Post by mia on Nov 9, 2013 15:47:44 GMT
When distressing thoughts keep repeating, it's often easy to get hooked on them and it becomes very difficult to think of anything else except what is causing you distress.
Thought difusion can help you mindfully observe your thoughts without getting stuck on them. With practice, this skill can give you more freedom to chose which thoughts you want to focus on and which ones you want to simply acknowledge, and let go of. This if very different to ignoring them and trying to push them away. Ignoring them is often futile, and can give the thoughts more power - acknowledging them as real, valid thoughts, but simply choosing not to let them prevail as dominant ones is what is key.
Thought defusion requires the use of your imagination. The object of this skill is to visualise your thoughts, either as pictures or words, harmlessly floating away from you without you obsessing over them or over analysing them. Whichever way you chose to do this is ok, but here are some suggestions.
Thought difusion can help you mindfully observe your thoughts without getting stuck on them. With practice, this skill can give you more freedom to chose which thoughts you want to focus on and which ones you want to simply acknowledge, and let go of. This if very different to ignoring them and trying to push them away. Ignoring them is often futile, and can give the thoughts more power - acknowledging them as real, valid thoughts, but simply choosing not to let them prevail as dominant ones is what is key.
Thought defusion requires the use of your imagination. The object of this skill is to visualise your thoughts, either as pictures or words, harmlessly floating away from you without you obsessing over them or over analysing them. Whichever way you chose to do this is ok, but here are some suggestions.
- Imagine sitting in a field and watching the thoughts float away on clouds
- Picture yourself sitting by a stream and seeing the thoughts disappear over a waterfall
- See the thoughts written in the sand and watch the sea wash them away
- Imagine autumn leaves picking up your thoughts and gusting away on the wind
- Picture yourself in a room with two doors, the thoughts enter through one and then disappear through the other. You see them, but they don't stay.
If none of these work for you it doesn't matter, it's just about finding a visualisation that is helpful to you. Just be sure that the idea captures the purpose of the exercise, which is to see your thoughts come and go without holding on to them. Just let your thoughts be whatever they are, don't criticise yourself for them, don't get angry or frustrated with them. Just accept them as there, and then let them leave.This technique does take practice, but the more you do it, the more beneficial it is. And if you practice it when you don't need it, it will be more readily available and instinctive when you do. It sounds simple, but can be really powerful.Good Luck!
