Could this be a new strategy for improving mental health?
Ever had an uncomfortable or disturbing thought pop into your mind at a random time? These are called intrusive thoughts, and they’re a subset of our subconscious mind. Fortunately, new research the Hebrew University of Jerusalem suggest there’s a way to combat them for good.
Intrusive thoughts are those unwelcomed contemplations that pop into our heads without warning. They come and go, often repetitively, reminding you of that one uncomfortable thought that your mind can’t seem to shake.
Most of will battle with our intrusive thoughts on a regular basis. Whether it be the urge to act violently as a reaction to a situation, or the consistent self-doubt about how one fits into society, these thoughts remain a disturbing part of daily life for some.
Up until recently, we’ve supressed these thoughts with mindful distraction, forcing our brains to think of something different, something happier. However, new research has surfaced, encouraging us to do the opposite, saying that distracting ourselves as a reactive response to these intrusive thoughts could actually be making the thoughts stronger.
Psychologists, Dr Isaac Fradkin and Dr Eran Eldar from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem suggest that the best way to tackle intrusive thoughts is through proactive thinking, a strategy by which humans train their minds to consider alternative thought process, rather than those which spring to mind instantaneously.
Read the article on Body+Soul.