Unblocking Addictive Thought Patterns
81Addictive Thoughts
“Stop worrying about what might be… Stop attempting to fix that which is over; instead live by creating your life in the moment”
A thought addiction is a habitual pattern of mental focus to one thought or set of thoughts that consumes one’s life. It is the returning to a thought that does not serve the individual and has damaging results that depletes every system of the body.
Do you find yourself feeling stuck? In order to move forward and attain what you want out of life you first have to recognize that which is blocking your progress. Many people are not aware that the one thing that is stopping them from personal, relational or career success is their own thinking pattern. We are a product of our own thoughts. Thoughts shape our life and determine our mindset toward our self and others. Thoughts patterns have a powerful influence on feelings and behavior as well. There are those who are in denial that they have developed an addiction to a particular thought pattern. Some are scared to see that which is holding them back are their own thoughts and if they became aware of the addiction then they would be responsible to change.
I have found that habitual thought patterns keep people stuck (generally fixated on the past or future), and to avoid the present. A habitual pattern blocks a person from reaching their maximum potential. There are three thematic thoughts patterns I would like to briefly address.
Theme #1 thought pattern is the Fixer. A Fixer is one who is always thinking about what has happened in the past. Many Fixers spend the majority of waking time constantly thinking about and going over past experiences that went wrong, failed at or could not stop. Involvement in this thought pattern is an attempt or need to fix or change what happened.
The second habitual theme is the Worrier. A Worrier is an individual who is afraid about what is going to happen in the future. They project or predict what is going to happen tomorrow, next week or next year. This habitual thinking causes the individual to be overly fearful and anxious about anything in their future.
Theme #3 is the Daydreamer thought pattern. A Daydreamer is those who are unhappy with their life that they spend majority of their time mentally escaping through excessive daydreaming. This type of thinking causes the individual to disconnect from self and others in their daily lives.
4 Tips for Unblocking Thoughts
1. Identify and create a list of all the thoughts you repeatedly engage in throughout the day.
2. Next to each thought write down which theme fits the thought. Next decide: is the thought a barrier toward accomplishing your intentions in life or is the thought motivating you into success.
3. Now enlist with your imagination to correct the thoughts that are stopping you from living in the present. Most of us are very proficient at using our imagination, but we do not know how effective it can be at improving our lives. Whether we know it or not we use our imagination to produce images of worry, fear and anxiety, which is counter-productive to our physical and mental health. Instead of expecting only bad things to happen based on the past or in the future in the name of “being cautious”, create a new thought and make a decision to imagine this new thought for present situations, relationships outcomes, and future successes.
4. So in order to embed the new list you’ve created and develop a new positive habitual pattern, choose 10 of most important thoughts that you created and repeat the list to yourself 20 times a day. As you repeat this list visualize these new thoughts being accepted and open your mind to new possibilities. See it, believe it, and desire it therefore it will be come true.
This action will soon produce a new positive thought pattern and they will become part of your mental life.
Success is possible through positive thinking. For more positive information, go to:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Addiction_Begins_with_a_Thought
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Dr Bill Tollefson, Ph.D., Certified Master Life, Health and Mindset Coach, Human Behavior, Addiction & Relationship Expert
Separated from the Light
 | Watch Dr. Bill as he teaches his theories and principles on Dissociation, Movement of self as a reaction to Trauma and abuse, Dissociative Continuum, PTSD, how clients dance with their symptoms, Incorporation Therapy and what lead him to develop the healing life skill: Rapid Reduction Technique (RRT). RRT is a life skill that effectively reduces the intensity of intrusive traumatic memories, flashbacks, and body memories by safely and protectively assisting in closure of the overwhelming emotions that were not dealt with during the original traumatic event. The RRT is explained, taught, and demonstrated in this DVD series is a helpful skill that for survivors as well as a powerful tool for the helping professional.
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Dr. Bill Life Coach
- Thought Addiction: Recognition is Growing in Southwest Florida
“Thanks to all and to all happy thoughts” I did a search on Thought Addiction and what did I see but that my blog "Post-traumatic Stress Disorder & Thought Addiction ( http://williamtollefsonvalues. - 5 months ago
- How do I move forward with an unprocessed trauma memory?
I have great questions that come to me from individuals seeking freedom from traumatic memories and flashbacks. - 6 months ago
- Imagination is the Power to Success
"All change stems from our imagination. - 7 months ago
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Great article! I especially liked that you not only identified the common habitual thought patterns that a person might get stuck in, but then how to go about successfully changing that process-no matter how long it may have been going on, or ingrained it may be. We can actively and positively change how we think! It's an issue that a person may have to repeatedly refer back to, as old thinking patterns tend to come back especially during high periods of stress even when progress has been made. Great article I know I will refer back to often!
Very helpful hub, indeed. I particularly like the fact that after you identify the problem, you offer a solution. I will seek out more of your work.
Namaste.
This is a fantastic hub. Thank you
Hi, Dr Bill! Should these affirmations be said into the mirror to help "embed" them?
Thanks, and glad to see/hear you are doing well!
Elizabeth
Hey Elizabeth no you do not have to say them in the mirror. This list happens to Positive Life Statement and can be said anywhere all day long.
Nice hub Dr Bill, I think James Allen says it best in his book (As A Man Thinketh) “ All that man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts.”
eddiecarra Thank you for your comment and understanding. We need to take more stock in what the content of our thoughts and what we can do to shift them.
Very simple and straight to the point hub with a wealth of information.
ostikay1234 - Thank you for reading this HUB and for your comment.
Great hub! I have bookmarked it because I want study it further. I'm going to look into my thought patterns, and try out the tips for change. I am sure that my thought aren't perfect and want to get a hold of them now. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks for your thoughts and comments. Hope the tips help you out to discover how your thoughts are helping or blocking you. You are welcome. Look at the Thought Addiction Assessment HUB. It might give more clarity.
I am grateful for your blogs - now in my 30's my counselor gave me a dreams book. For the life of me I must get the name of it and get back to you. It was so good and have not come across another one as good as it or where it makes sense and aligns with my experiences. Now the counseling and the book really taught me to be in the present and that I can control the dreams. Talking it out and persevering with this really helped. I am in charge of my dreams now and it does not own my day's like it use to.
rarkangel 1 second ago
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But the flash backs I haven't learn't how to make those go away and I really have had enough. It is so exhausting. Thing's like in the shower, opening a door, it's worst atw night, in bed before sleep when I close my eye's, on the couch , picking up an object, remote, knife, fork, telling me to destroy my husband, my marriage, and myself. And also I went on camp recently and we went on a bush walk at night to see glow worms, we each had a rock to take to a mediation site and pray into it good things and to put down the bad things in our live's. But as we were walking through the night, these erratic flashbacks would be in my mind telling me to destroy this wonderful moment, I definately was not at peace, I felt like I was being attacked by something psycho whispering in my mind to destroy the girls I was with (I have vowed I will destroy myself before I ever touch another human being), with the rock, and to destory myself. I am so insulted this is within me. How dare it. I am such a great wonderful loving girl who made a vow to be nothing like the violence I was exposed to from my parent's. So much abuse. Are these flashes disturbing me because of my past, even though I don't see images of my parent's, my mind plays some kind of scary flash as if something is going to hurt me. Is this pyschosis. Feed back would be very much appreciated. I am worried and exhausted and maybe something doesn't like me being happy and wants to destroy me?
rankangel - First of all what you are having is not psychosis. You are not crazy. What you are having is a normal aftereffect of experiencing abuse. Many of the people I coach and have worked with over 35 years have the same fears of their flashbacks as you. It would take me pages to explain how this is growth even thought you do not feel so.
Read my HUB on Healing Unwanted Memories and that will give you a lot of awareness. Breaking free from flashbacks is possible. You can heal, you just have to understand the language of PTSD.
Thanks for your comments.
wonderful in you getting back to me, shows how passionate and dedicated you are at helping like minded people - thank you so much appreciation as I am on the ball had enough and wanting to understand this just so much as i know it is part of my human experience but to think it exists, to know it does, to experience this every day is really wearing on me and now affecting my marriage because i am self medicating with alot of food and sugar drinks which i have cut out alcohol and drugs but the hubby just doesn't understand and is telling me that i need to just have faith which i do but i guess when i spend alot of time alone without a job at the moment and at night i get those feelings i just reallllly need an instant physical companion (a hit like the sugar drinks and chocolate) because realllllly he just doesn't get it and each time i tell Him he will say tell God to rebuke it which I do but I feel God doesn't put a magic wand on things, He has helped me to not give into the thoughts by giving me hope and strength...... but He isn't going to make it go away for me, I need to learn to do it myself so I can understand it, just like all my other weaknessess and errors have taught me life-learning things.
Bless you much and will share your hub with others who also maybe struggling such as a girl i know in rehab but felt too stuck myself to get into her stuff. So thanks!
rankangel - Thank you for your openness and honesty. Believe me you are not powerless to your thoughts. It is a matter of skill development, not a weakness and I know you can do that. Do not entertain or attempt to control your thoughts, command them. There is a way to heal, I have helped many. Keep believing in you, and your strength.
Read more of my Hubs. Each has a lot of information and tips on how to change. Read and take the Thought Addiction Assessment. Blessings!
Donnacha C Level 2 Commenter 12 months ago
brilliant article! I will defenitely try your tips. thank you