How to Stop Spiraling: 3 Tips for Controlling Thoughts

A thought spiral, also known as catastrophic thinking, is a series of negative thoughts that can feel overwhelming. Once you are in a negative headspace because of the first thought, it’s easier to think of more negative thoughts. This anxiety spiral may leave you overthinking and running through worst-case scenarios.

If you often get stuck in this thinking pattern, these intrusive thoughts can take a severe toll on your mental health. You can learn to control racing thoughts by practicing self-care activities and breathing exercises.

A specific thought or event usually leads to cognitive distortion. Some common causes include:

1. 1. Events: Even if you’re having a great day, a negative thought spiral can creep in if something bad disrupts you. Catalysts might be a significant event (if a loved one gets injured, if a flight gets canceled, if you lose your job, etc.), or a minor inconvenience (your delivery order is incorrect, you’re running late, etc.).
2. 2. Grief: Grief, like other negative emotions, comes in waves. If your grief seemingly comes out of nowhere, it can lead to other intense, negative thoughts.
3. 3. Stress: When you stress about something at home or work, it’s easy to think about all the other things you worry about, leading to a downward spiral.

It can feel overwhelming when you are in a thought spiral. Take these small steps to learn how to breakout out of this mindset:

1. 1. Recognize the spiral. You may find it challenging to recognize rumination (repeatedly thinking the same negative thoughts) when it’s happening. Next time you feel negative, ask yourself if you’re in the middle of a series of negative thoughts. Recognizing the spiral will help you realize what’s happening so you can stop it.
2. 2. Take deep breaths. Breathing techniques help center you and slow down your body’s stress response. Stop and take deep breaths if you catch yourself in a thought spiral.
3. 3. Disrupt the thought pattern. When you recognize your thought spiral, it’s helpful to introduce movement to help disrupt the pattern. Take a walk, exercise, or simply go outside. Changing your environment can help break the cycle.
4. 4. Have self-compassion. Everyone has spiraling thoughts sometimes, so if you are in this cycle, have compassion for yourself and reframe the experience.
5. 5. Identify your triggers. Once the thought spiral passes, consider possible causes. Knowing what triggers this thought process will help you recognize a pattern and prevent future spirals.

If you continually experience spiraling thoughts, try the following methods to control the thought pattern:

1. 1. Create a self-care plan. Self-care activities can help boost your self-esteem and promote positive thoughts. Your self-care plan might include activities like calling your best friend, taking a bubble bath, or going for a long walk.
2. 2. Practice mindfulness. Introduce a mindfulness practice into your daily routine. Over time, it will become second nature to remain in the present moment and allow anxious thoughts to pass. Mindfulness can reduce the likelihood of falling into a thought spiral in the future.
3. 3. Talk to a mental health professional. If these intrusive thought spirals come up often, consider speaking with a clinical psychologist that can help you learn thought-stopping techniques.

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