# How to get my brain to shut off...



## sprinkles (Feb 7, 2010)

It... just. won't. stop!

And it's nothing new either... I've been hyperactive since I was a kid, but now it's all just mental. It's like a constant roar of thoughts in my head... and some times I just have to say some crap just to get some of the clutter out of the way, and this occasionally leads to me looking like an ass.

But I just can't stand it some times... the only thing that really slows it down is music or mindless entertainment, but it isn't long before it starts back up again. And I've tried medication but slowing it down artificially just makes me feel like crap for some reason.

I'm tired... and even when I'm about to fall on my face, my brain is still buzzing with activity. It just starts to get more nonsensical when I'm tired. -.- Not to mention that I often can't sleep properly and when I do sleep I don't always rest... and I often sleep with my eyes open and if I don't lay with the blanket covering my head, I can be sitting up looking at junk around the room in my sleep. >.<

Some times I just want to feel 'normal'... cause I don't most of the time.


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## Sanity (Jan 2, 2010)

Meditation i hear, is a good way to slow your mental chatter down, though it takes little effort to get into the meditative state.Sometimes i put my headphones on and listen to brainwave music and ambient noises and really try to focus on the sounds and at the same time trying to stop entering any thought into my head.Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

I also would advise you to clean your junk from your room, maybe then you won't start to think about it toh, and if you're a creative person, then try to create something, i make music myself and during the making process i forget everything and normally the chatter just stops itself and i feel better after i have created something.


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## lantern (Feb 15, 2010)

I would recommend meditation as well, but those which teach you to focus on your breathing technique - mindfulness meditation CD is good, you can get it on amazon.
Other ideas is to stop doing anything stimulating 1 hour before bed time, so no tv, videogames or chatting. Use that time to read a book - something light.
In bed if you find if you have tons of thoughts then write down what's bothering you, how you feel about it, is there anything you can do about it right now? (it's usually no), tell yourself that you'll sort it out tomorrow morning. If you have a clock which ticks relax your mind and hear, open a bit of your window so that you can hear the outside noises - but don't become overly focused on them, just hear, not listen.
Otherwise, if you live with someone talk about what's going on in your mind, or call someone - sometimes it's better out than in! if you don't have anyone you feel you can't trust then call a helpline, over here we have a charity called Samaritans, you could probably find out if there's something similar where you are by looking at your local directory.

Hope this helps.


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## Kevinaswell (May 6, 2009)

Smoke pot.


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## Just_Some_Guy (Oct 8, 2009)

I'll be the third to advocate meditation. It may take several months to see a change, but the change will be _real _and _permanent_ as long as you keep up the practice. This is really a life-long commitment that, in my opinion, is definitely worth it. Month by month, you _will _see a change. 

Stay in the moment and focus on your breath. This is real, here & now, and bodily. Also a mantra my help. Use any, they're all the same. What it does is occupy the mind. It is said that when an elephant has nothing in its trunk, the trunk sways indolently this way and that. But give it something to hold and it grows still. The mantra is like that. It occupies the mind so you can practice keeping your mind both focused and calm. You just need to _practice _this. 

I would also avoid intellectual activities before bed so you can wind down.


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## Vanitas (Dec 13, 2009)

I learned to gradually/slowly turn off my brain. Whether with songs or picturing something; meditation as it 'supposed to' doesn't work for me, and I found that the best way to make myself sleep is telling myself a story. The alternative is to create a mental bedroom where you can go there and mentally sleep. Have fun with how it looks.


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## justinhammar (Oct 23, 2009)

Uuuh how is this a good idea. Your brain thinks for a reason, which is more important than anything you could be doing with it shut off.


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## Vanitas (Dec 13, 2009)

Because it's really hard to sleep. When I was younger my father got me medicated, but then I learned that I could get a similar result using less risky ways.


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## Just_Some_Guy (Oct 8, 2009)

justinhammar said:


> Uuuh how is this a good idea. Your brain thinks for a reason, which is more important than anything you could be doing with it shut off.



Your body moves for a reason, but if you can't stop it from time to time, we generally agree that there is something wrong with the individual. How is this any different than the mind? Besides the principle of it, Sprinkles is concerned about "looking like an ass," "can't stand it," "can't sleep" and "wants to feel normal."


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## sprinkles (Feb 7, 2010)

justinhammar said:


> Uuuh how is this a good idea. Your brain thinks for a reason, which is more important than anything you could be doing with it shut off.


Well, 1. it expends energy. Literally. Thinking will eventually cause fatigue, and in my case it's like constantly running even though my legs feel like they want to fall off - my brain does the same thing. It gets cloudy and incoherent and I can experience what's described as 'racing thoughts'.

2. It does make it so I can't sleep. It's like being at a rock concert that never ends, some times, except there's no actual sound of course. 

Meditation does provide relief, for a time. Actually most of the advice here is pretty good... except pot XD

I tried that once and it made it even _worse,_ I start thinking about shit that I never knew was possible to think of. So pot is not the answer for me....


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## Just_Some_Guy (Oct 8, 2009)

sprinkles said:


> I tried that once and it made it even _worse,_ I start thinking about shit that I never knew was possible to think of. So pot is not the answer for me....


Ha! 

I lol'd.

That's why I gave the stuff up!


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