How to focus on what you are doing and not think about obsessive thoughts. How to get rid of bad, obsessive, negative, evil thoughts in your head - psychotechnics: “Social significance” or “Distancing. way to get rid of anxious thoughts on the blog “Life without

It turns out that there are a number of methods that will help block the appearance of bad thoughts or cope with them if they have already come. Most of these methods are proposed by American psychologist Daniel Wegner, who has devoted decades of her life to the problem.

1. Switch

Don't try not to think about the white monkey - think about the black one. Or better yet, about the purple flamingo. Try to switch your consciousness to some other subject that you also really like to think about, but which also has positive connotations.

Give yourself a few “continued” thoughts that raise more and more new questions and the need for answers to them - which means they draw you into a completely different stream of thinking. Is it true that Brad Pitt has silicone muscles? I read about this somewhere. But if this is so, then how does he use them? After all, silicone is not capable of contracting like real muscles - or is there some way to make it do this?

The more shock you give to your emotions, the weaker your brain is before the “alien invasion” of uninvited thoughts.

And there is also a conspiracy theory according to which our Earth is really flat, and only a group of evil scientists have been convincing us of its spherical shape for several centuries. Wait, what about satellite images and recordings from space? And they are falsified by the same scientists. What about the poles? There is only one pole - the North Pole, it is in the center of the flat, disk-like Earth, and along the edges of the disk are glaciers, which scientists pass off as Antarctica.

2. Avoid stress

Some people believe that a strong impression will help them cope with obsessive thoughts - for example, a scandal with neighbors or a naked run through a winter city at night. However, research shows that the more shock you give to your emotions, the weaker your brain is before the “alien invasion” of uninvited thoughts. On the contrary, try to calm down and relax - the more strength you have and the better your brain is, the better your chances of repelling the attack.

3. Put aside bad thoughts

Agree with the obsessive thought - you will definitely pay attention to it, but only later. Include “half an hour for painful thoughts” in your daily schedule - but not before bed, but, for example, in the middle of the working day. By thinking during your lunch break about what's weighing you down, you can quickly take your mind off your problems and get back to work.

Sooner or later, the subconscious will get used to the fact that obsessive thoughts have their own time with strictly defined limits, and will stop bothering you at other times. Now you can think about how to eliminate annoying thoughts at this time.

4. Focus on the obsession

Once upon a time, a patient came to the great physician Abu Ali ibn Sina who complained that his eyelid was twitching. Ibn Sina prescribed him an extremely dubious remedy: every hour to begin deliberately blinking his obstinate eyelid. The patient grinned, but promised to strictly follow the instructions.

Meditation is a great way to organize your mind, making your thoughts controllable.

A few days later he came to thank the doctor. Like the remedy prescribed by Ibn Sina, this method works on the principle of “by contradiction”: when an obsessive thought comes to you, try to force yourself to think about it from all sides, turn it this way and that, make yourself afraid that it will escape you , - and you will soon feel that her grip is weakening and she herself would be glad to escape from you.

5. Recognize the inevitability of a bad thought.

Another method, partly similar to the previous one, is to replace the fear of the appearance of an unkillable thought with complete indifference to it. Learn to think about it as something external: for example, if it is the thought that your loved one has abandoned you, get used to the idea that this thought has nothing to do with him (or her), but exists on its own: here Now I’ll go to bed, and my Number One Thought will come to me again.

Accustom yourself to the fact that this thought does not develop and does not tell you anything new - it simply comes and goes, like twelve o’clock at night or winter come and go. And very soon you will feel that she is really leaving.

6. Meditate

Meditation is a great way to organize your mind, making your thoughts controllable. Practice it daily, trying to achieve a state of complete absence of thoughts. It's not easy, but if you learn how to do it, you can induce this state at will, including it at the time of day when you are most susceptible to bad thoughts, or in the situation when you become most vulnerable to them.

Obsessive thoughts are especially popular with people who have neither a major lifelong goal nor an interesting hobby.

If a bad thought does not receive positive reinforcement in the form of your willingness to devote your brain resources to it, it begins to weaken - and soon fades away.

7. Think about your goals

How is a bad thought different from gas? Gas, as we know from a physics textbook, occupies the entire available volume, and a bad thought is not yet provided... It teaches us to concentrate on it, forgetting that there is so much good in the world that it is much more pleasant to think about.

Obsessive thoughts are especially popular with people who have neither a major lifelong goal nor an interesting hobby. Take yourself out of a state of sad thoughts by thinking about the path to success, about what will bring you satisfaction. If you make an effort, you will gradually be able to train yourself to have positive dreams.

Bad thoughts appear in your head for a variety of reasons. They can sit in the subconscious for a long time and interfere with a normal life. Therefore, they must be driven away. Let's learn how to get rid of bad thoughts in several ways.

The influence of bad thoughts on life

Negative thoughts are very difficult to control. They prevent you from resting and do not give you peace even in a comfortable environment. This can cause deterioration not only in mental health, but also in physical health. A person becomes irritable, absent-minded, suspicious, hot-tempered, and more and more new diseases appear.

Also, constantly thinking about the bad takes up too much time. Although it could have been spent on really important things. A person gets stuck in his experiences and does not move forward. Thoughts are material. Negative thoughts only attract troubles and realize fears.

“Don’t take bad things into your head or heavy things into your hands,” - this is what people say, and for good reason. You need to free your head from pessimistic thoughts, and not overload yourself with physical labor in order to maintain your health. And bad thoughts always entail dire consequences. Therefore, it is imperative to get rid of negativity.

Reasons for bad thoughts

Every anxiety has a source. It must be determined in order to understand how to proceed. Very often negative stories from the past interfere with life. A person experiences guilt (although it may be far-fetched) and constantly worries about this.

For other people, negativity becomes a character trait. They are also called complainants. They love to do soul-searching and have been pessimists since childhood.

Negative personal qualities also poison life. This may be self-doubt, in which any event or decision becomes a test. Suspiciousness can be viewed in the same vein. In such a person, anything can put anxiety in his head, from a news report to the conversation of random passers-by.

Of course, the source can also be real problems that a person cannot solve. Waiting for the outcome is what makes you nervous, imagining not the most optimistic scenarios in your head.

But religion explains in its own way why there are always bad thoughts in your head. It is believed that the cause of obsessions and experiences is evil spirits, demons. They need to be fought in an unconventional way - through prayer.

Let's look at several techniques that psychologists recommend using when bad thoughts arise.

Calculation

The first step to solving a problem is to understand what is causing your anxiety. The reasons can be very deep, so it is better to visit a psychologist. But you can try to cope on your own. To do this, on a piece of paper you need to write all your fears in two columns: real and fictional, and then opposite each one - his decision, that is, what needs to be done so that the anxiety does not come true.

For example, how to get rid of bad thoughts about an open window or an unturned stove? Every time before leaving the house you need to double check this action.

Solution

Often negative thoughts appear due to unresolved problems. If a way out of the situation can be found, then you need to act. Bad thoughts about the problem will go away as soon as it is resolved. But, unfortunately, many are often accustomed to complaining and doing nothing to change the situation. If you are reading this article, then this is not about you. You are definitely ready to act, and everything will work out for you. You just need to identify the source of the anxiety.

Adoption

Not all problems can be solved; sometimes nothing depends on the person. For example, a relative or friend is hospitalized and is fighting for his life. In such a situation, it is quite normal to worry. The solution is to accept negative thoughts. You need to realize what you are actually experiencing, and there is nothing unusual about it.

Are bad thoughts creeping into your head? Accept them and live with them. But you don’t need to give them free rein, otherwise they will take over the behavior. It is better to observe negative messages from the outside, without subsequent reaction to them. The essence of this technique is action, not savoring thoughts. So do everything you can and leave the rest to chance.

Removal and replacement

This method will require a little awareness and understanding of your emotions. As soon as you feel negativity appearing in your head, immediately remove it, as if you were throwing garbage into a bin. You need to try not to get hung up on thoughts, not to develop this topic, but try to forget about it. The best assistant in this matter will be substitution. The point is that you need to start thinking about something pleasant, positive, or at least neutral.

With this technique, there is no need to figure out how to get rid of bad thoughts. They are not fed, but replaced by other events. Each time it will turn out easier and better. And after some time, consciousness will begin to use this method automatically.

Postponement

It’s not for nothing that they say that the morning is wiser than the evening. Sometimes it's best to postpone your thoughts until later. For example, if you can't sleep because of bad thoughts, promise yourself that you will definitely think about it tomorrow. If the problem is not particularly serious, then the brain will easily agree with this proposal. Most likely, in the morning the negativity will no longer bother you and will even resolve itself.

This is a very simple but effective technique. It can be used in many situations. There is no point in thinking about something that will become insignificant in the future. Realizing this makes it much easier to get the negative things out of your head. For serious problems this method will not work. It is better to find solutions for them.

Suppression

Bad thoughts suddenly appeared in your head, what should you do then? It is necessary to suppress the desire to be upset as quickly as possible so as not to develop an unpleasant topic. To do this, you need to put aside all your affairs, count to thirty and take five deep exhalations and inhalations. The brain needs time to comprehend the subject of thought, so as not to make irrational conclusions and unreasonable actions.

If the anxiety still does not go away, then repeat all the steps. If possible, go outside and take a short walk. This will allow you to put your thoughts in order and even distract you from negativity.

Reduction to the Absurd

You can try the completely opposite technique. On the contrary, you need to completely immerse yourself in bad thoughts and consider what bad things could happen as a result. It is most effective to imagine the most. Use your imagination, use exaggeration, make your thoughts vivid.

For example, you need to pass an important interview. It is clear that many people have bad thoughts at such moments. Imagine in vivid colors what kind of failure might await you. The head of the HR department, as soon as he sees your resume, starts screaming loudly and throwing tomatoes. You decide to escape such shame and run out of the office. But then the cleaning lady throws a wet rag at you because you trampled the entire floor. Out of surprise, you fall, get up and run again. And then you are kidnapped by aliens and taken to another planet.

Absurd, isn't it? But it is precisely this kind of exaggeration that takes away the power of negative thoughts. You just have to try it to be convinced of the effectiveness of the technique.

Wording on paper

Psychologists also recommend putting all your bad thoughts on paper. They need to be written down in detail, in all colors and details. The more often we formulate experiences, the less often we return to them. This means they will bother you less and less. Bad thoughts written down on paper should be considered a completed stage, so the piece of paper can be torn or burned.

Sometimes it is more effective not to destroy records. In some situations, it is better to fill out two columns on the sheet - negative and positive thoughts, so that you can compare them later. The first records negative experiences. And in the second - pleasant. It could also be some positive attitudes. For example, “I am smart”, “I do a good job”, “I am a wonderful wife” and so on.

You can write down only your good qualities on paper and place it in a visible place (on your desk or in the bathroom). As soon as bad thoughts appear, immediately look at this list to remind yourself of the good.

Positive social circle

Pay attention to what kind of people surround you. Think about whether among your acquaintances and friends there are those who evoke negative thoughts. If you count even a few such people, then you shouldn’t blame yourself and upset yourself even more. Whatever the true reason for the behavior, relationships with these people are harmful to mental health. Experts recommend temporarily avoiding these individuals. If during this period your mood and well-being have improved, then it will be better to end the relationship with them.

You should not stick with people who constantly insult, ridicule, or disrespect your hobbies and time. It’s better that you have one friend, but a positive one, and you don’t have to think about how to remove bad thoughts. Cheerful people always bring back good memories, lift your spirits and charge you with positive energy.

There are also universal methods that perfectly help cope with bad thoughts. Psychologists also recommend actively using them. They bring feelings into balance in cases of mild anxiety, and in more complex cases they only enhance the effect of the above techniques. Their main mechanism is distraction. Perhaps these methods will be familiar to many from personal practice.

Positive music

Scientific research has proven that you can drown out bad thoughts with the help of a pleasant melody. Therefore, determine for yourself the best music channel or wave on the radio, and also create a playlist of positive songs in your gadget. As soon as you feel that disturbing thoughts are penetrating your consciousness, turn on the music loudly and cheer yourself up.

A favorite hobby or activity will help you take your mind off your fears and anxieties. This can be any activity that brings pleasure (dancing, singing, riding a bike, handicrafts, reading books, growing flowers and much more).

Some people get rid of stupid thoughts by doing dirty work - cleaning the house. They start washing dishes, floors, dusting, cleaning closets, and so on. Of course, positive music will brighten up an unloved task. This way, bad thoughts will receive a double blow and disappear in one moment.

Physical exercise

Sport is an excellent way to get rid of bad thoughts. Physical activity relieves adrenaline, unloads the nervous system, and therefore relieves stress well. In addition, with regular exercise, a beautiful, toned body will be a pleasant bonus. Such psychological relief, combined with awareness of one’s attractiveness, increases self-confidence and reduces the number of reasons for concern. Just don't overload yourself. We must not forget about moderation and proper rest, so as not to leave room for negative experiences.

Proper nutrition

It is drinking and food that give us the resources and strength to exist. An unbalanced diet, hunger or lack of fluid depletes the body and leads to fatigue. It is she who creates the conditions for worry even about a minor matter. Therefore, it is important to eat healthy food and drink healthy drinks (fresh drinks, freshly squeezed juices, compotes, green tea and clean water). In moments of sadness, you should treat yourself to food antidepressants: chocolate, raisins, bananas, hazelnuts and whatever you like. Psychologists say that delicious food also drives away bad thoughts.

Appeal to God

Prayer helps religious people get rid of bad thoughts. Only sincere appeal will become a powerful weapon in the fight against evil spirits. Prayer will establish an energetic connection with the deity and drive away inner demons. Only here the moment of humility with what is happening is important if you are not satisfied with certain circumstances. If the problem is despair or despondency, then you need to turn to higher powers with gratitude. If you are offended or angry at another person, you should forgive him yourself and mention his pardon in prayer.

It is not necessary to know famous texts to receive help from higher powers. It is enough to sincerely address and express everything in your own words, then you will definitely be heard.

Now you know how to get rid of bad thoughts if they visit you. You can use psychological techniques, universal techniques, or prayer if you are a religious person.

Probably every person has encountered obsessive thoughts at least once. It could be a line from a random song or a more serious problem: an obsession with an idea. Let's pay attention to the latter. Find out from the article how to deal with persistent ideas arising from the desires and anxieties of the individual.

The pathological manifestation of the phenomenon in psychology is called obsessive-compulsive disorder, or (OCD). However, there is no need to be scared right away. I'm sure this is not your case.

Healthy people sometimes become fixated too. We are not talking about the fictitious rituals characteristic of OCD. Healthy people become hostage to their desires, needs, phobias, and expectations. Surely you have encountered something similar: you could not sleep peacefully or think about something else until an important event occurred.

Why is it dangerous?

Even the healthy manifestation of obsessive thoughts is dangerous for a person. Obsession interferes with life, distorts life, and prevents work. Any obsession, even a pleasant one, gradually depletes the body. In addition, when talking about pleasant anticipation of something, it is worth mentioning such a possible option as disappointment.

Reasons for obsession

Negative thoughts take over the mind more often than positive ideas. The most popular obsessive thoughts:

• The world is dangerous, people are antisocial.
• Nobody loves me.
• I don't know what's best to do.
• This is a hopeless situation.
• What if I make things worse?
• I can't get what I want.
• Maybe they'll take advantage of me.
• Everyone only wants benefits from me.
• Why did I do this?

Behind every such negative thinking lies a psychological problem, anxiety, etc. “No one loves me” usually means one specific person. “I won’t succeed” is a typical attitude of a person with low self-confidence. “The world is dangerous” is a consequence of personal negative experience.

The media also contribute: crime news, scary advertising. Thus, adequate concern about one’s health first develops into an obsessive thought, and then into hypochondria. Or a healthy fear for your life - first into an obsessive thought, and then into social phobia.

How to get rid

It will sound banal and ridiculous, but you don’t have to think about it. The more fixated you are on the idea of ​​deliverance, the more fixated you are on the obsessive thoughts themselves. And yes, “how to get rid of it” is a new obsession. What to do? If the problem is real, then solve it. If it is far-fetched or you cannot influence the situation, then accept and worry.

Action plan:

1. You will have to suffer a little more, since you need to disassemble the thought into its components. Determine the basis of thought: need, condition. After that, work in the identified direction. There is no point in describing all possible options here. As for the need, make a plan to meet it. What tools do you have, which ones do you need to purchase, where can you get them.
2. Distract yourself by getting your brain to work. Connect. It is better to engage in neutral activities, but if thoughts interfere, then engage in playing with them. The brain has drawn only one scenario for you. Take a piece of paper and a pen, draw or write down several possible scenarios. Pay special attention to the positive scenario, but do not build castles in the air. Have a healthy assessment of your capabilities and adaptive abilities.
3. Analyze the thought using four questions: “How true is this?”, “Am I 100% sure that this is true?”, “How do I react to these thoughts?”, “Who would I be without these thoughts?” This will help you realize the irrationality of what is happening.
4. Obsessive thoughts are the result of the work of the subconscious. Analyze whether the situation is so terrible: write down all the real facts and your actions in response to each of them. If you find a hole, then think about whether the result depends on you. If yes, then determine where to get the missing knowledge, skills, and abilities. If not, for example, you cannot bring some event or meeting closer, then you just have to wait and live for your own pleasure.
5. Try to see the winning conditions for yourself. And think about whether the situation itself will be important in 5 years. Let's say you're nervous about a conversation with your boss. You may be fired. But can't you find another place? You might even get promoted there faster.
6. Write down on paper everything that brings you joy and satisfaction at the moment. This will help overcome negative thinking.
7. If you doubt something, do not dare to act, then think about whether your current situation will change in a situation of failure. If you have nothing to lose, then you need to try. If you can lose, then prioritize, determine the value of all the pros and cons.
8. Think about whether and are bothering you. If this is the case, then it's time to get rid of them.
9. Is your obsession based on negative past experiences? Find the cause of the fear and get rid of it. Think about a situation from the past that affects you in the present. Analyze it. What has changed in you and your life since then? Are you sure you still can't handle this situation? Think about it, you've probably learned a lot and changed a lot since then.

If you are reading this article, it means that obsessive thoughts regularly torment you. Understand the deeper reasons. Determine which thoughts bother you most often and give them a name. For example, “what if I make a mistake, what if it doesn’t work out” is a fear of failure. And “why did I say that” is excessive self-criticism, a tendency to self-examination. Sometimes you don’t even need to catch thoughts. They speak for themselves: I am ashamed, scared, offended, sad.

Learn to perceive obsessive thoughts as a signal, an indicator of a problem. Determine the main emotion and its cause, fight it. Gradually the thoughts will go away on their own. If you can’t cope on your own, consult a psychologist. He will professionally study your subconscious and help you find the hidden emotion-cause.

Afterword

An obsession is accompanied by a stressful state. – excitement of the body, accumulation of energy. Spill it out. Physical activity helps you think clearly, frees up your mind, makes you work more actively and find new ways to solve problems. In addition, sport increases self-confidence and stimulates the production of joy hormones and anti-stress hormones.

In addition to this, try to get plenty of rest. A tired brain is capable of various pranks, including obsessive negative thoughts. Try meditating in the morning. To make the task easier, concentrate on the rhythm of the clock or pendulum. As soon as you catch yourself thinking the same thoughts, forcefully return to the metronome. Gradually it will become easier to concentrate, and your psychophysiological state will improve.

Usually people consider thought to be something unimportant,

therefore they are very little picky when accepting thoughts.

But from accepted correct thoughts all good things are born,

All evil is born from accepted false thoughts.

Thought is like a ship's rudder: from a small rudder,

from this insignificant plank trailing behind the ship,

depends on the direction and, for the most part, fate

the whole huge machine.

St. Ignatiy Brianchaninov,

Bishop of the Caucasus and Black Sea

During crisis periods in life, almost everyone suffers from an invasion of obsessive thoughts. More precisely, obsessive thoughts are the form in which false ideas come to us and try to take power over us. Every day, our consciousness is subject to their active attacks. This prevents us from soberly assessing the situation, making plans and believing in their implementation; because of these thoughts, it is difficult for us to concentrate and find reserves to overcome problems; these thoughts are exhausting, and often lead to despair.

Here are some thoughts that arise during a breakup:

· I won't have anyone else. Nobody needs me (nobody needs me)

· He was the best and I won’t find anything like him again

· I can’t live without him (her)

· Everything that happened is entirely my fault

· I won't be able to build relationships with anyone because I no longer respect myself

· There will be no joy in the future. Real life is over, and now there will only be survival

· It is better not to live at all than to live like this. I don't see the point in such a life. I don't see any sense or hope

· I can't trust anyone now

· How will I tell my parents about this?

· Everyone is judging me now.

· I can't do anything. I won't be able to become normal and respected.

And similar thoughts. They permeate our consciousness. They don't let us go for a second. They make us suffer much more than the events themselves that caused the crisis.

There are a number of mental illnesses (depression of organic origin, schizophrenia, etc.) in which obsessive thoughts are present in the complex of symptoms. For such diseases, we know of only one possibility of help - pharmacotherapy. In this case, you need to contact a psychiatrist to prescribe treatment.

However, most people who suffer from intrusive thoughts during a crisis do not have psychopathological disorders. With the help of our advice, they will be able to successfully get rid of these thoughts and get out of the crisis state.

What is the nature of obsessive thoughts?

From the point of view of science, obsessive thoughts (obsessions) are the incessant repetition of unwanted ideas and drives, doubts, desires, memories, fears, actions, ideas, etc., which cannot be gotten rid of through willpower. The real problem in these thoughts is exaggerated, enlarged, and distorted. As a rule, there are several of these thoughts, they line up in a vicious circle that we cannot break. And we run in circles like squirrels in a wheel.

The more we try to get rid of them, the more they appear. And then a feeling of their violence appears. Very often (but not always), obsessive states are accompanied by depressive emotions, painful thoughts, and also feelings of anxiety.

To overcome this problem, we need to answer the questions:

· What is the nature of obsessive thoughts? Where do they come from?

· How to deal with obsessive thoughts?

And then it turns out that psychology does not have an exact answer to this question.

Many psychologists, speculatively and without evidence, have tried to explain the cause of obsessive thoughts. Different schools of psychology are still at war with each other on this issue, but the majority still associate obsessive thoughts with fears. True, this does not clarify how to deal with them. We tried to find at least some method that would effectively deal with them, but in the last century they found only a method of pharmacotherapy that can temporarily help cope with fear, and, accordingly, with obsessive thoughts. The only bad thing is that it is not always effective. The cause remains, and pharmacotherapy only temporarily relieves the symptom. Accordingly, in the vast majority of cases, pharmacotherapy is ineffective as a method of combating obsessive thoughts.

There is another old method that creates the illusion of solving the problem, but only seriously aggravates it. Despite this, this method is often resorted to. We are talking about alcohol, drugs, crazy entertainment, extreme activities, etc.

Yes, for a very short time you can disconnect from obsessive thoughts, but then they will still “turn on”, and with increased force. We will not dwell on explaining the ineffectiveness of such methods. Everyone already knows this from their own experience.

Classical psychology does not provide recipes for effectively combating obsessive thoughts because it does not see the nature of these thoughts. To put it simply, it is quite difficult to fight an enemy if you cannot see him and it is not even clear who he is. Schools of classical psychology, having arrogantly crossed out the vast experience of spiritual struggle accumulated by previous generations, began to re-build certain concepts. These concepts are different for all schools, but the main thing is that the cause of everything is sought either in the faceless and incomprehensible unconscious of the person himself, or in some physical and chemical interactions of dendrites, axons and neurons, or in frustrated needs for self-realization, etc. P. At the same time, there are no clear explanations of what obsessive thoughts are, the mechanism of their influence, or the laws of their occurrence.

Meanwhile, answers to questions and successful solutions to problems have been known for thousands of years. There is an effective way to combat obsessive thoughts in a mentally healthy person!

We all know that the strength of obsessive thoughts is that they can influence our consciousness without our will, and our weakness is that we have almost no influence on obsessive thoughts. That is, behind these thoughts there is an independent will, different from ours. The very name “obsessive thoughts” already suggests that they are “imposed” by someone from the outside.

We are often surprised by the paradoxical content of these thoughts. That is, logically we understand that the content of these thoughts is not entirely justified, not logical, not dictated by a sufficient number of real external circumstances, or even simply absurd and devoid of any common sense, but, nevertheless, we cannot resist these thoughts. Also, often when such thoughts arise, we ask ourselves the question: “How did I come up with this?”, “Where did this thought come from?”, “Did this thought get into my head?” We cannot find the answer to this, but for some reason we still consider it ours. At the same time, an obsessive thought has a huge impact on us. Everyone knows that a person haunted by obsessions retains a critical attitude towards them, understanding all their absurdity and alienness to his mind. When he tries to stop them by force of will, it does not bring results. This means that we are dealing with an independent mind, different from ours.

Whose mind and will is it that is directed against us?

The Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church say that a person in such situations is dealing with an attack by demons. I want to clarify right away that none of them perceived demons as primitively as those who have not thought about their nature perceive them. These are not those funny hairy ones with horns and hooves! They have no visible appearance at all, which allows them to act unnoticed. They can be called differently: energies, spirits of evil, essences. There is no point in talking about their appearance, but we know their main weapon is lies.

So, it is evil spirits, according to the holy fathers, who are the cause of these thoughts that we accept as our own. Habits are hard to break. And we are so accustomed to considering all our thoughts, all our internal dialogues and even internal battles as ours and only ours. But to win these battles, you need to take your side in them, against the enemy. And for this we need to understand that these thoughts are not ours, they are imposed on us from the outside by a force hostile to us. Demons act like banal viruses, while trying to remain unnoticed and unrecognized. Moreover, these entities act regardless of whether you believe in them or not.

Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) wrote about the nature of these thoughts: “The spirits of evil wage war against a person with such cunning that the thoughts and dreams they bring to the soul seem to be born in itself, and not from an evil spirit alien to it, acting and trying together.” take cover."

The criterion for determining the true source of our thoughts is very simple. If a thought deprives us of peace, it is from demons. “If, from any movement of the heart, you immediately experience confusion, oppression of the spirit, then this is no longer from above, but from the opposite side - from the evil spirit,” said Righteous John of Kronstadt. But isn’t this the effect of obsessive thoughts that torment us in a crisis situation?

True, we are not always able to correctly assess our condition. Famous modern psychologist V.K. Nevyarovich in the book “Soul Therapy” writes about this: “The lack of constant internal work on self-control, spiritual sobriety and conscious management of one’s thoughts, described in detail in ascetic patristic literature, also affects this. One can also believe, with a greater or lesser degree of obviousness, that some thoughts, which, by the way, are always almost felt as alien and even forced, violent, actually have a nature alien to humans, being demonic. According to patristic teaching, a person is often unable to discern the true source of his thoughts, and the soul is permeable to the demonic elements. Only experienced ascetics of holiness and piety, with a bright soul already purified by prayer and fasting, are able to detect the approach of darkness. Souls covered with sinful darkness often do not feel or see this, because in the dark the dark is poorly distinguished.”

It is the thoughts “from the evil one” that support all our addictions (alcoholism, gambling addiction, painful neurotic dependence on certain people, etc.). Thoughts that we mistakenly mistake for our own push people to suicide, despair, resentment, unforgiveness, envy, passions, indulge pride, and reluctance to admit their mistakes. They obsessively suggest to us, disguised as our thoughts, to do very bad things towards others, and not to work on correcting ourselves. These thoughts prevent us from taking the path of spiritual development, instill in us a feeling of superiority over others, etc. Such thoughts are these “spiritual viruses.”

It is the spiritual nature of such thought-viruses that is confirmed by the fact that, for example, it is often difficult for us to do a godly deed, pray, or go to church. We feel internal resistance, we make great efforts to resist seemingly our own thoughts, which find a huge number of excuses for us not to do this. Although, it seems, what’s so difficult about getting up early in the morning and going to church? But no, we will quickly get up early anywhere, but to go to the temple it will be difficult for us to get up. According to the Russian proverb: “Even though the church is close, walking is slimy; But the tavern is far away, but I walk slowly.” It’s also easy for us to sit in front of the TV, but it’s much more difficult to force ourselves to pray for the same amount of time. These are just some examples. In fact, our whole life consists of a constant choice between good and evil. And by analyzing the choices we make, everyone can see the effects of these “viruses” every day.

This is how spiritually experienced people viewed the nature of obsessive thoughts. And their advice for overcoming these thoughts worked flawlessly! The criterion of experience clearly indicates that the church’s understanding of this issue is correct.

How to overcome obsessive thoughts?

How, in accordance with this correct understanding, can one overcome obsessive thoughts?

The first steps are:

1. Acknowledge that you have obsessive thoughts and the need to get rid of them!

Make a firm decision to get rid of this slavery in order to continue building your life without these viruses.

2. Take responsibility

I would like to note that if we accept these obsessive thoughts from the outside and perform certain actions under their influence, then it is we who are responsible for these actions and the consequences of these actions. It is impossible to shift responsibility to obsessive thoughts, because we accepted them and acted in accordance with them. It was not thoughts that acted, but ourselves.

Let me explain with an example: if an assistant tries to manipulate a manager, then if he succeeds, and the manager makes an erroneous decision because of this, it is the manager, and not his assistant, who will be held responsible for this decision.

3. Muscle relaxation

All available means of combating obsessive thoughts, if they are caused by fears and anxieties, is muscle relaxation. The fact is that when we can completely relax our body, relieve muscle tension, then at the same time anxiety decreases and fears recede, and, accordingly, in most cases the intensity of obsessive thoughts decreases. The exercise is quite simple to do:

Lie down or sit down. Relax your body as much as possible. Start by relaxing the muscles of the face, then the muscles of the neck, shoulders, torso, arms, legs, ending with the fingers and toes. Try to feel that you do not have the slightest tension in any muscle of your body. Feel it. If you were unable to relax any area or group of muscles, then first tense this area as much as possible, and then relax. Do this several times and that area or muscle group will definitely relax. You need to be in a state of complete relaxation for 15 to 30 minutes. It’s good to imagine yourself in a comfortable place in nature.

Don't worry about how successfully you achieve relaxation, don't suffer or strain - let relaxation arise at your own pace. If you feel that extraneous thoughts are visiting you during the exercise, try to remove extraneous thoughts from your consciousness, switching your attention from them to visualizing a place in nature.

Do this exercise several times throughout the day. This will help you significantly reduce anxiety and fears

4. Switch your attention!

It is better to shift your attention to what helps effectively fight these obsessive entities. You can switch your attention to helping people, creative activities, social activities, and housework. Our ancestors believed that it was very good to engage in useful physical work to drive out obsessive thoughts.

5. Do not engage in self-hypnosis by repeating these thoughts to yourself!

Everyone is well aware of the power of self-hypnosis. Self-hypnosis can sometimes help in very severe cases. Self-hypnosis can relieve pain, treat psychosomatic disorders, and significantly improve psychological state. Due to its ease of use and pronounced effectiveness, it has been used in psychotherapy for a long time.

Unfortunately, self-hypnosis of negative statements is often observed. A person who finds himself in a crisis situation constantly unconsciously utters statements to himself and out loud that not only do not help to get out of the crisis, but also worsen the condition. For example, a person constantly complains to friends or makes a statement to himself:

I was left alone.

I won't have anyone else.

I don't want to live.

I won't be able to return her, etc.

Thus, the mechanism of self-hypnosis is activated, which actually leads a person to certain feelings of helplessness, melancholy, despair, illness, and mental disorders.

It turns out that the more often a person repeats these negative attitudes, the more negatively they affect the thoughts, feelings, sensations, emotions, and ideas of this person. There is no need to repeat this endlessly. By doing this, you not only do not help yourself, but also drive yourself deeper into the crisis swamp. What to do?

If you find yourself repeating these spells often, then do the following:

Change the setting to the exact opposite and repeat it many times more often.

For example, if you constantly think and say that life ended in divorce, then carefully and clearly say 100 times that life goes on and will get better and better every day. It is better to make such suggestions several times a day. And you will really feel the effect very quickly. When writing positive statements, avoid the prefix “not.” Example: not “I won’t be lonely in the future,” but “I will still be with my loved one in the future.” This is a very important rule for writing statements. Pay attention to this. It is important. Don't make statements about things that aren't achievable or ethical. You should not give yourself instructions to raise your self-esteem.

6. Try to find hidden benefits from the state you are in! Skip these benefits!

Paradoxical as it may seem, a person who is constantly attacked by heavy, exhausting obsessive thoughts very often finds imaginary benefits for himself in their presence. Most often, a person cannot and does not want to admit these benefits even to himself, because the very idea that he has a benefit from the source of suffering seems blasphemous to him. In psychology, this concept is called “secondary benefit.” In this case, secondary benefit is a side gain in a given situation from existing torment and suffering, exceeding the gain from solving the problem and further well-being. It is impossible to list all the possible benefits that a person receives from his own suffering. Here are some of the most common ones.

1. “He was the best and I won’t find anything like him again.” »

Benefit: no need to change yourself. Why strive for anything? Why look for mistakes in relationships? There will be nothing more anyway! Why seek God's help? It's all over anyway!

If you agree with this idea, then you can do nothing and receive the sympathy of others. And if a person is actively involved in the struggle for happiness, then he will no longer receive such compassion for himself

2. “There will be no joy in the future. Real life is over, and now there will only be survival."

Benefit: you don’t have to think about how to get out of the situation (life is over), you don’t have to think too much, you don’t have to work hard. Self-pity appears, the severity of the situation (imagined) justifies all mistakes and wrong actions. Pleasant sympathy from others and attention to yourself from friends and relatives appears

3. “It’s better not to live at all than to live like this. I don't see the point in such a life. I don’t see any meaning or hope.”

If there is hope, then it seems like we need to take steps. But I don’t want to do this. Therefore, the easiest way is to come to terms with this thought, but not try anything. Sit and feel sorry for yourself, accepting the role of the victim.

4. “Everything that happened is only my fault”

Benefit: you don’t need to think about real mistakes, look for ways to recover, and think objectively about the reasons that led to such an ending. Just give up, but don’t think, don’t admit that you built illusions towards this person (taking the blame on yourself, you don’t have to think about it).

Such obsessive thoughts are replaced by similar ones: “I have always been unlucky / unlucky, I was born under an unlucky star”... I.e. It’s more profitable to shift responsibility for your own life to circumstances or events, and persuade yourself not to do anything to improve the situation and its solution, because the excuse appears again.

5. “I won’t be able to build relationships with anyone because I no longer respect myself. I can't do anything. I won’t be able to become normal and respected.”

Benefit: you don’t have to think about what you need to do to be respected. Self-pity and complacency give reason to do nothing about it.

In this case, agreeing with the idea that we are unworthy or defective, we give ourselves the opportunity not to strive for anything, treating others with consumerism, looking only for sympathy or praise.

7. “Everyone is judging me now.”

Everyone cannot be judged. But if you agree with this idea, then this is an excellent reason to feel sorry for yourself and not seek help from people. And again passively go with the flow, without remaking yourself

8. “I won’t be able to trust anyone anymore.”

Benefit: no need to understand the reasons for betrayal, no need to find reasons, no need to try to correct yourself and get out. There is no need to learn to select friends based on deeds, not words. There is no need to change the communication environment to a better one, in which there is room for trust. Because if you don’t change yourself, then your social circle remains the same, therefore, the circle closes and there is no way out.

9. “I can’t live without him (her)” or “How will I be alone now?”

It is difficult to realize our own dependence on a particular person and the infantile or, conversely, overprotective position we occupy in relationships. These thoughts arise when personal space has been completely subordinated to the Idol (idol). (It’s not for nothing that many of these idolaters write the pronouns denoting the Idol with a capital letter: He, She or even HE, SHE.) It is beneficial in this situation not to become an adult, changing your own attitudes, remaining immature, and not accepting responsibility for your life. With an overprotective position, it is beneficial to realize one’s importance and “know-it-all” about what is best for someone, without taking into account the opinion of this person.

10. “How will I tell my parents about this?”

We must learn to cope with false shame. Humble yourself too. Learn to be an adult and take responsibility. But this is exactly what I don’t want! Yes, and thereby delaying the final resolution of the issue. It is difficult to admit to yourself that everything is over in a relationship. It's hard to put an end to it.

Think about what “benefits” you might have by agreeing with these thoughts. Don't find anything positive in them. Typical thoughts are listed at the beginning of the article. Formulate more precisely what you mean. If you want to justify yourself, feel sorry for yourself, not take some steps, not take responsibility for your decisions, then in this case obsessive thoughts will always offer their services to you and justify all your actions. But we must remember that for these “services” of obsessive thoughts you will have to pay with them by further dependence on them.

When looking for “benefits”, everything that is “exposed” looks very unattractive, and a person ceases to be the way he WANTS to see himself. This process is very painful, however, if the secondary “benefit” is found and realized, you will be able to find both other ways to implement it and eradicate this “benefit”, as well as find a successful solution from your own difficult situation.

Once again I want to note that all secondary “benefits” are hidden from consciousness. You can't see them now. You can understand and reveal them only by impartial analysis of your actions, thoughts and desires.

Pay attention to the contradiction between your interests, your logic and those thoughts that are trying to take over you! Evaluate their paradoxicality, inappropriateness, and logical inconsistency. Assess the consequences and disadvantages of the actions that following these thoughts may lead to. Ponder this. Think about whether you see in these thoughts a direct discrepancy with what your consciousness tells you. Surely you will find many inconsistencies between obsessive thoughts and your consciousness.

Recognize that these thoughts are not yours, that they are the result of an external attack of other entities on you. As long as you consider obsessive thoughts to be your own, you will not be able to oppose them with anything and take measures to neutralize them. It is impossible to neutralize yourself!

8. Don’t try to overcome obsessive thoughts by arguing with them!

Obsessive thoughts have one feature: the more you resist them, the more forcefully they attack.

Psychology describes the “White Monkey” phenomenon, which proves the difficulty of fighting external influences within the mind. The essence of the phenomenon is this: When one person says to another “Don’t think about the white monkey,” then it is the white monkey that he begins to think about. Actively combating obsessive thoughts also leads to this result. The more you tell yourself that you can handle it, the less you can handle it.

Understand that this condition cannot be overcome by willpower. You cannot resist this attack on equal terms. This situation can be likened to how a very drunk person pesters physically weaker passers-by. Moreover, the more they pay attention to him, call him to order, ask him not to pester him, the more he does this and even begins to behave aggressively. What is the best thing to do for the weak in this case? Walk by without paying attention. In our case, we need, without entering into conflict with these thoughts, to simply switch our attention from them to something else (more pleasant). As soon as we switch our attention and ignore obsessions, they lose their power for a while. The more often we ignore them immediately after they appear, the less they annoy us.

This is what the holy fathers say about this: “You are used to talking to yourself and think about arguing with your thoughts, but they are reflected by the Jesus Prayer and silence in your thoughts” (Reverend Anthony of Optina). “A crowd of tempting thoughts becomes more persistent if you allow them to slow down in the soul, and even more so if you also enter into negotiations with them. But if they are pushed away the first time by strong tension of will, rejection and turning to God, then they will immediately withdraw and leave the atmosphere of the soul pure” (St. Theophan the Recluse). “A thought, like a thief, comes to you - and you open the door for him, bring him into the house, start a conversation with him, and then he robs you. Is it possible to start conversations with the enemy? They not only avoid conversations with him, but also lock the door tightly so that he does not enter” (Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets).

9. The most powerful weapon against obsessive thoughts-

World-famous physician, Nobel Prize winner in physiology or medicine for his work on vascular suture and transplantation of blood vessels and organs, Dr. Alexis Carrel said: “Prayer is the most powerful form of energy emitted by man. It is as real a force as gravity. As a physician, I have seen patients who did not respond to any therapeutic treatment. They were able to recover from illness and melancholy only thanks to the calming effect of prayer... When we pray, we connect ourselves with the inexhaustible life force that sets the entire Universe in motion. We pray that at least some of this power will come to us. By turning to God in sincere prayer, we improve and heal our soul and body. It is impossible for any man or woman to fail to have a single moment of prayer without a positive result.”

The spiritual explanation for the help of prayer in this problem is very simple. God is stronger than Satan, and our prayerful appeal to Him for help drives out evil spirits who “sing” their deceitful, monotonous songs into our ears. Everyone can verify this, and very quickly. You don't need to be a monk to do this.

In a difficult moment of life

Is there sadness in the heart:

One wonderful prayer

I repeat it by heart.

There is a power of grace

In the consonance of living words,

And an incomprehensible one breathes

Holy beauty in them.

From the soul, as a burden rolls away,

Doubt is far away

And I believe and cry,

And so easy, easy...

(Mikhail Lermontov).

Like any good deed, prayer must be undertaken with reasoning and effort.

We must consider the enemy, what he inspires in us, and direct the weapon of prayer towards him. That is, the word of prayer should be the opposite of the obsessive thoughts that are instilled in us. “Make it a law for yourself, every time trouble happens, that is, an attack from the enemy in the form of a bad thought or feeling, not to be content with just reflection and disagreement, but to add prayer to this until opposing feelings and thoughts form in the soul,” says Saint Theophan.

For example, if the essence of obsessive thoughts is grumbling, pride, unwillingness to accept the circumstances in which we find ourselves, then the essence of the prayer should be humility: ““God’s will be done!”

If the essence of obsessive thoughts is despondency, despair (and this is an inevitable consequence of pride and grumbling), a grateful prayer will help here - “Glory to God for everything!”

If the memory of a person torments us, let’s simply pray for him: “Lord, bless him!” Why will this prayer help you? Because he will benefit from your prayer for this person, and evil spirits do not wish good for anyone. Therefore, seeing that good comes from their work, they will stop tormenting you with images of this person. One woman who took advantage of this advice said that prayer helped a lot, and she literally felt next to her the powerlessness and annoyance of the evil spirits that had overcome her before.

Naturally, we can be overcome by different thoughts at the same time (there is nothing faster than thought), so the words of different prayers can be combined: “Lord, have mercy on this person! Glory to You for everything!”

You need to pray continuously, until victory, until the invasion of thoughts stops, and peace and joy reign in your soul. Read more about how to pray on our website.

10. Sacraments of the Church

Another way to get rid of these entities is the Sacraments of the Church. First of all, this is, of course, confession. It is at confession, contritely repenting of our sins, that we seem to wash away all the dirt that has stuck to us, including obsessive thoughts.

It would seem, what are we to blame for?

Spiritual laws say unequivocally: if we feel bad, it means we have sinned. Because only sin torments. Those very grumblings about the situation (and this is nothing more than grumbling against God or resentment towards Him), despondency, resentment towards a person - all these are sins that poison our souls.

By confessing, we do two very useful things for our soul. First, we take responsibility for our condition and tell ourselves and God that we will try to change it. Secondly, we call evil evil, and evil spirits do not like reproof most of all - they prefer to act on the sly. In response to our deeds, God, at the moment the priest reads the prayer of permission, does His work - He forgives us our sins and drives out the evil spirits that besiege us.

Another powerful tool in the fight for our soul is the sacrament. By partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we receive the grace-filled power to fight the evil within ourselves. “This Blood removes and drives demons far away from us and calls Angels to us. Demons flee from where they see the Sovereign Blood, and Angels flock there. Shed on the Cross, this Blood washed the entire universe. This Blood is the salvation of our souls. The soul is washed by it,” says St. John Chrysostom.

“The Most Sacred Body of Christ, when well received, is a weapon for those who are at war, a return for those who move away from God, strengthens the weak, cheers the healthy, cures illnesses, preserves health, thanks to it we are more easily corrected, in labor and sorrow we become more patient, in love - more ardent, more refined in knowledge, more ready in obedience, more receptive to the actions of grace” - St. Gregory the Theologian.

I cannot assume the mechanism of this deliverance, but I know for sure that dozens of people I know, including my patients, got rid of obsessive thoughts precisely after the Sacraments.

In general, hundreds of millions of people felt grace after the Sacraments. It is they, their experience, that tells us that we should not ignore the help of God and His Church with these entities. I would like to note that after the Sacraments some people got rid of obsessions not forever, but for a while. This is natural, since this struggle is long and difficult.

11. Take care of yourself!

Idleness, self-pity, apathy, despair, depression are the most nutritious substrates for the cultivation and multiplication of obsessive thoughts. That is why try to constantly be in the right place, be physically active, pray, monitor your physical condition, get enough sleep, do not maintain these states in yourself, do not look for benefits in them.

Mikhail Khasminsky, crisis psychologist)

Our unconscious mind tries to protect us by painting possible pictures of what could happen so that we can adapt to the situation by experiencing it in our imagination. However, this does not mean at all that all our fantasies will come true. Try to describe the situation on paper to analyze whether the danger is really that great.

Could something good happen instead of negative scenario A? Try to write another, more successful scenario B. Think in detail about how the situation will develop in this case and what you can do to implement the second option. This will allow you to distance yourself from the obsessive scenario A and look at what is happening more soberly.

Clear the field

Panic thoughts are a kind of time bomb, a mechanism that was inherited from distant ancestors.

“Our brain is super sensitive to any information that it reads as dangerous. This mechanism allowed distant ancestors to survive in much harsher environmental conditions, says cognitive psychologist Tatyana Pavlova. - That is why many fears are not a reflection of an objective situation, but only an automatic reaction provoked by the brain, which is primarily focused on survival. So, instead of preparing to repel a likely threat, consider whether the unconscious is exaggerating the danger.”

Live in the moment

Often the mind relies only on negative experiences. However, we can look at the situation with an open mind. Is something untoward already happening or about to happen? Real and probable events are not identical, but the brain easily replaces these concepts. Think about which of the past events fears might actually be associated with?

“Try to celebrate everything that continues to please you in the current moment, because this is the only opportunity to experience life in its entirety,” says clinical psychologist Melanie Greenberg. - Just because something negative happened in the past does not mean that the same thing will happen to you in the future.

Sometimes, when we think about something, we focus only on what we think is potentially dangerous.

Try to analyze how your life circumstances and yourself have changed since something happened to you that probably mentally keeps you in the past. Many fears stem from childhood and adolescence. However, now you have more internal strength and the ability to be self-aware, analyze current events and leave negative experiences behind you, moving forward.”

Name your thoughts

Imagine that your thoughts are passing clouds. Some enchant you with their beauty, while others, on the contrary, put you on your guard in case it rains. Watching the clouds, we guess in them the outlines of a particular image - an animal or a tree. In the same way, you can try to observe the flow of thoughts. As soon as you realize that you are emotionally assessing the situation as dangerous, call these thoughts “assessment.”

If you are haunted by the thought that you will fail, then its name is “worry.” When you are dissatisfied with yourself, this is “criticism”. In the future, this will help you rise above overwhelming emotions and control the situation, realizing what exactly is happening to you now.

“Now think about it - do you really want to spend your time evaluating or torment yourself with criticism?” asks Melanie Greenberg.

Don't narrow your gaze

Sometimes, when we think about something, we focus only on what we think is potentially dangerous.

“Internal fear always plays a cruel joke on us and forces us to concentrate on what is mistakenly perceived as a threat to well-being, and does not allow us to assess the situation in its entirety. It is important to see the nuances and details that would play in our favor, says Melanie Greenberg. - Answer yourself the question: will the situation be as significant for you in 5 or 10 years? And if not, is it worth worrying?”

Take action

To prevent uncontrolled fear, which we are unable to control, from depriving us of the ability to act, any activity is useful - even cleaning the house or a regular walk with the dog. The main thing is to get up and start moving. Physical action literally frees the mind from the captivity of heavy and debilitating thoughts, and it becomes easier to believe in yourself again.

From adversaries to allies

Even if all your fears largely reflect the real state of affairs, constant negative thoughts begin to play against you. For example, you want to get a new job, but you know that only one out of ten candidates will be chosen. However, constantly replaying a scenario with a negative result in your head can only demotivate and deprive you of the desire to even submit a resume. Although the person who will be chosen may well be you.

“You don’t lose anything,” reminds Tatyana Pavlova. - If you fail, you remain in the same position as now. But if you can overcome your self-doubt, you have a chance to make a difference.” Focus on what exactly you can do to realize your ideas and desires.