Something on My Mind

The song says, "You were always on my mind." The brain can begin thinking certain thoughts and these thoughts can be intrusive, continual and pressing. That is sometimes referred to as obsessive thinking or cognitive rumination. For example, thoughts that are characterized as "Worry" can be quite obsessive. Continuous thinking is, however, not an option. The mind is never void of thoughts; they are there 24/7.

Thoughts can be selected and managed. A challenging part of this cognitive management involves slowing down the thought process. Thoughts come one at a time. They may seem to overlap and run together, but a thought is basically a loner in the sense that each stands alone as a single entity. Some researchers speak of the "gap" between thoughts. Like gaps between notes of music. Each note stands alone. When music is being played the gaps are so close that no silence is detected, even though it is there. Some forms of meditation strive to slow the cognitive process down, striving to "get in the cognitive gap" of silence.

This type of thought management requires desire and practice. One must recognize and desire the benefits of the technique. One of the primary benefits involves slowing down the body's matabolism such as heart rate, blood pressure and stress index. The body and the mind get a rest, resulting in a sense of well-being, energy and motivation. A sign on our football dressing room wall read, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all."

One of the most effective ways of slowing thoughts involves becoming aware of brain activity. Simply taking a moment to feel the "thought rate" is important. Thought rate is the speed of ideas, images and thoughts through the brain. Manic and hypomanic thought rates are exceptionally to moderately quick often resulting in confusion and dellusions. Knowing one's "cognitive speed" is critical.

Once cognitive speed is calculated and a need for slowing down is determined, one can simply begin to focus the brain's activity on a "mantra" or a single word or sound that can help one "get in the gap." Once some profficency is achieved with this technique, one can usually simply adjust thinking with a thought, "Slow down!" Awareness and focus are the most critical factors in the slowing process. Although difficult in the beginning, some benefits are felt immediately.

Thoughts for the Taking

There is an admonition in one of the Biblical Gospels that reads, "Take no thought for the morrow for the morrow has enough worry of it's own" (author's translation). There is a general opinion spread hither and yon that we humans "cannot help what we think". How many times have you said that or heard someone say it. The mind has a mind of it's own, and can think whatever it wishes for as long as it wishes, according to this line of thinking.

However, if you do not control your mind...then who does? How safe are you, how safe is anyone, if you cannot control your thinking? How could you ever have goals and work toward meeting those goals if you could not control your thinking? You can and you do control your thinking. Every thought that you have is managed by none other than you. You may manage your thought life very well. Maybe not. For most of us, our management varies from extremely effective and productive to extremely ineffective and dangerous.

There are thoughts, of course, that are intrusive. Those thoughts "pop into your mind." You may wonder where they came from. But, you manage them, and all other thoughts. Your thoughts may be "racing" and yo may have a "flight of ideas", but you manage them. The word manage may cause some confusion. Your thoughts arise from within your brain, and are categorized (conciously or unconciously) by your prior learning (thoughts) and decision making (thoughts).

Education comes from prior learning experiences and is used to categorize thoughts and make decisions. These prior learning experiences are all inclusive, i.e. every experience in life is a learning experience. We may or may not remember the experience, but the experience is part of our history and can effect the way we think, feel and behave.

Let me qualify my thinking on this. There are instances when you cannot and do not control your thinking. There are illnesses that arrest that ability and one becomes captive to a "run away brain". For example, there are instances of dementia caused by old age or disease. Individuals with traumatic brain injuries also have problmes related to thought management.

This is unfortunate and cannot be helped in some instances. So, I am not addressing this blog to someone in that kind of situation. Rather, I am thinking of those of us who have excellent neurological health. Our "thinker" is not damaged or diseased.

According to that ancient Biblical admonition, you do not have to "take a thought." You can reject it and send it away. However, you may chose to accept a thought, nurture it and build upon it. Thought Management is a new discipline for most people. They have allowed themselves to be at the mercy of every thought without considering the power they have over their thought life. Comedian Bob Newhart played the role of a psychiatrist on The Bob Newhart Show. A lady came to see him complaining of frightening thoughts of being buried alive. His counsel was "Stop it! Just stop it! Stop thinking about that! It's crazy to think like that! You do not like it. It causes you to feel frightened, so stop it!" Simplistic? Maybe. But, what else might work for her. If she is to ever get over the frightening emotions related to the negative images produced by her thinking, she would certainly have to change the thinking. I can see no other way. Unless perhaps medications or mood altering substances are administered to numb a thought or suppress it.

Again, what about individuals with Thought Disorders? Yes, this is a reality for many people and their families. What causes these Cognitive Disorders. We are not completely sure. Sometimes mood altering drugs may cause delusions. Individuals who have ingested hallucinogens have visual and sometimes auditory hallucinations. The individuals are experiencing self-induced mental illness; a thought disorder. There are also individuals that have been diagnosed with Thought Disorder illnesses such as schzophrenia and Dissociative Identity Disorder. We are not sure what causes these illnesses. It is safe to say that these indivuduals have some control over some of their thinking, but not all. The illness affects the cognitive processes.

Individuals not having these illnesses control their thinking. They may not think so.

Thought Stopping is a cognitive technique.