A look at how our uncontrolled negative thoughts act just like pests and parasites.

Jason Brien.

     Uncontrolled negative thoughts are unproductive. They are inefficient. They lead to nowhere. They forever bounce around inside our skulls driving us to the point of madness. They consume vast quantities of time and energy yet they give us no tangible reward in return. They simply leave us feeling down. Depressed. Annoyed and frustrated because there were other things we would like to have done with our time.

     Uncontrolled negative thoughts are parasitic. They are like leeches. They consume and consume and consume but they leave us with nothing but misery and emptiness. They are pests. They are pests because they become too frequent in numbers and they continue to take vital resources without ever giving anything back in return.

     Yet we treat these pests and parasites as though they were a family pet. Something cute and cuddly to be loved, adored and carefully looked after. Then we wonder why we can’t get rid of them. But why should they leave our minds? They are living the good life. They get our time, attention and energy. They even get plenty of exercise because they get to run through our minds at will. You want to sleep… Too bad. The negative thoughts want some exercise. You want to study…nope. The negative thoughts want your attention.

     And we allow this to happen. Day in and day out. Almost as though we are a slave to these pests and parasites. We bow down to their every command and demand. Yes master. No master. What else master. And yet no matter how much they put us through, we still do not dare to challenge them. We dare not put them in their place and yell out “what the hell is going on here? Who are you to take advantage of me”?

     But maybe it’s time to put them in their place? You don’t allow a bunch of worms to infest your beautiful strawberry plants so why allow a bunch of negative thoughts infest your beautiful mind? You are the human here. You are the one in control not them. You dictate what you want to do and when. Not them. So, stop treating them like a family pet and get the pest spray out. Start eradicating these pests and parasites and replace them with the kind of thoughts which will provide for you. The kind of thoughts which will nourish and feed you in return and that will love you when you’re feeling down and not give you a good kick in the guts and walk away laughing.

How can I begin to eliminate my uncontrolled negative thoughts?

Consider visiting a doctor or psychiatrist for medication:

Medication is not the be all to end all but it can help you to start gaining control of those pests and parasites. Not just artificial medication either. There are a lot of ‘natural’ medicines which can help calm your body, feelings and mind. Think of a little toy race car speeding around a race track. The faster that toy car is going around and around, the harder it is to grab the toy car and take it off the tracks. To catch it, you need to slow it down. Thoughts work the same way.

Eliminate stimulants:

Stimulants are everything from caffeine, nicotine and artificial stimulants (over the counter stimulants) to illegal stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamine. Your pests and parasites are already consuming more of your energy and resources than they really deserve. There is no need for you to be providing them with high octane jet fuel. This will only make your uncontrolled negative thoughts even more uncontrollable and much, much harder to stop.

Practice meditation and relaxing techniques:

Meditation helps to calm the body and the mind. Meditation has a residual effect. The more you practice it, the longer the you will feel the sense of calm and peace afterwards. Relaxation techniques work the same way. The more you practice them, the more you will see positive results. Relaxation techniques vary from anything between deep breathing exercises to progressive muscle relaxation.

Schedule your thinking time:

By restricting when and for how long we think about our negative thoughts, we are taking back your power and control. Rather than allowing the pests and parasites free reign to disrupt our lives whenever and however they please, we begin disrupting their lives. We control when they receive time and attention not the other way around. The ability to schedule your thinking time requires self-discipline and commitment. It will be hard at the start but the more consistent and persistent you are, the more power and control you will regain.