Are you addicted to thinking

Lantern Light

Thinking is one of the worst addictions, people cycle through the same old useless thoughts again and again. It disconnects them from their presence, which often leads to depression or other issues such as anxiety.

You are not your thoughts, you are the space of awareness behind your thoughts. Drop your story of who you think you are, let it go, let go of the self image, it's an illusion of who you think you are. Enjoy presence, observe thoughts, emotions and sense perceptions without being consumed by them.

McMurphy

Nope.

Just Bass.

Totally.

For Forks Sake

_Brian

What ??

But I’ve spent 46 years building up this pretence of a persona, I can’t just throw all that away on a whim.

Lantern Light

_Brian wrote: »

What ??

But I’ve spent 46 years building up this pretence of a persona, I can’t just throw all that away on a whim.

You'll feel better without it. Life won't feel so heavy.

spix

I dunno, lemme think about it

Lantern Light

People keep talking about mental health, but often talking about it and thinking about it jist makes it worse, as it feeds thr addiction to thinking and the "story of who you are".

Presence is the key to mental health.

McMurphy

Lantern Light wrote: »

People keep talking about mental health, but often talking about it and thinking about it jist makes it worse, as it feeds thr addiction to thinking and the "story of who you are".

Presence is the key to mental health.

You've watched one flew over the cuckoo's nest too many times, haven't you?

bodice ripper

I can't say I have ever looked at the world around me and thought "the problem here is people think too much".

Lantern Light

bodice ripper wrote: »

I can't say I have ever looked at the world around me and thought "the problem here is people think too much".

It's a big problem, it's not constructive useful thought, merely addictive repetitive egoic thought.

manonboard

Lantern Light wrote: »

People keep talking about mental health, but often talking about it and thinking about it jist makes it worse, as it feeds thr addiction to thinking and the "story of who you are".

Presence is the key to mental health.

That's too much of a simplification imo.

compulsive thinking, or the inability to distinguish between what is being experienced and what you think should be experienced (and therefore often overlooking the real) is a problem.
However even that has multiple benefits. It just needs to be controlled and skilled up in to make sure the consequences are healthy and ethical.

Thinking, and being present with thought, and using it to solve problems is a very useful, ethical, beneficial, and required aspect of our minds.

A proper balance to being able to be use multiple states of being offers a rich and productive life, and even then.. only within limits. We are very vulnerable to many external events. Being OK with being a vulnerable human, helps us understand it in others too.

bodice ripper

Lantern Light wrote:

It's a big problem, it's not constructive useful thought, merely addictive repetitive egoic thought.

Ah, you have convinced me. I'll just nip out and stock up on Himalayan salt lamps, shall I?

Lantern Light

manonboard wrote: »

That's too much of a simplification imo.

compulsive thinking, or the inability to distinguish between what is being experienced and what you think should be experienced (and therefore often overlooking the real) is a problem.
However even that has multiple benefits. It just needs to be controlled and skilled up in to make sure the consequences are healthy and ethical.

Thinking, and being present with thought, and using it to solve problems is a very useful, ethical, beneficial, and required aspect of our minds.

A proper balance to being able to be use multiple states of being offers a rich and productive life, and even then.. only within limits. We are very vulnerable to many external events. Being OK with being a vulnerable human, helps us understand it in others too.

Acceptance is key to mental health, using thought as a tool to use when needed is healthy, addictive thought is unhealthy.

Being able to sit a look at a tree with judging it, labelling it or conceptualising it is important for mental health.

BeerWolf

Procrastination?

Franz Von Peppercorn

bodice ripper wrote: »

I can't say I have ever looked at the world around me and thought "the problem here is people think too much".

The quantity of thought is not the same as its quality.

Wesser

Yes the problem is this. Too much thinking. Not enough doing. Most of all thinking about ourselves. Total self obsession and inward focus. As a health care professional I see this everyday. But I could never say it because then I would be accussed of telling a patient ' it's all in your head'. Key to good mental health is to help others by do kind things for other people.

Lantern Light

There is a good app called headspace which is useful for helping you become present.

368100

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Nope.

Just Bass.

Totally.

A wah wahoh

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I find many people don't think enough.

Yes, always looking inward for my next fix.

bodice ripper

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote:

The quantity of thought is not the same as its quality.

But some is better than none at all.

wexie

Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein.

realitykeeper

Lantern Light wrote: »

Thinking is one of the worst addictions, people cycle through the same old useless thoughts again and again. It disconnects them from their presence, which often leads to depression or other issues such as anxiety.

You are not your thoughts, you are the space of awareness behind your thoughts. Drop your story of who you think you are, let it go, let go of the self image, it's an illusion of who you think you are. Enjoy presence, observe thoughts, emotions and sense perceptions without being consumed by them.

In my experience, what you are describing is a symptom of stress. If the person who is feeling like that can get away for a week to relax, and enjoy whatever takes the stress or of life, that would help. For me, that is clean air, long walks, peace and quiet.

Hysterical, wound up people and those who go berserk over the slightest little thing would be the sort of thing that stresses me.

tom1ie

Lantern Light wrote: »

Thinking is one of the worst addictions, people cycle through the same old useless thoughts again and again. It disconnects them from their presence, which often leads to depression or other issues such as anxiety.

You are not your thoughts, you are the space of awareness behind your thoughts. Drop your story of who you think you are, let it go, let go of the self image, it's an illusion of who you think you are. Enjoy presence, observe thoughts, emotions and sense perceptions without being consumed by them.

you mean unplug from the matrix? Morpheus is that you?

dusty207

I think
I think I am
Therefore I am
I think

PokeHerKing

Ignorance is bliss

Cee-Jay-Cee

Lantern Light wrote: »

Thinking is one of the worst addictions, people cycle through the same old useless thoughts again and again. It disconnects them from their presence, which often leads to depression or other issues such as anxiety.

You are not your thoughts, you are the space of awareness behind your thoughts. Drop your story of who you think you are, let it go, let go of the self image, it's an illusion of who you think you are. Enjoy presence, observe thoughts, emotions and sense perceptions without being consumed by them.

Is that a quote from Stargate where Daniel Jackson suddenly understood the concept of enlightenment and passed over the other side in a ball of light???

bnt

I regularly get told that I think too much. Usually by someone whose life or work could benefit from having a bit more thought put in to it. :rolleyes:

endacl

bodice ripper wrote: »

I can't say I have ever looked at the world around me and thought "the problem here is people think too much".

If it is, we really are fcuked.

I read recently that that repetitive thinking gets worse with a lack of sleep. I notice it myself if I feel strung out, where I'll end up spending a good while consumed by one thought over and over.

AllForIt

I think therefore I think

Franz Von Peppercorn

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I read recently that that repetitive thinking gets worse with a lack of sleep. I notice it myself if I feel strung out, where I'll end up spending a good while consumed by one thought over and over.

Yeh, they are assuming by “thinking” he means intellectual persuits. Clearly he means the over thinking of an over active mind, people being lost within themselves.

In fact being in the zone, intellectually or otherwise defeats these thoughts.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Yeh, they are assuming by “thinking” he means intellectual persuits. Clearly he means the over thinking of an over active mind, people being lost within themselves.

In fact being in the zone, intellectually or otherwise defeats these thoughts.

Yeah, exactly. The best way for me to break the cycle is to force myself to write some hobby code to focus the mind elsewhere.

They're not a nice feeling if it's an unpleasant topic. Mine can turn pretty dark.

Lantern Light

Jordy Future Forefinger wrote: »

I find many people don't think enough.

Nah, most people think too much, often the thoughts are useless and unproductive or thoughts based on maintaing the "story of me", being preoccupied with the past or the future and not giving full faculties to the present moment. The present moment is the only moment that ever exists.

But if you look at how many people approach life, they treat the present moment as an obstacle as they try to get to the next moment. Like a dog chasing it's tail.

biko

Lantern Light wrote: »

Being able to sit a look at a tree with judging it, labelling it or conceptualising it is important for mental health.

How come you guys always find AH first?