How To Slow Down When Overthinking
WISE mind ACCEPTS.
Daily, many people tend to overthink in high-pressure situations. One moment you are going about your day and another moment you are struck down by the might of ruminating thoughts. It may feel like a camera clicking through images in your mind. You may begin to feel anxious and overwhelmed and your world can feel like it’s closing in on you. Come along as we use a combination of DBT (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy) and Critical Thinking to slow down the mind.
WISE mind ACCEPTS:
Throughout my time in recovery, I have picked up two valuable DBT skills the WISE mind skill and the ACCEPTS skill. Below I will link the skills so you can have a more in-depth look at these coping mechanisms. Once you are ready to continue, we are going to learn how to combine the WISE mind and ACCEPTS skill to ride the wave of overriding thoughts.
Willingness: Let’s open up our minds and let the thoughts and emotions flow. You cannot currently change these thoughts, so temporarily sit with them.
Immediate: Ignore the past, ignore the future. You cannot currently change either. All you can change is the here and now. Use deep breathing to focus on your current thoughts. Below is an article that explains deep breathing in detail.
Sensations: Take a second to acknowledge all of your body parts. Scan your toes, and follow with your eyes up to your knees. How do they feel? Do they feel heavy, or light? Move up towards your head and take as much time as you need. Focus on your 5 senses.
Emotions: How are you feeling right now? Put a word on that emotion and spend a few minutes focusing on that emotion. Next, redirect your focus back to your breathing. To the best of your ability, visualise letting go of that emotion. I like to think of letting go of a string on a balloon and watching it fly away. Once you feel comfortable, feel free to proceed. Take your time, this article isn’t going anywhere.
Avoiding Control: Can you currently change anything that you are worrying about? This doesn’t mean in the next day or so, this means right this second can you do anything about it? Try to let go of the thought that something needs to be done immediately. Accept the reality and be prepared to tackle your thoughts in time order. Always begin in the present and work from there.
Committed Effort and Praise: Now is the time to challenge those emotions. Engage in the easiest task that you need to accomplish. Afterwards, take a small break and acknowledge your triumph. Hopefully, this sense of achievement has helped to remove those ruminating thoughts so you can proceed mindfully.
Thoughts: Observe your current thoughts in a non-judgmental manner. Be proud of yourself that you have achieved a task and continue to proceed mindfully. Try to “ride the wave” and let your emotions come and go. Your emotions are valid but so is your sanity.
Self-compassion: Take some time to be kind to yourself, you have been hard at work and have made a huge effort to control your thoughts.
WISE mind ACCEPTS helps us to analyse our thinking critically to gain a hold on our emotions and thoughts. It is very easy to get caught up in our feelings and stray away from important duties. From my personal experience, learning these skills has helped me to accept my reality and move forward in life knowing that I can tackle unexpected problems, such as overthinking. I hope that you are safe and well on your wellness journey.
Thank you for taking the time and listening to my story. Medium has been a fantastic place for me to open up, receive support, and most importantly to aid my recovery. I feel like I am reclaiming my life and that is thanks to all of you!!