Techniques for neutralizing automatic thoughts

[Brother]

This article presents several additional techniques for neutralizing automatic thoughts and developing Mindfulness.

NOW

Note: what I'm focusing on right now

Track what I'm doing now. Say to yourself: "I am going now," "I am sitting now," "I am breathing now," then note the sensations in the body

Wise mind: what now? How can I proceed? Do or skip?

Mindfulness for busy people
- choose an activity that you can consciously do for one, two or five minutes throughout the day. For example: have a cup of tea. Take a walk. To wash the dishes.
- whatever you do, be present in this moment, right now.

See, listen, feel, feel, touch, breathe.
- just note all the times when other thoughts or sensations appear in your mind, then focus again on that conscious activity that you have chosen.
- be patient, treat yourself with compassion.
- describe, and do not evaluate "good or bad", "pleasant or unpleasant".
- everything goes the way it goes
- all will pass

Disposal techniques

Neutralization means looking at thoughts and feelings as what they really are (a stream of words, passing sensations), and not as what they say (danger or facts).

Stop, step back, explore
(thoughts and feelings that happen to / for other people).
- Note what is happening - your thoughts, physical sensations, emotions, images, memories. Note the way in which you interpret them and give them meaning. And how they affect you.
- Notice unproductive thoughts. What am I reacting to? Alternatively, say these thoughts very slowly or very quickly, in some squeaky or comic voice, or write them down on paper.

Identify the emotions you are feeling and name the unproductive thoughts:
- exaggeration
- prediction of the future
- feeling or sensation
- memory
- unproductive habits of thinking: mind reading (we believe that we know what other people are thinking), psychological filter (we notice only the bad), justification by emotions (I feel bad, it means that something bad is happening), catastrophization ( imagine the worst), self-criticism, etc.

Study and practice mindfulness

to learn how to keep track of where you are now instead of being stuck mentally in the past or future. Notice things that you usually don't notice - pictures, sounds, feelings, thoughts, tactile sensations, etc.

Use metaphors

try to look at the situation from different angles. For example:

1) Passengers on the bus
You can be behind the wheel while all the passengers (thoughts) express or shout their comments to you. You can let them scream while focusing on the road ahead of the bus.

2) Playground bully (our thoughts may be our own inner bully)
Victim 1 - believes the bully, gets upset and reacts automatically (the bully continues his bullying)
Victim 2 - argues with the bully (the bully ends up leaving her alone)
Victim 3 - studies and then ignores the bully, changes focus.

3) River
Objects float down the river - it can be leaves or some kind of garbage (thoughts, feelings, images) - instead of resisting the flow, we can stand on the bank and watch as it all floats by.

4) Bouncy ball
We are trying to stop thoughts - as if we are trying to keep the ball under water, but it continues to float (thoughts). We can let the ball float beside us, just let it go.

5) Mind train
We can sit on the train and look at the landscape (thoughts, images, sensations) passing by. Or stand on a platform and watch the thought train pass us - we don't have to jump on it.

6) Tunnel
When we start to worry about moving through the tunnel, the best solution is to keep moving rather than trying to get out. This feeling will pass - the tunnel will end anyway.

7) Mountain
No matter the weather, no matter what happens on the surface of the mountain, the mountain remains solid, strong, grounded, unchanged. We can identify with the mountain - explore our thoughts, feelings, sensations, while remaining internally calm.