How to Get Rid of Scary Thoughts

Scary thoughts that interrupt your day, distract you from the task at hand and interfere with daily living, are often a sign of anxiety or depression. When your brain is churning with thoughts of the worst, it's impossible to achieve peace of mind. While recovering from negative thoughts and fearful ideas often takes time and effort, it can be done. There are several methods you can work with, until you find the help that is most beneficial to you.

Instructions

• 1

  Visit your family doctor and explain to him how disturbed you are by your anxious thoughts. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication are often prescribed to help calm the depression and anxiety that cause these types of thoughts.

• 2

  Schedule an appointment with a counselor, psychiatrist or psychologist. An experienced professional can suggest specific techniques to help break the cycle of worrisome thoughts. Breathing techniques, positive imaging and cognitive-behavioral therapy are some of the methods used to address this problem.

• 3

  Practice relaxation breathing. Even something as simple as taking periodic breaks to breathe slowly and deeply for several minutes each day can help you relax, de-stress and minimize or eliminate anxious thoughts.

• 4

  Visualize positive outcomes instead of negative ones. Instead of saying, "What if..." in a negative fashion, play a game where you say, "What if I win the lottery, meet the woman of my dreams, get an amazing job or have a super day?" It's just as easy for something good to happen to you as it is for something negative to happen.

• 5

  Get physically active. Walk, run, jog, swim or play a sport. Do something physical to pull yourself out of the endless cycle of scary thoughts. Physical activity is a well-known way to burn off excess energy and help decrease anxiety and depression.