[BlueCrustacean]

When you have a negative emotion/story in your head that just keeps popping in your head over and over and over again, daily, sometimes even hourly, is it okay to just stamp it out and constantly replace the thought with something else that's more positive until it eventually goes away? Or do you HAVE to try to "figure it out" and see what purpose it's serving before letting it go? In my case, there's nothing logical to figure out and it's only hurting me. I honestly have no idea why I'm so obsessed with it.

What's the difference between letting go and repression? How do I know when it's appropriate to just think something else?

If you can, replace them with positive thoughts and let go. It is a constant process. Our minds are wired to be negative, in some cases excessively so.

Originally Posted by BlueCrustacean

When you have a negative emotion/story in your head that just keeps popping in your head over and over and over again, daily, sometimes even hourly, is it okay to just stamp it out and constantly replace the thought with something else that's more positive until it eventually goes away? Or do you HAVE to try to "figure it out" and see what purpose it's serving before letting it go? In my case, there's nothing logical to figure out and it's only hurting me. I honestly have no idea why I'm so obsessed with it.

What's the difference between letting go and repression? How do I know when it's appropriate to just think something else?

To me, sometimes "letting go" is to achieve peace, some others is to see that justice has been served.

I don't know what's the issue, but do you want to find peace, or do you want justice?

It's always ok and preferable to replace negative thoughts with positive ones, that is part of the "letting go" process.

But it takes time to heal, or to "figure it out". It's not as easy as it seems.

[Thunder Bow]

Depression has an self re-enforcing feature. Rethinking negative thoughts is one way depression re-enforces it self. Therapy can help one disable this feature.

[PianogirlPlays]

I struggle in a similar way. The harder I try the worse it gets. Getting otherwise occupied helps me and I have used changing to a more positive thought. It is hard!

I believe acceptance is a factor in letting-go

[Mygrandjourney]

Check out this website: self-compassion.org. It has some great stuff.

[stewartmays1]

yes im allays trying to reinforce posative actions