Getting Rid of Dark or Unwanted Thoughts

[Skeleton Kin 385]

(Snipping this post because I didn't read OP)

Edited July 22, 2014 by -Red-

[Kothen 279]

I used to have extremely bad OCD with intrusive thoughts. What helped me IMMENSELY is finding a medication that works and a good therapist. But that alone just won't cure it. The main exercise I learned is called ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) Basically its exposing yourself to these fears you have ie. If you are having bad thoughts, ruminate on them until you no longer feel the fear/anxiety.

 

Eventually your mind becomes "use" to these kinds of fears and you become less effected by it. Similar to how when you go into a pool of cold water. Eventually the water feels warm. But the water didn't change, your body got used to it.

 

You would need to start of small. and its going to be hard having to deal with the fear and anxiety when exposing yourself. But the longer you try to avoid it, the worse it becomes. You have to face your fears so to speak.This is what has helped me regain somewhat of a normal life. I would recommend a professional to help you though as I don't want to give you wrong advice.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Kothen

[Photon Jet 5,491]

An Oblivious Taco, you shouldn't really feel that way. You should try looking at the bright side of life. For example, think about how many friends you have made and all the great things you have achieved. If you think positive, you'll be able to get rid of those thoughts and become happy. 

 

That's some wonderful advice there Kothen. All of us could learn a thing or two about exposing yourself to your fears so that you can prevail over them.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Photon Jet

[Cosmonaut 76]

Whenever I get dark thoughts I usually either watch some MLP, watch some Nostalgia Critic, or draw. Drawing helps me cool down.

[IceeBrony 251]

Getting Rid of Dark Thought's: Icee's Guide

_{(warning: may not be suited to rational individuals)}

 

Step 1: Have dark thoughts. This step is vital if one is to rid one's self of dark thoughts. Sit and dwell on things that make you angry. If you are having difficulty, try slamming you fingers in a door, or going onto 4chan and posting a discussion on politics or religion

 

Step 2: Physical Release. Yell, scream, or even cry. Hit something, maybe go for a run, do a workout, or just some manual labor. While an important step, it is vital to be aware of your surroundings. Breaking doors, while therapeutic, gets expensive rather quickly.

 

Step 3: Exhaustion. After becoming tired, find a spot to relax. A quite corner, a shower or bath. Maybe outside somewhere. Raves and other high energy place are usually discouraged. A coffee shop may work, but please take a shower first.

 

Step 4: Relax. Learning to relax can be difficult for people. If you have trouble imagine your body is a balloon that is slowly deflating. Or pretend to be made of lead. Caution, pretending to be a lead in a large enough body of water can be problematic in the ridding of unwanted thought.

 

Step 5: Recovery. Hopefully you are now very relaxed, and whatever problem you may have had is simmer gently in the back of your mind. DON"T THINK ABOUT IT. This could lead boil-over. And nopony likes over stewed dark thought soup. Now, take your Dashie plushie and give it a cuddle (you may substitute another object here, but I can't imagine why you'd want to do that). Think happy thoughts or watch or listen to something upbeat.

 

Step 6: Realization. You may now notice that the dark thoughts are still. That is ok. They are part of you but they don't control you. You aren't responsible for every thought that enters your mind, but rather the action that you take on them.

 

Edited July 22, 2014 by IceeBrony

[Photon Jet 5,491]

Now that's a great guide to follow IceeBrony, (especially the Rainbow Dash plushie part). All of us should need to remember it so that we won't be overcome by dark thoughts.

[PoisonClaw 8,164]

Banishing dark or unwanted thoughts is a daily chore for me and I'm only ever partially successful. Even when I do manage to calm down it's always at the back of my mind, just waiting to pop up at a moment's notice. Only thing I've ever found to work is to distract myself with something I enjoy. Maybe watch a video, listen to music, play a game, anything that puts me in an environment that brings me happiness. Being around friends or other like-minded individuals does help though.

 

The worst are the times of "the one time I don't do this is the one time I should have." Like if I don't check twenty times that the stove is off hours after I last used it or that I locked the door when leaving the house I freak out and envision worst case scenarios. I've managed to cut back on the time I waste doing this by pretty much burning an image of the locked door or off stove into my mind, but that's still only slightly helped. 

[Photon Jet 5,491]

Yeah, I did have some of those thoughts as well. Like one time I didn't know if I closed the safety glass lid on the oven or not. I thought about it on the way home to find out it was shut.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Photon Jet

[Invincible 2,091]

I have been reading an annotated version of Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five rings lately. It has lots of passages there which can be used in context for real life, not just the strategy and Bushido philosophies they cover. He talks a lot about how human beings are easily influenced by circumstance. Those around you can instill fervor just as they can infect you with worry, so it's important to keep a keen mind that is not too loose and not too tight - when you feel anxious, frustrated, or other negative emotions which influence your thoughts, you must "cut the root" of that thought because such thoughts bring more of themselves in time.

 

It's an interesting point to consider.

[Pinkamena-Pills 6,839]

I banish my 'dark thoughts' by closing them off,putting them in a box,burying the box,and building a house of joy atop it and in this house of joy resides a pink pony named Pinkie.

 

My method works without fail; atleast for me,for if it din't i would have destroyed myself in my past anger,misanthropy and masochism.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Pinkamena-Pills

[Venomous 18,862]

After being admitted to the psychiatric unit a few times for suicidal thoughts and actions, I have learned some good coping skills in that time.

[baltoist 303]

I will never be able to get rid of my unwanted thoughts. :/

[Photon Jet 5,491]

Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings? Interesting. I should take a glance at that if I have the time.

 

I'm sure building a house on top of your fears is a great idea Pinkamena Pills. Keep those thoughts buried underground and don't let anypony dig them up.

 

Finally Baltoist, I'm sure there's always a way to get rid of your dark thoughts. Don't give yourself in to them.

[Kel_Grym 1,917]

Pure O OCD

 

Yeah, I had that, and it was especially tumultuous when I was still going to church. As I've gotten older, I've learned to deal with it, just as @Kothen mentioned before, and I'm not as bugged out by them.

 

These thoughts, they come every once in a while, but it has gotten to the point where I can just shake my head and treat them in as something separate from myself.

 

At my worst, I've broken down and cried at the bottom of my dormitory stair well back in college, but since then it has never gotten that bad.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Well, I really doubt you can get get rid of negative or dark thoughts. What matters is how you deal with them and whether you can accept them as part of your psyche, but not a part of your actions and interactions with others.

[Photon Jet 5,491]

Pathfinder CS, I agree with you on how to deal with dark thoughts and not to accept them as part of your actions but it's still possible to banish them out of your mind before they can consume you.

 

As for Minister KelGrym, I'm glad you're now capable of separating your thoughts. It must have been a long journey for you.

[ReGen 1,466]

I just put on some J Dilla and meditate the thoughts away, mang.  :comeatus:

Edited August 2, 2014 by ReGen

[Photon Jet 5,491]

That's a very nice method to use. I bet it'll help a lot of ponies who need to be relaxed.

[Zekromic 1,054]

I live with them, it took me a while to accept those thoughts. I live by nothing is black and white

[Professor SnuSnu 100]

Wow everyone here has their own method.....but is it bad that I do not know when i have dark thoughts or not?

[Photon Jet 5,491]

I think you will only know when you have dark thoughts when you start thinking about bad stuff such as worse-case scenarios of events and things you fear the most.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Photon Jet

[CSlayer1064 11]

Playing piano always helps me

 

Also ramen noodles but you have to eat them this way:

1. Boil water to 180 degrees

2. Eat block of noodles

3. Drink pot of water

4. Snort chicken powder

5. Get Prozac prescription refilled

Sounds like its legit XD

[Professor SnuSnu 100]

I think you will only know when you have dark thoughts when you start thinking about bad stuff such as worse-case scenarios of events and things you fear the most.

So essentially dark thoughts are thought that I fear, well that you put it that way I seem to over think a lot andI dosayI get depressed from doing it but I never had a problem with it.

[UCD 75]

Sounds like its legit XD

#2legit2quitbro

 

20charlimitblah

 

but if you have any more dark unwanted thoughs, I do suggest music. It's great therapy

[Rainboom Dash 1,055]

Doing something to calm my nerves, like reading or browsing the internet or listening to music or watching TV.