As someone who’s suffered from OCD since she was six years old, I know what it’s like to lose yourself to an intrusive, obsessive thought. To waste hours doing compulsions just to try to find some sort of mental and emotional relief.
Hint: It’s a trap.
And while I might be writing a self-help article on the topic, I still struggle with this. In fact, the past few days have possibly been the toughest OCD flare-up for me in ages. Despite rationally knowing what I needed to do to avoid falling deep into disordered thinking, I just couldn’t find the strength to follow through.
And that’s okay. Some days will be harder than others. The trick is not to shame yourself when you’re in the midst of it, but rather remind yourself you have more control and strength than your brain wants you to believe.
That being said, if you’re looking to develop a foolproof flare-up plan, I have your back. Here are four tips for stopping a negative thought spiral in its tracks. (And don’t worry—I won’t tell you to “move your body” or “meditate.”)
1. Acknowledge the Trigger
As soon as you find yourself tempted to follow a single thought into the dark abyss, pause and ask yourself how you got here. Did you watch one of those dramatic TikTok storytimes? Did you feel an unsettling physical symptom in your body? Did you try on an old pair of pants that are no longer flattering?
Identify the exact moment you noticed an energetic shift. This will help you better understand your core fear and the thought process that led you here. Knowledge is power, as they say.
2. Put Off the Thought For Later
I know how urgent a negative thought can feel. Oftentimes, my nervous system is convinced that if I don’t solve this particular issue right f’ing now, then I will be doomed to a life of misery. I’ll end up too far gone, unable to recover. From what, I’m not sure. Probably whatever random health condition I diagnosed myself with for the day.
But instead of ignoring this urge altogether—which would likely send my brain into full-blown panic and defense mode—I simply delay it. I tell myself, “Yeah, that seems important…lemme just finish work first,” or “If this still bothers me in a few hours, I’ll revisit it then.” This little hack momentarily tricks my brain into believing I’m safe—at least, for now. Because of course I’ll handle it later!
Usually, by the time I circle back to the impending thought spiral, it doesn’t seem so alarming. In fact, I sometimes even forget it existed in the first place.
Of course, this doesn’t work with those “stickier” thoughts or triggers. For example, my body dysmorphia has been running the show since I was a mere teenager. But the less attention I give it, the quieter it becomes.
3. Distract Yourself
You know how I said earlier that I won’t tell you to exercise or meditate as a solution? That’s because those things often feel like work. When you’re already mentally exhausted from fighting your brain—or worse: feeling detached from yourself—settling into your body can feel unsafe and simply too uncomfortable to be present.
What helps me the most is turning my attention elsewhere. Any healthy distraction will do, whether it’s reading a romance novel, grabbing a coffee downtown, or even binge-watching some shitty reality TV series. Whatever takes you out of your current negative headspace should do the trick.
4. Accept the Spiral
Notice I didn’t say “accept your thoughts” or even “accept yourself.” Doing so is no easy feat—at least not as easy as the self-help gurus on social media make it out to be.
Rather, you’re accepting the spiral for what it is. Yes, feeling anxious and ruminating on worst-case scenarios is no walk in the park. It sucks, point blank. You likely wish you could somehow alter your brain chemistry and train yourself not to catastrophize in this way, but usually, it isn’t that simple. Otherwise, we’d never lose ourselves in a negative thought spiral.
But by accepting the headspace you’re in, you can actively work with it, not against it. You can start to understand your triggers (as mentioned earlier), empathize with yourself, distract yourself, and avoid the post-rumination shame, should you find yourself slipping into it. The quicker you accept the spiral, the quicker you can stop it.
The post 4 Tips for Stopping a Negative Thought Spiral in Its Tracks appeared first on VICE.
