Have you ever thought of something so much even though you had no control over it?

Question

Have you ever thought of something so much even though you had no control over it? I do this all the time. I wanted to know if you did this as well. If you do, what is it and why?

Answer 1

It's called love. I think about the guy I'm in love with all the time, and everything reminds me of him. I think it probably happens because you're keeping your thoughts inside- like the guy I love- I can't tell him because he's my best friend, so I have to bottle it up inside. Your subconcious is something that cannot be controlled, but if you bring those thoughts to your concious mind and think them through, then they should go away.

Answer 2

I do this too. There are many things that my mind divulges just for having seen something like an advertisement on a sign or TV. We are stimulated all day and night and not all of it is asked for and wanted. The mind is like that in that it is a problem solving motor that will not stop until it has reached some objective relationship with whatever phenomenon that has meaning for it. Just sit by and enjoy it go by if you want. If you respond by joining it and then by becoming involved trying to think it out with your mind you will become tired and old and obsessed to the point of making others around you go through it too and in the end probably be alone. Look at it from another point of view as your deep helper and realize it is doing good work for you and be there to enjoy the rewards of a patient person who knows how to understand and make good the solutions your mind has for you.

Answer 3

I do that as well. I often continue to think of situations I've been in, or am currently in with other people, and I can't do anything to change it, but I'll go over it again and again in my mind. I find that I only make things worse when I do that, because I end up thinking of every possible way the situation could have been better if things had been done or said differently.
I think we do it because we know that things potentially could be better, but we're human. We don't always do what we believe is good. We don't always properly express how we feel. We mess up so many things all the time. We're all just learning as we go along.
Two things I try to do (and sometimes fail miserably at):
1) Be confident without faking it. Be yourself and be happy with who you are. This helps us avoid the regret of doing and saying stupid things as a result of feeling awkward or in some way obligated.
2) Remember that while you may not have control of the situation, you have some level of control over your thoughts. You can keep busy with things that make you happy, or you can try some kind of meditation. If I'm really stressed about something that I can't control, I just tell myself that I don't have the energy to be bothered by it, then I put on something that will make me laugh. Stand up comedy can be a really good option... but then some of them are just really annoying and you feel sorry for the audience because they must feel obligated to laugh if it's a big famous annoying comedian in front of them... but then I suppose if they're in the audience to see a famous comedian, they probably think the comedian is funny. Wow! It's very late. Yeah, I actually recommend meditation before comedy... Comedy's just too unreliable of a method for clearing your head.
btw, if you're not familiar with meditation.... a common misconception is that the point of meditation is to empty your mind (actually, that's what coke does after awhile)... meditation (not that I know of every type of meditation) is more like observing reality without worry. You let thoughts come and go, but consciously make an effort not to worry or try to figure anything out. Just be where you are. Meditation is very difficult to explain, but if you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it.
Ok, also if you believe in God, something that I think has really helped me at times is the serenity prayer. It's really well known so I feel like it's cheesy, but I like it!
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."

Answer 4

well, other then the OCD thing....there are such things called "Racing Thoughts" I found that for me it usually originated from either worry, or things that i actually have no control over.
People who are either showing signs of depression or anxiety, or who are recovering from things like addiction or alcoholism, tend to have these quite a bit. There is a slogan i learned awhile back...Keep your hands busy and your mind will follow. Symptoms such as these usually stem from worry, which stems from fear. Once you accept that you are doing everything you can at this very moment, and no amount of worrying is going to change the outcome, perhaps it will get better for you.
You can always ask the divine to take it away....Just a thought.
Hope this helps
Blessed Be

Answer 5

I get thoughts "stuck" in my head alot. mostly worries. things I think might happen, or things I'm afrid of,but sometimes its just random stuff, like I have to find out all there is to know about David Bowie, or I have to go out and buy a gold fish RIGHT now or I have to mave sure the stove is off, or look for my glasses at 3am just to make sure I know where they are cause I can't sleep with that thought nagging at me. A huge thing with me is making sure all my pets are safe in their cages. I have to touch the cage doors. Right now I keep answering questions on this site even though It's 1:55 am. I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Answer 6

I'm a cultivation. In my cultivatiom, we understand it as 'thought karma'. Its actually some kind of interference that humans have little control of.

You you want to know more, i suggest you read Zhuan Falun (Turning The Law Wheel). You can read online or download it at:

http://www.falundafa.org/eng/books.htm

Look at the content page for the chapter on thought karma. But i suggest you read from the 1st chapter to have solid understanding before you progress.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Yes, when I was suffering from panic attacks.