Controlling racing thoughts

How do you guys control, or at least reduce racing thoughts. These various thoughts often give me a lot of anxiety. I find also that the thoughts will cycle into negativity quickly.

Used to have real bad anxiety and used small amount of therapy, amongst other things to help work through it. Last few weeks, especially before bed I have been having loads of unwanted negative racing thoughts. Any ideas how to minimize or cope with?

 

read Bible/Qur'an..

 

I read books or listen to music...sometimes I take a nap

 

drop it in gear and put the pedal to the floor can slow things down...

 

Sometimes writing it all down on paper helps. Sometimes not.

Or try deep breathing and relaxation techniques as you are trying to go to sleep.

 

as spectacles said, breathing, or meditation techniques cut through all the thoughts.. concentrating on counting slowly up to 5/6, keep pulling the mind back to focusing on the counting..

 

i terrible have racing thoughts that go out of control always, !!............
i shoot baskets (basketball) by myself-
shooting baskets calms me down a huge amount...

 

Concentration on breathing might help. Read "the miracle of mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh

 

Thanks for all the replies to far. Well most lol. I often practice certain breathing techniques as well as reading just before bed.

For sure going to check that book out as well.

It depends on the amount and what strain of cannabis I use, but some will make thoughts a lot worse and some a lot better. I think I might saying a personal mantra over to myself before sleep and see how that works as well.

 

Yeah, cannabis can either make it worse or better depending on various factors.

Booze is like taking a sledge hammer to the brain. Maybe try that.

 

well first, thoughts of racing are just... well...
the only way i've found to deal with them is to just get out and ride. it never makes the thoughts go away... just to stop for a little while.
ive had thoughts of racing as long as i can remember.



seriously though... experiment till you find something that helps. there is the thought that your day is dictated by what you do when you wake up and the same goes for sleep. video like tv or movies are very hard on the brain just before bedtime so reading like you are is good for a lot of people.
music "rewires" your brain as you are listening, try some mellow tunes along with your breathing. they're all suggestions, keep trying till you find stuff that works.

 

try this sometime before bed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY7L7u4rCE0"]Sounds From the Ground High Rising - Blink.wmv - YouTube

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMmMNyTwePY"]Marconi Union - Weightless (Radox) HighQuality Audio (most relaxing tune) - YouTube

 

painting

 

Cars?

 

If the racing thoughts are totally random, I'd try not giving much time to those thoughts. But if the thoughts have to do with unresolved issue(s) I'd try thinking of solutions to help myself feel better.

Are your negative thoughts random or they pointing you to something in your life?

 

wait are his thoughts racing or is he thinking about racing cars?

 

my thoughts are racing, often nowadays just before bed.

In a way some of them point towards mistakes that I now have to live with in my life, and others are just worries.

 

let 'em race but don't push em faster or make the track worse. offer them a calm beach course to do their thing. wooosaaaaah.

 

good to see you around man. I feel like i havent noticed/seen you on hip recently.

Listening now.....thank you.

Also JustinHale im checking out your video after the one above.

Throughout the day ive been reminding myself that I am a good person, and that mistakes are something to learn from, and just trying to stay forward thinking and positive... heading to bed in a few hopefully get a great nights sleep. Its odd I ALWAYS wake up between 4:00-5:00am, go downstairs and get a drink and a snack, sometimes smoke a cig, and o straight back to bed and get a great sleep.