One of our biggest challenges when dealing with the stress of addiction, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues, is our overactive minds and how much our thoughts race. We often think that there is nothing we can do about this and that we can’t control our thoughts, but with some practice and some helpful techniques, we can slow our thoughts and experience more mental calmness.
When we are able to slow down and calm our thoughts, we experience less anxiety and less panic. We’re better able to control our difficult emotions, our anger and frustration, our sadness, our fear. We regain control of our thoughts and can direct them towards ones that make us feel better, rather than adding to our distress by compounding our negative thoughts. What are some ways we can do this?
Meditation is one of the most powerful ways of learning to quiet and still our minds. There are countless forms of meditation to try, including mindful breathing exercises and visualization practices. Work with any kind of meditation that resonates with you, that you find helps you slow your thoughts down and allows you to experience less mental clutter and overwhelm.
Another way to bring down the intensity of our thoughts is through writing. This can be jotting down the thoughts that are bothering you, committing to a regular journaling practice, or creative writing such as songwriting and poetry. Any time we can transfer our thoughts from our busy minds to paper, we are allowing the energy to flow rather than stay stuck and blocked, cycling around within us.
Another therapeutic way of calming our minds is by harnessing the power of our energy through our vibration. Humming, chanting, and singing are all calming, soothing and comforting, and the healing vibrations can help bring quiet and stillness to our minds. These help us connect with our hearts, souls and spirits, which hold immense healing powers.
Moving our bodies, through exercise, dancing, or walking meditation, is a great way of allowing our energy to flow from our minds to our bodies. We’re bringing our focus and awareness away from our thoughts and directing it to the strength and movement of our bodies, which can help calm our minds almost instantly and help relieve our tension. We’re accessing the innate healing wisdom and power of our bodies.
Recovery can take many forms, and we’re here to help you find the healing tools that work for you. Call (800) 871-5440.