Noticing Thoughts

                Today I was participating in the cancer support group that I am a part of. One of the other members said something that really struck me. She said when we have thoughts, they are just that, thoughts. They are not necessarily reality. She went on to say that our role is to notice the thought and then move on. In a nutshell this is mindfulness. As I processed her words, I realized that I often get trapped in my thoughts. I need to do a better job of noticing a thought or emotion and then moving on. I think I notice thoughts when I am journaling, but I cannot journal every moment of the day. I need to work on noticing a thought as it occurs and acknowledging it for what it is. Then I should move on to whatever is next. 

                  In the past I have read about mindfulness. Noticing thoughts is a part of mindfulness. Since I was still trying to decide on a topic for today’s post, I thought I would do a quick search on noticing and share what I found.

                  Noticing thoughts is sometimes called meta-cognitive awareness. It has been proven to help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and rumination. It does this by activating the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for regulation. By activating the prefrontal cortex, it avoids the amygdala, which would be responsible for reactivity. So, noticing thoughts and then moving on helps with thought regulation.

                  There is a practice known as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, that teaches people to notice thoughts and feelings without judgement. The main idea with this practice is that we are not our thoughts. 

                  Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) uses “noticing” to create cognitive defusion, which is seeing thoughts as separate from oneself. This practice teaches people to respond to thoughts by saying “I’m having the thought that…” instead of “This thought is true.” In this way we take a step back from our thoughts and see them as just thoughts not reality.

                  The key to noticing thoughts is bringing awareness to our thoughts. We need to shift from being inside the thought to seeing it as a mental event. We want to try to observe the thought to avoid being consumed by it. 

                  If I were to apply this to my life I could work on noticing anxiety. Instead of saying “I am anxious”, I could work on saying “I am noticing anxiety in my thoughts.” Recognizing the difference between these two statements can help me avoid being consumed by my anxiety. The same process could be used for depression. I would notice that I am feeling depression rather than stating that I am depressed. This separation may seem slight, but it can have a major impact on how I respond to the thought. Noticing thoughts reduces my reactivity to the thoughts. People tend to employ an automatic response to certain thoughts. I know I have this tendency. By noticing thoughts, we can interrupt the automatic responses we have developed. Noticing a thought allows us to pause, reflect, and engage in an intentional response. 

                  I am sure I am not the only one who mistakes thoughts for truths. When we pause to notice a thought, we can recognize that it is just a thought. Thoughts are not commands, predictions, or truths. If we can notice our thoughts, we can weaken the hold negative thoughts have on us. 

                  As I was searching online for information on noticing, I came across a practice that seems like it would be effective. It is called “Name it to tame it”. It is a simple practice. When a thought arises, first pause. Then silently say, “I’m noticing the thought that…” Then return your attention to the present moment. This may be your breath, your surroundings, or whatever you were doing. These steps may not come naturally, but with practice we can get better at it.  I am going to commit to trying this practice. I am hopeful that it will help me especially as I am navigating some difficult times right now. 

                  I encourage everyone to work on noticing their thoughts. We just might find that we can improve our mental health in this way.