"What if I don't pass?", "Did I really lock the door?", "Why did he look at me like that?", "I made a fool of myself." Do you know that inner monologue? Intrusive thoughts and ruminations (dwelling on the same topics) are fuel for anxiety. You are not your thoughts, but your brain has forgotten that. Here are cognitive techniques (CBT and ACT) to break this cycle.
Why Does the Brain Do This?
Your prefrontal cortex is a future simulator. Evolutionarily, worrying was useful – it helped predict a tiger attack. Today, this mechanism runs on "idle," analyzing imagined social threats. Trying to forcibly "not think" (suppression) works in reverse – it's the white bear effect ("Don't think about a white bear" makes you think only about it).
Scientific Sources:
- Harris, R. (2009). "ACT Made Simple".
