How do you calm your mind and racing thoughts?

21 comments

1. Box breathing.

   4 second inhale.

   4 second hold.

   4 second exhale

   4 second hold

   Repeat.

   And find a practical philosophy you like. You don’t have to stick with it down to the letter but it does help to have some tracks to follow

2. When this happens to me it’s usually stress/anxiety tied to work/my romantic life. I used to let it spiral out of control to the point I’d fuck everything up.
   My tactic now is
   A) Stop and breathe. Focus on what I’m doing this exact moment and don’t think about anything else attached to it
   B) Look at past occurrences/behavior in my partner. Has anything happened in the past to make me genuinely afraid of what might come? 90% it’s a ‘No’, it’s just the nasty thoughts in my head. And
   C) did my coworkers/romantic partner specifically say what I’m fearing. Again, it’s usually a ‘No’ and just the nasty thoughts.
   I then let myself breathe and acknowledge I have no true evidence to fear whatever I’m fearing. It doesn’t stop the anxiety/mind racing completely, but it calms me to a point I can acknowledge it’s just my thoughts and not let it send me into a spiral

3. Weed.

4. Breathe, listen to music and go for a walk.

5. First, I hope it helps to know that you’re not alone.
   B. The fact that you’re looking for help with your anxiety is proof that you’re on the right path.
   And finally, everyone has different methods of coping. Don’t give up if the suggestions you get don’t work for you. You’ll find the one that does if you keep looking.

6. Real good submissions here but I just take a shot and smoke a pipe if I’m at home. If I’m at work smoke a cig and go sit in the shade to touch sum grass.

7. Whenever I catch myself spiralling I first lay down, but on my earphones, play piano tunes or anything calming (without any lyrics) and then breathe from my mouth while caressing my own head… for some weird reason this helps a lot

8. Speed down the highway on two wheels 👍🏽

9. If you’re lying in bed and brain spinning try this.
   Think of..
   5 things you can hear
   5 things you can see
   5 things you can feel (eg pressure of leg on mattress, head on the pillow, breeze on face etc.)
   Then take 5 deep breaths.

   Works for me.

10. During the day I just listened to music that I liked, at night I just focus on a book series I’m working on and it usually makes me fall asleep, sometimes my problems even inspire characters or plot points in it

11. I find a dog to pet.

12. Alcohol. But I wouldn’t recommend it.

    It’s the only thing that helps with my anxiety and overthinking but that mentality is the easiest way to alcoholism.

13. The orphanage.

14. Listening to old school metal like Black Sabbath or Deep Purple and tackling a manual project, even something like cleaning the fridge does the trick.

15. Write it out (physically with a pen and paper) and keep a journal/diary. It’s just 5 minutes every day.

16. Kava tablets if I want to slow down and not be high

    Weed if I want to slow down and get high. Easy.

17. I just go for a motorcycle ride

18. Get away from people

19. I usually go on a walk or do push ups.

20. I only have that problem at work, not at home. in short, I have developed a process in my mind that virtually makes me forget all of the problems I had at work on my 8 minute drive home. by the time I am halfway home, unless I am called by my boss, I couldnt tell you anything that happened during the day until I walk through the doors the next day. Its like a button that erases the work day, and everything that happened.

21. Reading, meditation.

    Some days I’m a monk with this other days it harder.

    Also i notice if I have a bad sleep or watches the “films” makes my thoughts more racing than usual