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I've been dealing with a similar condition for a while. I've learned that it's impossible for me to "not think". Any attempts at emptying my head will only invite more anxieties and problems to be solved. Instead, I've learned to fill it with trivial, creative challenges that occupy keep my brain busy enough to ward off negative thoughts yet introduce no stakes.

Some examples include:

- If I found myself stranded on an island, what kinds of challenges would I have to overcome and how?

- If I could improve the magic system of Harry Potter, what changes would I introduce?

- If I were given a device that I could use to turn back the time to 6 am once everyday, how could I use it to my best advantage while avoiding any pitfalls?

- If I were given a small 12x12x12 room with an unlimited budget to create a living space for me to be confined in, how would I use that space?

These would be the kinds of things that I could think about for a while before finding myself fast asleep. Not sure if this would work for anyone else, but maybe you can give it a try?

discuss

RancidChocolate|5 years ago

I agree, it's nearly impossible to stop thinking on a dime. What you ignore gets invited back into your head. If I try not to think of a pink elephant, it only reinforces that image in my head. I found that tiring it out through a diverse set of means is the only way to drain the gas, so to speak. I also watch/read/listen to dreadfully boring media to mentally tune out.

coryrc|5 years ago

Get away from computers for three days. Camp in the woods. I guarantee it will be easier to quiet down your mind.

patrickdavey|5 years ago

Speaking of the Harry Potter system.. have you come across http://www.hpmor.com/ (Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality)?

If not, I can guarantee* you'll enjoy it.

* as much as anything can be guaranteed anyway ;)

hnick|5 years ago

Funnily enough these are the exact kind of thoughts that keep me up. I get really into it and can't let go of consciousness. Technical or problem solving are the worst for it.

Brains sure are different and weird across us all.