Mindfulness for Managing Uncomfortable Thoughts
We get lots of questions from young people about ways to manage uncomfortable, harmful, or intrusive thoughts. We always encourage seeking out professional support if these thoughts: happen all the time; interfere with other parts of life; put someone at risk of harming someone or themselves; and/or bring up any difficult feelings. It’s important to have someone to talk to on an ongoing basis who can help you develop other coping tools to manage these thoughts long term. (As a reminder, we’re not therapists.)
But we recognize that therapy is not always easy to access, and a lot of people are looking for things they can do in the moment as they work toward other forms of support. So, we thought we would share some other ways that you can get support to manage your thoughts and feelings.
What is mindfulness?
According to Mindful.org, mindfulness is the practice of being “in the moment,” acknowledging the thoughts and feelings that are coming up without judging them. When we have thoughts that feel uncomfortable, harmful, or intrusive, we can get caught in a cycle of feeling anxious, shameful, or guilty. And that can sometimes make it easy for the unpleasant thoughts to keep coming back. Mindfulness gives us the tools to notice our thought patterns and manage them before they become overwhelming.
Often, feelings can come up for us that are unpleasant or uncomfortable - that is normal. But when we are unaware of feelings that we’re having or recognize that certain feelings can be particularly triggering for us, it is common to react to something that may be upsetting to us in a way that is overblown or may even feel out-of-control. If we can build our awareness of how things affect us and anticipate challenging times, we can then practice mindfulness in the moments when we do feel challenged.
To illustrate this: imagine that someone is rude to you as you’re waiting in line to see a movie. Without mindfulness, it’s easy to get caught in a cycle of feeling anxious and angry, maybe even making a decision that you regret later. You might even still be angry long after everyone else has forgotten about it. By practicing mindfulness, you are more likely to notice the other person being rude, being aware that this kind of thing makes you anxious and angry, and being better able to let those emotions go and enjoy the movie.
And this is something that has been researched and that works! Psychology Today and even The Mayo Clinic suggest mindfulness to help deal with all sorts of stressors, like depression, anxiety, pain, and insomnia. Mindfulness doesn’t mean that you have to change your whole life, but it is something that you have to be intentional about.
We are all able to be mindful, but it is a skill that takes some practice. There are lots of ways to incorporate mindfulness into your everyday life. Some people find that meditation helps them become more mindful. You can meditate with your eyes closed, or even while eating or walking. Yoga or other physical activities can help someone practice mindfulness as well. Journaling is another way that people practice being mindful.
We found this resource from Teenwire specifically for teens who want to learn more about mindfulness and how to practice it. It gives some great examples of mindfulness activities you can do including taking a walk through nature, trying a dance class, or keeping a journal. Similarly, Mindfulness for Teens has videos, blogs, and other resources that can help you learn ways that you can include mindfulness in your daily life.
Apps for support
If you have access to a smart device, you can also download some free apps recommended by Mindful.org that can help with mindfulness:
Insight Timer has thousands of free guided meditations to choose from, and lets you personalize the kind of content you're looking for.
Originally intended for kids, Smiling Mind offers short guided meditations. It has programs for everyone, including adults, teens, and children.
UCLA Mindful is an app developed by the Mindful Awareness Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles. It offers meditations in both English and Spanish. Their Getting Started section can help you navigate how to use the app
Developed by a neuroscientist, the Healthy Minds Program offers structured mindfulness programs, as well as 27 other meditations
You can pay for other apps, too, like Headspace, Unplug, and Calm usually after a free trial.
Ultimately, we hope that you are able to find a professional to talk to about whatever is coming up for you, but practicing mindfulness right now can help you be a little more calm. Our helpline is here to help, too, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have more questions.
