EP 292: Stop Obsessive Thinking with Demi

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This episode is about calming an anxious or hypervigilant mind. Today’s caller, Demi, has a pattern of obsessive-compulsive thinking, anxiety, and a worst-case scenario mindset. She would like guidance on how to calm her mind and be more compassionate with herself. It is a very human trait to worry and have anxiety, especially for people who grew up in a chaotic home.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[For show notes go here:</span> <a href="http://christinehassler.com/episode292"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Christinehassler.com/episode292</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the ways we can deal with hypervigilance or anxiety is by witnessing it. It is important we do our best not to make it wrong and accept it. The moment we realize it is not us, the moment we recognize it as OCD, our inner critic, or when we can name it, it gives us a sense of control. It makes it feel as if it is not a runaway train. That’s how we begin to calm down.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The pattern of not being able to relax but also feeling like you are not doing enough is caused by the emotion underneath the hypervigilance we don’t want to feel. And, with hypervigilance comes increased sensitivity. Increased sensitivity usually means more connection to intuition, compassion, and empathy.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">People who grew up in a chaotic home may have a hard time relaxing because often, that was the calm before the storm. Having an emotional release with no judgment is an important part of working with this.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you know someone who isn’t able to calm down or “just not think” about something it is important to have sensitivity and compassion for them because it can be maddening for the person dealing with anxiety or OCD to be told to calm down when the pattern is playing out.</span></p> <p>