Help me, I think about my past too much.?

Question

I would say I have an analytical personality. I am constantly observing and anaylzing the people and things around me. I am always thinking. I think way too much. And when I am by myself I think about my past a lot, especially when I am trying to go to sleep. Sometimes I will think about my life and my past and other random stuff that I will lay in bed for like 2-4 hours before I fall asleep. It sucks. I keep telling myself not to think about that kind of stuff but no matter what I do, it doesn't seem to help. I have no idea why i think about my past so much. And when i think about my past, i think about all the bad stuff -like the embarassing moments -the stupid mistakes -and all the things i regret doing. I don't even want to think about these kinds of stuff anymore. I thought about it enough already. This is killing me. Please help me.

Answer 1

my therapist gave me a good suggestion as I am mustlike that myself, she says pretend you are teflon, and things can't stick

Answer 2

I would also suggest counseling. A good counselor that you are comfortable with will help you with a reality check on the embarassing things you feel you've done. They can help you manage these thoughts. Think about how you would feel about it if someone else had done the same thing. Chances are you're not being as kind to yourself as you would be to others. Try to show yourself the compassion you would show others.

Try to remember that mistakes are an important part of the learning process for every human being. The Ceo of Coke (or Pepsi cant remember which)was fired publicly and went on to head another fortune 500 despite the public embarassment of being fired. Smokers try to quit smoking at least three or four times before they are successful in quiting(an actual study proved this). Accept your mistakes as a part of life, we all make mistakes before we get it right it seems to be part of the process.

Another suggestion would be to write these thoughts in a journal to help you work through them.

My friend has found that Paxil has been very helpful with her tendency to worry. With a little help you can get past this and sleep soundly. : )

Consider the counselor, though. A good counselor will show you compassion and can show you how to have compassion for yourself. Find one that you are comfortable with and who is encouraging. Counseling takes a little work. 1. It's important to find a good counselor (may need to switch a few times to find them) 2. Counseling requires a comittment of time (more than one or two sessions). I promise you if you are willing to do a little work and listen and be honest, counseling helps. It's the year 2007, counselors don't see "patients" anymore, they see clients who need a little direction, they are more like a coach.

Answer 3

I feel the same way. I got counselling and felt much better too. IF i find myself awake in bed, I get up quite quickly not wishing to lie in be awake for too long. Try not to do the same thing over and over again, especially try not to think of the same thing over and over again. If you make a daily effort to do a little more each day and keep a little busier each day you wont think as much of the past and you will at least be present in the moment which can be really nice. Get counselling it never hurt anyone.
Think positive and think about better days ahead regularly.
After all tomorrow is another day.
Good Luck

Answer 4

Well, you have to realize the past is the future.
The issue is learning from your past and not making the same mistake.. Well, since you had a bad experience you developed a neuromap that is part of your brain which learns what happen. It's like an experience that you learn that was bad. Then, you say, I will never do that again..
example..: John doesn't like elevators because of a previous experience that he was stuck in the elevator for 12 hours.. He learns this which his neuromap or your memory remembers this and that is all you know about elevators. John then has a job interview on the 12th floor, but he can't use the elevator and their are no stairs. Because of what he learned from his previous experience of elevators being stuck 12 hours, he says, "it will happen again and I won't get on" So, you can see he has burned this experience in his head of all elevators and he losses the job.
So, you have to realize that this is what happen sometimes when we think of the past, but you have to face your fears and break them down.. Just face them and you realize that their nothing but dumb thoughts which your brain is like plastic always changing and learning new things... ****, I am 40 somethng and I am still learning and growing... It's all about remeber to grow and learn and remember your brain is like plastic.... It streaches and expands and learns and grows...

Big Frank

Answer 5

I think we all think about things like that. I used to obsess over every little mistake. It's useless, because there is no way to make it go away, or change what happened. So I started asking myself, how important will this be in 50 years? Will anyone remember it after I'm gone? Is my mistake, or blunder, going to change the course of human history? If the answer to those questions is no, I decide to let the issue go. I make any apologies I may need to, but once something is done it does no good to keep going over it. It takes a while to train your mind to let go, but it can happen.

Answer 6

Well if you know a way you can go back and correct everything, let me know.

But you can't go back, bro.

Might as well sit back and enjoy the trip cuz' you have no control over it, whether you fall asleep or whatever.

Analytical personality??

You think too much. No doubt about it.

Try doing something besides thinking, like music listening, looking at porn, learning how to meditate, or breathing. Also there are always drugs. I would stay away from speed or cocaine cuz they stimulate thinking.

Have some fun. No need to worry, no one really cares. there are lots of beautiful girls out there, puppies and kitties. and there are a lot of characters in this world who are worth watching. to make you laugh, love, lust, and just to enjoy.

Antidepressants also work.

Answer 7

The best way to get out of this illusion yo are creating for yourself is to chant the Maha Mantra (the Great mantra for deliverance from suffering and illusion) go to harekrishnatemple.c for details Read Bhagavad Gita as it is By Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada. Gives the meaning and purpose of life. If one doesn't know reality they will just keep setting up illusions for them self life after life. It works (tried and true)

Answer 8

i took off work two days in a row and i'v been obsessing about it thinking im gonan be fired to the point i make myself sicker. your not alone im a freakin paranoid psycopath as well. i even thinka btou times back in 5 years ago and cant sleep over it. what actually happens ( i learned this in psychology) is when you feel a feeling you get a trigger which takes you back to that same feeling. if you try being happy and doing things that make you happe you will tend to remember more happier times in your life. plsu you rpobly a good person and you shoulsnt beat yourself up so much and me too, i beat myself up as well.

Answer 9

I know what you feel cause sometimes, I can't help myself too..I think all of my past too..and yeah, it hurts most of the time...but one day at work, I was amazed with our new patient...He is blind but .He talks alot...laugh alot and all of my co-workers gather around him, and they listen to his stories...and they are all laughing about it. So I put my all ears to him and just observe him....as I heard his stories, those are embarassing for me...and I find it painful too..but what in the world why he is laughing on it? so I thought, maybe I should ask him one day. When its my turn to be in his ward, I am so excited to ask him, why he is like that?

and you know what he says? Life is a choice. To be happy or To be Sad. So why would he wanted to be sad? when he can be happy? Life has no guarantee...he once has his sight before but he wasn't happy in everything...until he looses it...but then he realized....there are so many people on this world who has more of anything on what he have but they are not happy and contented...so instead of killing yourself....try living with yourself.

There could still be tomorrow...and if you have mistakes yesterday and today...well, as I look at it, you have more reasons to look forward to see tomorrow cause thats when you can undo it, and see it for yourself.

So instead of feeling sorry....get up and live.

Success is cannot be measured on how many times you won, but on how many times you rise up on the times you fall down.

Be happy.

Answer 10

Guess what??? I think I have a similar personality. I think “Waaaaay toooo much”!!!!!!!! I just want to stop sometimes and just take things easy and simple like most people do but I just can’t. I think about my past, present the future and the other people’s opinions etc.

Answer 11

I sometimes catch myself doing the same thing. Then I think we are better than dogs, if they make a mistake it's forgetten and they go on with their life. They have a good lesson for people.