only working on yourself, but also any important matters. Their accumulation creates a baggage of busyness and negative thoughts.
Fighting negative thoughts. Never intentionally fight negative thoughts. Thus, you declare war on them, and they will shoot back. You can't win this fight!
Judging yourself for negative thoughts. Negative thoughts just exist. They are part of our life. However, it is important that you get back to normal and feel positive again.

Negative thoughts are a normal process of the brain and its combat mode. It's up to you to decide what approach you take to this fight against negative thoughts. But never let them take over you. After all, you can always find a way out!

Adrenaline rush

Another way to remove negative thoughts is to do something you haven't done before. You can, for example, jump with a parachute. In this way you can overcome yourself. Scuba diving is also a good option. If you are afraid of depth, then you can take the quest. After such classes, your condition will change. And perhaps your vision of life will change.

Now you know how to get rid of negative thoughts and emotions. But, as you understand, all the methods discussed above are temporary. However, they also have a cumulative effect. By being distracted more often, you will reduce the time you spend on negative thoughts.

Method number 4. Act, don't think

Do obsessive thoughts haunt you? Don't think, but act! As soon as some annoying thought starts to bother you, turn on your favorite music and start cleaning the house. Don't want to do the cleaning? Then go for a walk with your dog.

See how happy and happy your pet is. He doesn't worry about anything, he just enjoys life. Why can’t you relax and realize that a lot depends on a person, but not everything. This is one of the basic laws of the Universe. We didn’t come up with these laws, so we don’t have to worry about them.

In this world we are just guests. Instead of getting discouraged and thinking about the same obsessive thought for the thousandth time, it is better to visit an orphanage, an animal shelter, a nursing home, or some local hospital. Offer your help to those who are really having a hard time living. Don't have time for this? If you have time to think about obsessive thoughts, then you will definitely have time to help disadvantaged people and animals.

Method No. 5. Meditate

Meditation will not only help you get rid of negative and obsessive thoughts, but will also contribute to your self-improvement and personal growth. A person who practices meditation knows how to focus his attention on the present moment. He knows perfectly well that the past no longer has any meaning, and the future has not yet arrived, so there is no point in worrying about what once happened or will happen in the near future.

Meditative practices help relieve nervous tension, which very often becomes the cause of obsessive thoughts. The calmer a person reacts to a particular life situation, the less he exposes himself to stress. A balanced person who has achieved inner harmony through meditation will never become a victim of annoying thoughts.

There are many meditation practices and techniques that can help you relax, get rid of obsessive thoughts and cleanse yourself of negativity. As soon as you feel that obsessive thoughts are starting to overcome you, find a secluded, quiet and calm place where no one will disturb you, take a comfortable position and start meditating. The more you practice meditation, the less often annoying thoughts that ruin your life will visit your head.