Stop thinking

[me_plus_one]

I can stop thinking at something if I want. But most of the times I don't. Unless I'm way to busy to fill my minds with thoughts of no immediate concern.

 

[Fluffywolf]

I can't completely stop thinking, but I can put myself to thinking about one single thing, one single thought. Which is essentially the same as not thinking at all in terms of usefulness. *nod*

 

[Kyrielle]

I have a hard time shutting off my brain. Hence why sometimes, I lie in bed awake, staring at the ceiling, going through various ways of trying to trick my brain into shutting up so I can sleep. Or why I have to deal with a cacophony of thoughts in my head during times of anxiety.

I think the only times my mind is mostly at peace and silent and in the "now" are times when I'm walking through the woods or working on my artwork. In both instances, most of me is "gone" somewhere (unless there's someone I'm talking to who is keeping me focused on being "there"). Either way, when left alone in both cases, my thoughts are still going, but they are silently doing so. It's like a low burner, or a leaky faucet in the middle of the night, or a slowly spinning waterwheel. I think I do my best processing and thinking then, because I'm not stressed, so teasing the knots out of whatever problems are going on is much easier.

 

[yenom]

the human brain works at the train of infinity.
The brain never stops thinking, because time itself is impossible to stop.
Even if you think you have stopped thinking, your brain is still thinking.
To completely stop thinking is against the laws of nature, because you can't stop the flow of time.

But if going to sleep is counted as stop thinking, then i guess that there are moments that your brain stops thinking.

 

[bluebell]

You can be conscious and not thinking about ANYTHING?
That IS weird.
I can't always articulate what I'm thinking about. But I'm always thinking. I think .... Would I know if I wasn't? For me thinking and consciousness are synonymous.

Heh, when I saw the title of this thread, I was thinking 'is that even possible??'

I've had a few brief moments when the thinking is quieter. I suspect meditation would be the only way I could ever do it somewhat regularly. I am rarely in the here and now and I find it takes a lot of effort to really be in the moment, and even then the thinking mind is still chattering away and processing and sorting etc etc.

 

[Serendipity]

In my beginning (read <20 yrs) I couldn't stop thinking at all. It's just recently when I have come to insight that such thoughts are not as needed and I suddenly stopped. Though I am improving on the thinking part again, it's nice to have a plan and I don't feel as an all around character any more.
As if I've began lacking some functions I had developed quite far before.


EDIT: Where as "not thinking" implies; Not conscious of thought and/or "just feel".

 

[entropie]

Always wear your weapons in case you endager yourself to overthink a given situation:

 

[Fluffywolf]

Alchohol+me = dangerous. ;<

 

[bluebell]

Always wear your weapons in case you endager yourself to overthink a given situation:

My brain never entirely shuts down even when too drunk to be able to talk or walk. Sad but true.

 

[sade]

My brain never entirely shuts down even when too drunk to be able to talk or walk. Sad but true.

+1

 

[Salomé]

But if going to sleep is counted as stop thinking, then i guess that there are moments that your brain stops thinking.

Not really. The brain is just as active during sleep as during wakefulness.

 

[mlittrell]

i cant stop thinking no matter how hard i try.

 

[Fluffywolf]

Until the day we learn to think about nothing. Something will be on our mind.

 

[ColonelGadaafi]

I find it hard to turn off my thought's.. Only when i do concentrate on external things or perform physical activities, can i stop hearing the flow of my internal voice. But really , you never turn your thinking off, what you do when you "turn it off" is tune them out though.

 

[ajblaise]

Sometimes I try to go into sensory mode and just concentrate on the sounds around me and breathing, but it's kinda like trying to hold my breathe underwater.

If I'm in a unproductive or destructive train of thought, I find it easier to veer off that thought highway and take an exit to get on a different, more pleasant, train of thought. But even that can be hard, especially if it's rush hour and I can't make it to the exit lane.

 

[Bougal]

I can only fall asleep if my tv is on so that I can have something else to focus on to turn off my brain. Other than that it is always on. When I am doing something that needs all of my attention my mind does wander but I can tell it to stop.

 

[ygolo]

I think so much, and have been told so often to stop, that I started this thread a while ago.

The funny thing is, if you asked me what I was thinking about, I'd have to honestly say "I don't know."

 

[tibby]

I think so much, and have been told so often to stop.

The funny thing is, if you asked me what I was thinking about, I'd have to honestly say "I don't know."

What are you suppose to answer to that question? What thoughts are you suppose to grasp?

That question is too vague. It's like telling basically to write an essay about meaning of life, it wouldn't make sense cause I'd go all with the possibilities. But if the essay was about "Is there a better way to understand reality than science?" Then it gives it a frameset to build the tangents and possibilities on. Agh. I don't know. The worst question to ask, though, is "What have you been thinking?" I can't even remember what I did yesterday, how am I suppose to remember what I was thinking?

 

[Fluffywolf]

Someone: "What are you thinking?"
INTP: "Contemplating your demise."

Everyone always seems to stop inquiring after that.

 

[Totenkindly]

I can stop thinking in particular circles if I know it's not productive but it's still back in the back of my mind, I just focus on other things.

The main problem is always having SOMETHING going on in my head.

I have trouble sleeping at night because my brain never stops thinking and talking to itself.