Mind Intrusions: Navigating Through Thoughts
Intrusive thoughts are impressions of noise that are distracting. Human beings are highly sensitive when it comes to listening to opinions or whatever they may have experienced (or currently experiencing). The mind is always functioning as there are thoughts flooded in, frequently it is quite common for those who think of the past or live in imagination (thinking of the future, prediction, or made-up scenarios). Primarily intrusive thoughts are negative and are difficult to avoid. It can cause a limiting factor to grow as a person or take action. However whatever negative past experience a person had it is important to not forget about it.
Behind every experience is a reflection of a lesson. Forgetting about it will merely cause a repeat of the same issue without it being fully resolved. “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” (- Winston Churchill). There are many statements on repeated problems but stated by Churchill if forgetting the past a person will have the same issues multiple times over.
Reflection of the Past is a Good Reminder
A reflection of an experience offers lessons or perceptions to the individual. Because one of the most useful pieces of knowledge in the world is an event that occurred. People truly remember and understand problems by inadvertently getting involved in situations. The situation pressures an individual to figure out a resolution since the first part of solving an issue is understanding the problem. The problems a person can experience can be shared to prevent or mitigate (if solved) for anyone who has a similar situation.
As for thoughts, there must be some self-awareness since many live in memory. Frequently, these intrusive thoughts begin to distract someone and it can be energy-draining.
Why Are Negative Thoughts So Strong?
Thoughts are another form of force that is energy. Thoughts can impact one’s ability to be functional or even make decisions. The brain is a powerful organ that keeps one alive and functioning. There are many factors that can lead to a person living with negative thoughts or experiencing them. The main issue with negative thoughts it act as a loop. A person could be thinking about the same topic for the entire day or even two.
Internally and externally people can be affected by some events that happened several years ago or even current times. Emotions are effective in how they shape a person’s ability to think and act. Not to mention emotions are quite contiguous since they can influence others to feel certain ways.
All Begins With The Body and Brain
Human beings tend to be the most complex beings on the planet. Even when listening to someone on how they are or what they do daily. It could make everyone unique since it can be something some are not familiar with (it could be people’s behavior, processes, etc.).
This is all theoretical. It is known that the body signals a response to the brain. The mental and physical experiences are both involved (not just mentally). When an event occurs there is a stimulus (a trigger that can cause a change in the body) an example could be sweating or heart rate increased this informs the brain in areas like the amygdala and prefrontal cortex to respond. The amygdala has an influence over other brain structures, especially the prefrontal cortex which is known to make decisions.
Generally, when there are threats detected the body itself can respond and once this happens the person assesses the situation. From there, people begin to have thoughts or feelings of emotions like fear or anger.
Since the amygdala has such an influence on other parts of the brain it can impact hormones, automatic functions (heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and respiration), memories, and others. More importantly, the memories that are formed will encode the emotional response to that specific event.
Thoughts Are In A Loop
As previously stated, thoughts can be repeated as many times since people will have a plethora of thoughts a day. Loops of thoughts, often associated with repetitive or intrusive negative thoughts, could arise from dysfunctional neural circuits involving various brain regions. These circuits include the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, basal ganglia, and hippocampus.
Dysregulation in these regions can lead to excessive rumination, worry, or obsessive thinking. Emotions regulated by the amygdala and interconnected brain networks can influence the initiation and perpetuation of these loops. Emotional states such as fear, stress, or sadness can produce negative thought patterns. This develops a feedback loop where emotions reinforce repetitive thinking further impacting mood and cognition.
Are There Practices that Could Resolve This?
The fact of the matter is every being will never not have problems whether how they think or what circumstances they are experiencing. What is crucial is to manage the physical and mental entity. The inner environment (the body) is the one always taking the experience first. However, self-awareness is the ability to recognize what one is feeling.
Once recognized, action must be taken to take care of what is being dealt with. Here are some activities to do when feeling distraught:
- Deep inhale first and another inhale if possible then exhale for a long period of time (7 seconds). Do this as many times as needed.
- Cold exposure: Whether it is cold showers or cold plunges. What it does is boost mood and promote the feeling of alertness and vitality.
- Increases metabolic rate.
- Improves immune function.
- Enhances blood circulation.
- Write: writing is a simple solution. Writing helps organize and provide structure to a person. Pen and paper are simple and effective. Write about what comes to mind it will later feel like a release.
- Stretch the upper body specifically the chest, shoulders, and neck. This is where most of the tension is located and emotional tension too.
There is also cognitive behavioral therapy which can be a helpful practice. Here’s a post on the concept but the post contains methods to be productive but the concept is similar. Use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Better Productivity.
Wrap up
Intrusive thoughts are an anchor to life. With too much nonsense going on in the mind it leads to inaction and energy levels being sapped. Although, it may be intangible it is a force that is quite powerful in that it could deter a person’s decisions. The amygdala has influence over other brain structures, moreover, negativity impacts the ability to behave positively and hurts the physical entity (Since other brain structures are responsible for it). Continuously dwelling on negative thoughts creates patterns that significantly impact an individual’s cognition and mood. This ongoing cycle signals a gradual decline in the brain’s health and functionality.
With every problem like this, there is a solution whether it be writing, breathing exercising, stretching, cold exposure, or anything involving a natural process that could help someone. One critical factor is recognizing the thoughts occurring. Self-awareness is the initial step to proceed to other practices to alleviate these intrusive thoughts.
