How do you turn your "inner mind" off? Can you stop yourself from thinking?
By ctrymuziklvr
@ctrymuziklvr (11057)
United States
January 22, 2008 8:20am CST
I've never been able to do this and since losing me mother this month it seems to be even harder to do than ever. I have tried all of the "tricks" that you read about but I'm just not the type of person who can sit still and meditate and it seems when I do try it it doesn't work. I do a lot of talking to myself and telling myself not to think about this or that but you know what? That seems to make me think about it more!!! I turn the volume up on my tv and try to get into the silly programs that are on to keep my mind thinking only about what I'm watching and that seldom works.
How do we turn off the thoughts that we don't want in our minds? Is it possible or do we have to live with it? Why do people think meditation will do it when for me sitting and being quiet just brings up everything I DON'T want to think about? Are there any answers?
4 people like this
16 responses
@moneyandgc (3428)
• United States
22 Jan 08
My husband is able to do this but I can't. I have terrible anxiety so I really wish I knew how to do this. He tells me to "think of nothing and picture black." Seems to work for him, but not me. This is at bedtime though, the key is to turn my mind off and fall asleep. Like I said though, it doesn't work for me.
I have Xanax for the middle of the day anxiety because so far, the coping mechanisms haven't been working.
I am starting therapy for it when I get back home.
@vicki2876 (5636)
• Canada
22 Jan 08
I have never been able to do it either. I was always thinking, my mind going a mile a minute. People around me always knew this of me too. It is great for learning because it is a sponge sucking up everything it can but terrible when you just want to relax. I have been learning the past couple years to mediate which is helping me to shut down a bit. But now I still struggle with it at times.
1 person likes this
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
22 Jan 08
I meditate but I have to admit that it took me several tries of various methods before finding the right one and being successful at it....
As for turning off my inner mind during a NON meditating moment..I dont think its so much that I turn it off (at any time now that I think about it) I think its more like I turn it down or tune it out for lack of a better way to word it....
My mind goes a million miles a minute all day every day so turning it off just doesnt work LOL but I've definately trained myself to tune it out when I need to...
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
10 May 08
Well, when I go to bed at night sometimes my mind is still racing and so I picture a steep set of stone steps in my mind and just concentrate on going down them...before I know it I'm sound asleep.
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
22 Jan 08
I hear ya ctry, and I know exactly what you are talking about.
The only thing that use to work for me is gardening in the summer, but it's winter now, yuk.
Or, I use to do crafts and sell them. Just working on something for hours seems to help. If you can, find a hobby of some sorts, or something that you really have to concentrate on that you enjoy. It has to be something you enjoy or it won't work. I do understand though, and it's one of the hardest things to accomplish, especially if you're depressed. How about creating a wreath for Spring to put on your front door?.....just something that will take your mind off your problems. Take care.
1 person likes this
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
22 Jan 08
Believe it or not, I go to moola.com and play online games. I'm not trying to get referrals by saying this it's just the truth. I used to play other online games to keep my mind off of things but, I like moola better because I can earn money and it doesn't require me to spend any of my money to play because they give you the money to get started.
@prabodh1987 (297)
• India
23 Jan 08
i've heard meditaion helps, but i've not tried yet, cause i m not troubled much by my thoughts
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
23 Jan 08
No i can'ti am up now and it is midnight or later,and i went to bed 2 hours ago..I justlayed there until i could lay there no longer so i finally got up and now i am answering discussions here on mylot..My mind just travels from this to that and back again...I hate when i o this.We have a doctors appt tommorro and i have to get up at 5:00 am , and i will be so tired...
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
23 Jan 08
That's a very good question, ctry. It is a problem that I have often struggled with myself. I don't know if you are a praying person, but I've found prayer to be tremendously helpful to me when I want to shut out all the constant thoughts that don't seem to want to go away. Singing is another useful"tool" that can help to shut out the worries and cares that are pressing upon you. I will go deep into my mind and think of a song that meant a lot to me long ago, and attempt to remember all the words-this can be quite a struggle sometimes. It helps to take your mind off of the present and focus it on something not in the here and now. I hope these suggestions will help.
@try32ends (207)
• India
23 Jan 08
It's a difficult art, I suppose. We all want to think when we are not upto something, so I guess it's difficult just to turn off the mind, or the inner-mind as you cal it, all of a sudden. One thing that you may try is deep breathing and try concentrate on the breath as it gets in and out. But even then that is a pretty difficult art. When you are really engrossed about something, our mind just stops responding to other things. We seem to get fixated on it. I guess it comes with practice, the deep-breathing thing. We perhaps need to do it regularly in order to reap its complete benefits.
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
29 Jan 08
I read. At first I may not know what I am reading but after awhile I get into it and I forget all my problems wor whatever it is that was on my mind. That is the only way I can fall asleep at night. I have to read a book for about an hour before I can forget my troubles and be able to fall asleep. Everyone has every day stresses and have trouble not thinking about them so yes, we do need an outlet. I hope you find yours.
@pikeshpd (181)
• India
23 Jan 08
Look dear every one have to die once in life. They leave some message or story thats make us to think. It its happen with family i think no need to say, what happen. But I think to solve this problem its not a cup of tea so it can easily. To my mind we should try to do best ourself to forget it. happen is happen. We should look forward to our carrer. Whenever we feel like that then we should make a laughing moment among the family that could come out to solve these types of problem. And we sshould never think what they were and what they have done for me . Lets erase these type of things from mind. Every day get up to take a new future...I hope you may feel comfortable...
@katherinejay (6)
• China
23 Jan 08
i can't stop myself from thinking absolutely especially when i miss someone. recently, i like a boy and i tell him about my feeling,now he become offish to me. i miss him when i do everything even though i'm sleeping.
it is really a very hard thing to do. stop yourself from thinking.
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
23 Jan 08
I understand that to break a habit, you do not get rid of it, but rather replace it with a good one. I think this is also true of thoughts you do not want to think. You need to replace the bad thoughts with good ones, but it has to be a conscious choice.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
23 Jan 08
I have never tried o turn off my inner mind. Without it, I wouldn't be me.I have never tried to meditate.For me, it would do the complete opposite, I would just sit there and worry about everything I wasn't doing.
Suggestion.Just try to do something you really enjoy for at least 1 hour a day.
