[Health Column] How to Avoid Falling into the Trap of Negative Thinking

We cannot help but think. Humans are thinking beings, and a significant portion of the decisions they make are formed through thought. Even when experiencing severe stress or feeling depressed, all kinds of thoughts arise in the mind. From a psychiatric perspective, when depression occurs, the thought process can be significantly impaired due to decreased motivation and lethargy, but most people actually have more thoughts. When unable to sleep and spending sleepless nights, thoughts increase, and when troubled by difficulties at work or home, the mind becomes preoccupied with thoughts. At these times, thoughts tend to be more negative than positive. How can we shake off these chain reactions of thoughts?

The first way to break free from the cycle of negative thoughts is to "turn off the TV in your head." Horror movies are scary but entertaining, so people keep watching them. The same goes for sad movies. However, although these two genres are entertaining, they do not provide pure joy or happiness. As the term "guilty pleasure" suggests, if the level of distress is too high, we simply close our eyes. Ordinary people enjoy fear and sadness through mass media within morally acceptable limits. When feeling depressed or unable to sleep, the movie playing in your head is at a level you can endure. To escape the sea of thoughts, you must first turn off this negative "TV" in your mind.

The second way to break free from the cycle of thoughts is to "not think about the elephant." This phrase is the title of a book by linguist George Lakoff about the framing of thoughts. When told not to think about an elephant, we automatically think of an elephant. This means that trying hard not to have negative thoughts only makes you more immersed in them. To avoid thinking about the elephant, think about a lion instead. By imagining the lion’s mane, whiskers, and fierce eyes, you can avoid thinking about the elephant.

The third way to break free from the cycle of thoughts is to "focus on actions rather than thoughts." We travel, hike, and listen to music to organize our thoughts. But if you look closely, we travel while having negative thoughts, hike while worrying, and listen to music while feeling sad. Instead of focusing on travel, hiking, or music itself, we try to organize our thoughts and worries first. We try hard to think about something else, and even when doing housework or work, we remain trapped by certain thoughts. Although we may hang a sign on the door to show we are busy, in reality, we are fully devoted to "thinking" itself. To reduce thoughts, you need to focus on the current action, not the thoughts.

The last way to break free from the cycle of thoughts is to "focus on breathing." Gently close your eyes. Slowly inhale for 5 seconds and exhale for 5 seconds, regulating your breath. Focus on your breathing and spend time waiting for your mind to calm down. The restless mind that felt like it was floating will become calm. The rapid breathing and pulse caused by anxiety will stabilize. When this happens, it will be much easier to break free from the cycle of thoughts.

There is a difference between deep thinking and having many thoughts. A person who thinks deeply has grace and poise. A person who has many thoughts suffers themselves. Instead of being swept away by various negative thoughts trapped in the cycle of thinking, it is helpful for mental health to try positive, less emotional, and more logical thinking. Furthermore, for mental well-being and peace, it is also good to immerse yourself in a state of no-thoughts for a certain period of time.

Jung Seok-hoon, Professor of Psychiatry, Seoul Asan Medical Center