How to focus your thoughts and channel them into something positive?

My mind is all over the place today. It's hard to collect my thoughts. I want to do so many different things at once that I feel like I'm being pulled in many different directions. I'm not manic, though, because I'm getting a decent amount of sleep, and I'm even a little tired right now.

I think I feel this way because my antipsychotic was making me dull and suppressing my true abilities. I always felt "delayed" with everything while on this antipsychotic. Like, I was sluggish and had delayed reactions to things. Now I don't feel this way and I can function a lot better.

I'm not saying you should all go off your meds. I think this particular antipsychotic of mine is just no good in some respects. In fact, I plan on asking to go on a different one because meds are good for me.

But anyways, I get like this whenever I go off my antipsychotic because I'm not used to being my old self. How do you focus your thoughts and channel everything into something positive? I'm not sure if this is anxiety, ADHD, etc., but I figure some of you have experienced this when changing medications. Not sure if this thread belongs in the Bipolar Treatments forum, but I think it fits better here?

Wow, I am so sorry this is happening to you Bluebicycle.

Wish I knew what to say, but unfortunately I do not have any experience with antipsychotic medications. Hopefully people with experience and insight will respond to your post.

Please keep us posted how you are doing if that is okay with you.

I wish you only good things! -- Yaowen

I think when you are having a flow of energy like that, trying to channel it or focus it is tricky. On the one hand you can be really productive. On the other hand you can overload a circuit and burn it out or cause the dam to burst and flood your system. This can either be a good break from a med or a stepping stone to mania.

I think it helps to cool things down a bit so that the amount of neurons firing is lessened before it gets to a critical point. I'd try:

Some calming music
Putting my feet on the earth
Sitting in nature
Writing down my stream of thoughts and trying not to engage with any of them yet
Taking a cold shower
Eating grounding and comforting foods
Working out

I'd let it flow while it is flowing and then later refine it, select from your best ideas and then turn those into your creation.

For example, I had something like this going on a while back. I used my excess energy to clean my house. I kept a notebook close by while I did it. As a thought came up I wrote it down and then went back to cleaning. The thoughts atrived in no particular order. I just wrote them down and moved on. I then exercised and relaxed and ate good meals. I spent time outside. I meditated.

Days later I went back through all of my ideas and turned them into an outline while I was in a resting period. I will write and turn them into something creative when I feel that same flow like phase again. I'll choose from the topics I brainstormed before and free write what comes to mind for each. I'll do that for a while and then edit when the creative energy cools again.

Just a little while ago I watch this Joe Rogan interview that he had with Sam Harris and his brother on mindfulness meditation where the focus of their attention is their breath. When their mind starts to wander away to different concerns they learn to recognize that they are getting lost in the thought stream and gently bring their attention back to their breath. Every time you do this you are slowly getting better at controlling the focus of your attention. It is like exercising a mental muscle. Also you start to become aware or an observer of your own thinking.
On a different note, I remember asking this real wise doctor once what is the best way to handle stress. He said the best way to handle stress is to leave it. I asked him what he meant and he said to me, " I wished I had my car here; I let you go out and wash it."

(cold showers not for me... my ears. I must keep them dry..)

I wish I had some advice blue, I don't at the moment

meditation.... I will have to try that (I haven't really got into it but have tried a few times)



calming music is good

I like starting with guided meditation or just some simple breath techniques. It can be hard to control the flow of thoughts, so this helps you to detach from it a bit and just watch them as a stream as opposed to engaging the thoughts and following them.

Cold showers are painful, but every now and again I take one to help myself out. Stay dry and cozy Fuzzy!

Thanks, fern.

Writing down my stream of thoughts might prove helpful, as can listening to soothing music, so I'll give those things a shot. I really wish I could sit in nature or put my feet in the earth, but it's cold as hell outside because it's the dead of winter.

I never thought of turning these thoughts into something creative. I suppose I can do that -- although my thoughts are more along the lines of things to do as opposed to random stuff like, "why are cows spotted?" or "I wonder how many physical trains are in NYC." For example, there are at least 10 things I want to do right now and I am only one person and I can't do them all simultaneously. Like right now, I want to read and play guitar at the same time, among other things. Not really something you can do simultaneously. I just have a bunch of "goals" in mind, I guess.

Yeah, mindfulness meditation might work well for me. I could give that a shot -- thanks.

Interesting quote from your doctor. I like it.

I feel a book coming.... 'A Million and One Thoughts of the Restless Mind'. Mine was more like revelations for a topic that I'm very passionate about that light up my brain. The thoughts were all potentially connected, but spewed out of my brain without coherent order. I think I better understand your situation now. You can still write it all down. That way you process it and don't engage with it. You'd end up with something like the greatest coping skills activity list of all time.

I hear you on the winter issue. I'm stuck in a few months of almost daily rain. In that case maybe look around the room and connect there. Go to each object and touch it and say the name to yourself. Out loud is even better. Blue candle, picture frame, television, decorative bowl... So on and so forth. It is kinda like counting sheep but it engages the senses and stops the brain train from running off the rails.

In general it sounds like your neurons have been dimmed from the meds and now they are oversensitive. I did a lot of research on this effect when coming off APs and did a very slow taper over many weeks as a result. I know you somewhat tapered off the Rexulti, but its possible that's what's going on. You may have to ride this rebound effect out for a bit. I imagine it feels uncomfortable amd very difficult to focus.

Is there a time of day where it isn't so bad? I'd make sure you get your work work done during that time as I know what a stressor it is when you get behind.

I hope this improves for you soon!

I'm working on how to focus my thoughts and channel them into something positive myself, so I don't have much to suggest yet. Although, I do agree with being in nature...there's just something magic that happens when we connect with the natural environment. And for me, music is a lifesaver.

What I really want to comment on, though, is that I tend to believe you're correct about the AP. I don't know if this is a good analogy, but to me an AP is the lid on a boiling pot. When you remove the lid it exposes all that boiling, moving water that's in the pot.

Do you know yet which AP you'll be trying?