Can't stop my mind from thinking

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Any solutions for this? Always going on tangents in my mind.

Some people get amphetamines from a doctor for ADHD.

If you have a special interest, you might experiment to see if yu are able to focus better pursuing that. It might be possible to add an intentional component to focus so that you can use it in other areas.

If you had some kind of reminder about what you needed to focus on, would that remind you to keep going back to it?

Try listening to music or a podcast.

Drink camomile tea.

Intense exercise.

A few thinks that have helped me in the past. Obviously you don't have to do them all at the same time.

Me neither.

I guess it's like sharks and swimming.

Maestro Kevin,

I could answer with the Ai type answer:
Effective and proven techniques to 'get of your train of thought':

1. Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness helps you observe thoughts without becoming entangled in them. Studies using fMRI have shown that mindfulness practice reduces activity in the default mode network (DMN)—a brain network associated with mind-wandering and self-referential thinking.
Key practice: Focus on the breath or bodily sensations, and gently return attention when the mind wanders.
Effect: Builds meta-awareness, allowing you to notice thoughts as events in the mind rather than truths or commands.

2. Cognitive Defusion (from ACT)
This technique from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you "unhook" from thoughts by seeing them as just words or mental events.
Example: Instead of thinking “I’m a failure,” you say, “I’m having the thought that I’m a failure.”
Effect: Creates psychological distance and reduces the power of negative self-talk.

4. Cognitive Reappraisal
This involves consciously reframing how you interpret a situation. It’s a core part of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and has been shown to reduce emotional reactivity and improve emotional regulation.
Example: Reframing “I messed up” as “I’m learning and growing from this experience.”

5. Self-Distancing Techniques
Research by psychologist Ethan Kross (author of Chatter) shows that using third-person self-talk or imagining yourself from a “fly on the wall” perspective can reduce emotional intensity and improve decision-making.
Example: Instead of “Why am I so anxious?” try “Why is [Your Name] feeling anxious right now?”

6. Expressive Writing
Writing about your thoughts and feelings for 15–20 minutes a day has been shown to reduce rumination and improve mental clarity.
Effect: Helps externalize thoughts and gain perspective.

My personal experience has been that thinking about your mind thinking, allowed me to distance myself and not be tugged along for the ride each time my mind rolls down another crevasse...

The 2 big remarks here are:
- There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this problem.
- There are still moments I cannot dis-entangle myself from my thoughts, but these mostly occur when I'm alone. And I don't wish or have an external need to keep the 3rd person perspective going as I do in social situations. I tackle those with my special interests.

Kind regards,
Kada