I Want To Retrain My Brain

Hi fam,

Do you think it's realistic for me to retrain my brain to think about whatever I feel like in the moment instead of having these awful daydreams?

 

How 'bout this?

http://www.pocketmindfulness.com/6-mindfulness-exercises-you-can-try-today/

 

Yes! The 1st second, the instant you feel the bad daydreams start, you must consciously stop them. As hard as it is to control one's thoughts, they can be controlled...and that is actually the only thing in this world we have control over, as far as ourselves go.


unless its a remote control or a well-tuned car we are used to driving and we can control those things.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjnjiHXdASo&feature=youtu.be

 

It's not so much retraining the brain, more so relaying the focus/thought patterns. But apparently it can be done and really help

 

There's a very strong link between mental and physical, so changing your thought patterns is much easier if you change something about your daily routine; what you do, where you go, what you see every day.

 

Half the time the only advice I need to give people is, "When in trouble, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout!" That may sound stupid, but it expresses the essential networking systems logic of the brain. Like chicken little, a toddler runs back and forth to the potty every time an adult enters the room when they are potty training and it reflects simply the systems logic her neurons use. Its creative analog logic that, hopefully, makes up for its greater error rates by being more creative and can be described even as Cartoon Logic or Bullshit logic that looks for what's missing from this picture. Look for what's missing from this picture Luke and feel the force flow through you!

 

Eating healthy, getting good sleep, exercise, hobbies, having a dog, all of this has improved my mind.

Sometimes it's the right med too. I used to fast food, drugs, sexual release (and ya I was in my early 20's so that one's a bitch!) and I know it was all good. But sometimes it's good to give up trying to change ourselves. So now I get my med and I still get to fast attachments but not so hard now.

 

most of the above is absolutely untrue with people who have serious mental health concerns and even with some people without mental health worries.....

the part about ''the only thing in this world we have control over''...is about as far from true as a statement can get....people have control over lots of things...sorry lynn...had to call you on that one.....

 

I believe we will just have to agree to disagree.

I still maintain the only thing we have control over in this life are our thoughts. Of course there are exceptions such as people with bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia; but, people with these issues are often able to regain control to some degree with medication.

I have worked with people with both mental and physical problems and disabilities.

I would love to know the lots of things people have control over...and I'm not talking about machinery of any type, or whether or not an animal is killed/euthanized, or whether one chooses to kill another person, be it in self-defense or not. The last 2 examples begin with one's thoughts.

 

Thanks everyone.

What do you mean by that?

 

That what you seem to be after can be achieved by relaying your focus and thought patterns, and you probably don't have to take a retraining of your brain much further.

I agree with what Karen said. Changing your daily routine in order to get a grip on unwanted thought patterns sounds much better and easier than focussing on a retraining of the brain (whatever that entails).

 

In other words, keep busy?

 

I'm no expert, but I'm going to say no. You are not the author of your thoughts. As far as academia is concerned, thoughts simply arise in consciousness and are predicated on prior factors. It's not like your brain can surf every thought there is to think and then choose a thought to think from the list of all thoughts. You don't really choose your thoughts. They just arise in your head and are caused by external factors.

However, you can have some control over the "prior causes" that determine your thoughts to some extent. For instance, you can avoid "triggering" situations etc. You can also learn to cope with the thoughts. But as far as training your brain to choose certain thoughts, its impossible. You can't choose your thoughts. But you can change how the thoughts affect you. Any method that would "train your brain to think nicer thoughts" would not involve training your brain to think different thoughts at all, it would just involve altering your daily life in such a way that the thoughts that are causing you emotional pain are less likely to arise.

 

I'm not an expert either, and also not an expert in you (it might depend on the individual after all), but maybe that is what it takes.

Above post explains it ok too. Personally I am rather not busy (so as long as my thoughts and thought patterns seem managable...i'm set)

 

What about mindfulness?

 

Doesn't hurt. Could help.

 

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. CBT cannot remove your problems, but it can help you deal with them in a more positive way. It is based on the concept that your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap you in a vicious cycle. CBT aims to help you crack this cycle by breaking down overwhelming problems into smaller parts and showing you how to change these negative patterns to improve the way you feel. Unlike some other talking treatments, CBT deals with your current problems, rather than focusing on issues from your past. It looks for practical ways to improve your state of mind on a daily basis.

 

Mindfullness can be helpful too

 

Lots of little things you can do to change thought patterns. Move the alarm clock to the opposite side of the bed. Sit in a different chair at the breakfast table. Move some furniture around. Paint a wall a different color. The brain reacts to everything. When you get stuck in a negative thought pattern, get up and take a walk. The weather isn't good for a walk? That's even better.