How are troubling thoughts best handled? Some say get rid of them somehow quick. I handle my thoughts best by not running but taking them as just thoughts and working with them until they fade away.
I always liked “you can’t go to jail for what you are thinking”.
I think it’s better (from some different perspectives) if one can feel/sense the physical sensation that accompanies the thought (and emotions that come with it).
It sounds simple, but not easy at all in practice.
Anyway, you don’t have to worry about thoughts, or about anything for the matter.
You are not obliged to think nor not to think. 
One of my favorite books is “The Science Of Mind”, By Ernest Holmes. In the book he states that it is imperative that we stay vigilant of our thoughts. That due to ideas of lack and limitation left uncheck, we suffer not only inward but outward because of this. I also just heard a statement that, what if, everyone could watch you thoughts as though it was like a TV show. Would we change this scenerio?
I believe that alot of complexes are due to one inability or irresponsibility to be proactive about the conscious thoughts that surface from the sub-conscious. I also believe that positive reinforcement or affirmation is a great tool to help “clean out the cob-webs” of unwanted toughts. Remember, the human mind can retain only so much information on both the cognitive and long term memories. Therefor, if you put trash into it, your only gonna get trash out of it.
So yea, its very important what we allow or accept to pass through our thoughts.
TURTLE-------What thoughts are troubling you? Did someone tell you they were irrational?
TURTLE-------What thoughts are troubling you? Did someone tell you they were irrational?
And what do you mean by “working with them”?
ANON------------It has been suggested to me that my violent THOUGHTS are irrational, a product of depression.//////////// “working with them” means accepting them as a part of me.
I think it makes sense to not reject them. There’s no reason to be scared of them for instance - thoughts in and of themselves have no power. The scary thing would be if you believed them. Violent thoughts are irrational, but so are most thoughts. Even rational thoughts probably have an irrational basis.
On the other hand, thoughts have histories, and thought patterns lead to various futures. More or less, we do believe our thoughts so maybe it’s a good idea to reorient our thought patterns in more profitable ways. The mind is not a mere given, it can be trained to work for you rather than against you.
ANON------You are a psychologist.
turtle,
Are your thoughts thinking you? Or are you thinking your thoughts? Try noticing the difference and see what happens.
j
JON------------You now know I have violent thoughts. What kind of thoughts do you have? That is what I want to know. Not just from JON but from anyone out there.
Have you ever acted out your violent thoughts? The more specific and explicit you are about what you are thinking the more likely someone can help you with them. That’s not to say anyone here will necessarily be able to help you at all. If you are at risk of hurting yourself or others seek professional help.
FELIX-----please read my post and replies. I am writing about THOUGHTS not BEHAVIOR. That refers to past, present, and probably the future. What I am asking you-------do you have violent thoughts not violent behavior.
I notice that most people stay away from this topic no matter where you post it. I think we have a terrible problem handling anger in our society. It should be something that psychologists put right up front for everyone.
Maybe think of each one as an abstract painting. As you observe it, back away further and further from it (distance). The more distance you put between you and the thought (being observed) the clearer and more in focus the picture (thought) becomes and the more you see of what surrounds you.
Our thoughts are like the many pictures taken by a photographer at many angles. The more of these pictures we look at, the more sense we can make of our thought. Sometimes our thoughts may require an MRI. 
I don’t have violent thoughts. I think about all kinds of things. Today I thought about walk-ins while talking to my boss who was telling me about someone who changed completely into a different person after suffering a heart attack.
Oh yeah, do not call me JON. I’m jonquil, a flower.
JONQUIL----------my flower, what do you think about sexual thoughts?
I’m not YOUR flower. I just picked a flower as a monicker as a way of touting the hilarious irony of Sinclair Lewis. This is not a sexual thought. Have you read Lewis?
JONQUIL---------I just had a sexual thought. I have read some Lewis but I forgot all that stuff.
Is he one of your favorites? I noticed that you work for a psychiatrist. That interests me because I have been seeing a psychoanalyst. We are dealing with thoughts. What are your thoughts about psychiatry?
It looks to me as though psychiatry is a business closely connected to the pharmaceutical industry in an interdependent way.
It looks to me as though psychiatry is a business closely connected to the pharmaceutical industry in an interdependent way.
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JONQUIL---------I love your words. I have an angry thought about how psych drugs are being used.
My psychoanalyst would agree with you.
JONQUIL---------I love your words. I have an angry thought about how psych drugs are being used.
My psychoanalyst would agree with you.
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It makes me angry too. Is there even any such thing as ADHD for example? Check out the Quit Medicating Kids! site on FB.