What if thoughts

Ravi · Post by **Ravi** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:18 am

I am new to this forum. I am happy to find live exchanges of views.

Right from my childhood I have had what-if thinking and feeling anxious about various things. However, in the past it did not affect me so much. But the the past three years, these thoughts are occupying my mind most of the time and I am not able to come out of it.

The one that causes this thinking is water-scarcity. For every event, mind somehow relates it to causing water scarcity in our area. Though I know that my interpretation of events is unrealistic, I am not able to come out of it..For e.g., failed monsoon(rainy season) could be a genuine concern for water scarcity, but the problem is my mind keeps brooding/thinking about it all the time...I also know me worrying about it may not solve the problem.. I don't take medicines and looking for help from people who have gone through this kind of what-if thinking and learn from their experience...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:05 am

They occupy your mind because you allow them to disturb you. Why not accept them as part of your normal thinking pattern? Once they're accepted and established as just thoughts and not "some thing" that has taken over your mind. You'll lose interest in them and gradually they'll mean less and less. Don't try to STOP thinking about them. Allow them to be there. Changing your attitude from "I want them to go away" to acceptance works wonders.

You're trying to resolve something that doesn't need to be resolved. There is no "IT" only thoughts.

I am not able to come out of it.

What you wrote above is another what-if-scenario that you seem to believe.

You should stop trying so hard to come out of it. There's nothing to come out of.