Worry loops can strike us when we’re in a negative mood. Which doesn’t mean that we should aim to be radiating gleeful joyousness 24/7. But there is a paradoxical tendency, when we’re down, to do things that actually deepen our negative mood.
2. Use the “feel like continuing” stop rule
This is going to sound ridiculously simple, but when you find yourself in a worry loop, take a moment to pause and ask yourself if you’d like to continue worrying or not.
3. Cognitive defusion
Stepping back a bit to observe our inner voice, and to recognize that these are just thoughts – not reality – can help us move on more quickly and avoid getting trapped in a loop.
4. Parking your worries
This strategy will sound a little backwards too, but scheduling dedicated worry time is a classic psychologist worry hack.
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