Anxiety toolkit: 3 effective ways to regain control of your racing mind

Anxiety looks different for everyone. Some people that experience anxiety can relate to the experience of overthinking or having a racing mind. They may be described as “over-worriers” and ultimately exhaust their mental resources by thinking through all the “what ifs” of a stressful situation.

Chronic worry and racing thoughts can be intrusive, or unwanted yet hard to control. Other times, it may be an intentional process, deliberately thinking about a situation to understand it from every side. However, this can be depleting as chronic worry and a racing mind can take a toll on our lives.

We have to think, are the rumination and racing thoughts serving you? Oftentimes, there are more negative takeaways than positives to keeping this behavior pattern going.

A great metaphor is comparing this behavior of overthinking and racing thoughts to the benefit of using a rocking chair. We can sit in the rocking chair for hours at a time, passing the time, but it truly doesn’t get you anywhere.

What You Can Do To Manage Your Racing Thoughts

What can I do to manage my racing thoughts before it becomes a problem?

1. Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness, simply put, means paying attention to the present moment. It means taking a step back and noticing the world around you, as well as noticing your inner experiences like thoughts and feelings. One great example of this is a mindfulness meditation using the breath.

During mindfulness meditation, you will focus on your breathing as a tool to ground yourself in the present moment. It’s normal that your mind will wander. You’ll simply bring yourself back into the moment by refocusing on your breathing.

At times, it might feel like a constant battle to maintain focus on your breathing. Don’t worry—that’s normal. Instead of struggling against your thoughts, simply notice them, without judgment. Acknowledge that your mind has wandered, and gently return your attention to breathing. Expect to repeat this process again and again. However, the more you practice, the easier it will be.

2. Scheduling worry time

Scheduling a dedicated slot in your calendar for ‘worry time’ can be an effective way to stop worrying so much. In essence, instead of allowing worries to consume your entire day, you set aside a specific time of the day to address them.

For instance, carving out a 10:00am slot on a daily basis and setting a timer for 15-20 minutes. When the time is up, and a new worry arises, rather than dwelling on it immediately, make a quick note of it and save it for your designated worry time the next day.

By doing this, you inform your brain that you will address those concerns and it will get easier to compartmentalize and not have the thoughts take over your day.

This is not the same as attempting to suppress or avoid, as this tends to backfire. Rather than trying to avoid thinking about your worries, you acknowledge them by noting them down quickly and making a commitment to address them later.

3. Thought Defusion

Thoughts can be very powerful, and at times they can have a way of consuming all of our attention. When this happens, you may be unable to focus on anything else. This is called being “fused with thoughts”.

Thought defusion techniques can help break you free from this trap. These skills work by shifting attention away from the content of thoughts to the process of thinking, loosening the grip these thoughts have on you.

Put it this way, your thoughts can crowd your mind like dozens of browser windows on your computer. Imagine closing the windows by clicking the "X" on each of them. Watch as thoughts disappear, one by one!

You can also try a “zooming out” technique. When you’re fused with a thought, picture yourself rising high above the earth. Notice how tiny your worries look from space. Now, does your thought feel as significant from this distance?

Anxiety Toolkit Takeaway

While these simple tips are effective, they do not replace therapy. If you are struggling with racing thoughts, rumination, or other signs of anxiety, it may be beneficial to seek professional help.

Finding a therapist trained in evidence-based therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy is the first line treatment of choice for anxiety. A trained CBT therapist for anxiety can understand what you are going through, provide strategies to manage these symptoms, and help you gain relief.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy of Central and South Florida offers in-person and virtual CBT for anxiety. Learn more about our therapists or request a consultation to start feeling better today.