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Mindfulness
When we have a negative thought pop into our head, it’s only natural to try to do things to try to push them away or neutralize them, so their effects on our state of mind dissipate; however, this is not a helpful long-term strategy for reducing the stress that comes from unwanted thoughts.
In fact, the opposite approach is the best course of action – simply accept the thoughts for what they are. Taking a non-judgmental stance towards them and staying in the present is known as mindfulness. Becoming aware of the thought without placing any labels on them can help us process our emotions, which can then impact our decision-making.
Mindfulness takes practice, though, but people can see benefits right away by not responding to negative thinking patterns you normally would. It’s also a technique that’s most often used with meditation, but staying in the moment and absorbing everything around you is something you can do anywhere and will be effective in reducing stress in the short and long term.
———————————————————————————————– Try online therapy and get 15% off from our partner, BetterHelp. ———————————————————————————————–Breathing Techniques
Another very popular technique that can quickly provide symptomatic relief for anxiety is by paying attention and controlling your breathing. When you start to become stressed and anxious, the body often reacts by eliciting the fight-or-flight response, which creates symptoms like increased heart rate, blood pressure, and quick and shallow breathing, among others.
If you take a moment to step back and focus on slowing down your breathing and getting enough air, you will calm down because this will evoke the relaxation response in your body, which is essentially the complete opposite of fight-or-flight.
Not only will it have this effect on your body, but it also benefits your mind because paying attention to your breathing effectively serves as a distraction from the thoughts that were causing you distress in the first place.
———————————————————————————————– Try online therapy and get 15% off from our partner, BetterHelp. ———————————————————————————————–Progressive Muscle Relaxation
One strategy that functions quite similarly to breathing techniques is progressive muscle relaxation. In fact, you can actually perform them both simultaneously to great effect!
Progressive muscle relaxation works by focusing on specific areas of your body, such as your limbs, shoulders, and face, and deliberately tense them up for around 5 seconds, then release that tightness. You will do this by going one-by-one throughout your body, and not every part all at once
This goal is to show you what relaxation feels like because those who are chronically stressed out sometimes forget what it feels like to have relaxed muscles, just like how it’s common to get stuck in the habit of having shallow breathing. Again, it also serves as an effective distraction because tensing and relaxing your muscles requires your attention which will be taken away from bothersome thoughts.
Learn More About Cognitive Therapy
While relaxation techniques like these can be a significant part of cognitive therapy and help you heal, there’s a lot more to it than just these.
To learn more about cognitive therapy, the different types of it, additional strategies, and how you can find a professional who can help you by using this popular form of mental health treatment, visit BetterHelp today to access free information and other resources that educate you and get you started with cognitive therapy.
Conclusion
Aside from changing the way we think, one way to handle our thoughts and how they make us feel is by simply not responding to them and focusing on relaxing our bodies and minds. Hopefully, you’ll find these techniques helpful whenever you’re feeling particularly tense, and over time, notice yourself becoming a much more relaxed individual.
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The post 3 Cognitive Therapy Techniques You Can Use on the Fly appeared first on The Good Men Project.
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