Coping skill · 2 min

Label the thought

A disturbing thought is stuck on repeat and you keep checking it.

Do this

Say: "I am having the thought that ___."
Remind yourself: a thought is not a fact, a wish or a plan.
Don't argue, check or seek reassurance. That feeds it.
Let it sit there like a radio in another room.
Go back to what you were doing, with the thought still on.

Why it works

Strong feelings and urges rise, peak and fall, usually within minutes. A skill gives your body something to do while the wave passes, and each time you ride one out, the next one gets a little easier.

Try next

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