When your mind is racing, it\u2019s hard to concentrate and get anything done. Sometimes it can be hard to even just be present or carry on a conversation\u2014your mind is moving a million miles a minute while the rest of the world seems to fall behind.<\/p>\n
There are a few different types of racing thoughts, and they come from different places. The more common ones come from anxiety. Your mind fixates on one or more things<\/a> that make you nervous, and you start spiraling into endless thoughts about everything that could go wrong<\/a>. Of course, this only makes you feel m\u00e1s<\/em> anxious, which feeds into the spiral.<\/p>\n Before you can get to the root of the problem, you need to take yourself out of this downward spiral. There are lots of strategies that can help to clear your head and take a step back<\/a>.<\/p>\n Try a deep breathing exercise: breathe in while counting slowly to five, then hold your breath for a few seconds, then breathe out while slowly counting to five again. Repeat this ten times. It sounds simple, but it helps remind your brain that you\u2019re not in immediate danger.<\/p>\n Another strategy is to temporarily distract yourself. Doing a really stimulating activity like watching TV or listening to music can help distract you long enough to calm down a bit. Different things work for everyone, so it\u2019s up to you to figure out what your coping skills are.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that these are short-term solutions. If this happens to you often, your brain is probably trying to tell you that something isn\u2019t quite right<\/a>. You can start by writing down the thoughts you keep having<\/a>. If they seem illogical or unrealistic, you might be able to come up with alternative thoughts that make more sense or are more helpful. But dealing with anxiety on your own can be difficult. It\u2019s a good idea to talk to someone about what you\u2019re experiencing and try to get help<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sometimes racing thoughts can feel positive and exciting at first\u2014like every idea you have is pure genius, and you have to act on them all right now<\/em>! Maybe that means starting lots of new projects, or maybe you just tener<\/em> to tell everyone around you what you\u2019re thinking. You might start talking about one thing and end up changing subjects throughout the conversation.<\/p>\n You might be surprised or confused when other people don\u2019t see how brilliant your ideas are. Maybe they even have trouble understanding what you\u2019re saying. You might become frustrated when you notice that you\u2019re starting lots of projects, but not finishing them. It might just feel scary to be out of control of your thoughts and words.<\/p>\n Mental health professionals call this flight of ideas<\/strong>. It\u2019s often seen in trastorno bipolar<\/a>, when a person is experiencing a manic or hypomanic episode<\/a>. It can also be a symptom of drug use, or the beginning of a psychotic episode<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you think you might be experiencing any of these mental health conditions mentioned here\u2014bipolar, psychosis, or anxiety\u2014take one of our free mental health tests<\/a> to find out if you\u2019re at risk. Then keep exploring this site to learn more about how mental illness works and how it\u2019s treated.<\/p>\nWhat to do about anxious thoughts<\/h2>\n
What if it\u2019s not anxiety?<\/h2>\n
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