We control thoughts, but do they also control us?

Have you ever stopped to think about what your thoughts really are? 💭

From neurochemical representations to memories, thoughts have a palpable and fascinating foundation.

But I knew that it is possible to train the brain tocultivate positive thoughts and deal with intrusive thoughts with more serenity? 😯

We want to bring you all the answers! Let's find out what thoughts are, observe real examples of intrusive thoughts and learn how to “train” them to improve your life.

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What are thoughts?

Some researchers describe thinking as a representation, that is, a “map” that the brain creates to represent something - be it a perception, emotion or plan of action. 🗺️

From a simple perspective, we can compare our mind to a sky with clouds being a representation of our thoughts. There are days when this one is with a strong blue, with whitish clouds and with a wonderful sun! 🌤️ However, it is also possible to see the same scenario with very heavy, gray and rainy clouds - and which we can associate with our negative and/or intrusive thoughts. ⛈️

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In scientific terms, thoughts are electrochemical processes real, with measurable expression in specific areas of the brain, although they have no shape or weight in the literal physical sense.

They are often understood as cognitive processes that include: judgment, concept formation, problem solving, deliberation, imagination and memory.

Neuroscientific studies point out that these mental representations correspond todistributed patterns of neuronal activity, with precise location within each brain area.

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How do thoughts work?

Imagine that you are walking down the street and suddenly you smell the smell of cake just coming out of the oven. 🎂 Without warning, it is invaded by a feeling of warmth, comfort... and a memory of childhood.

This smell, which seems so simple, starts as molecules in the air that enter your nostrils and bind to the olfactory receptors in your nose. These receiverstransform the chemical stimulus into electrical signals, which are sent through the olfactory nerve directly to the brain.

The first destination is the olfactory bulb, but the signals quickly spread to the hippocampus (associated with memory) and the amygdala (linked to emotions). That is why the smell can cause a vivid memory and an almost immediate emotional feeling, without you having to consciously think about it.

🧠 In seconds, several areas of the brain are activated simultaneously: sensory, emotional and even linguistic areas (if you are trying to remember the name of the recipe or the place where you lived that experience, for example). All of this happens through neural networksthat communicate with each other, by neurotransmitters.

That moment - the smell, the emotion, the image of the grandmother in the kitchen - is not “stored” in one place. It is an experience built in real time from several patterns of coordinated brain activity.

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So it makes sense to think about comparing thoughts with real maps! 🗺️

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Intrusive Thoughts

However, not all thoughts are the result of good feelings.

Intrusive thoughts are those that arise involuntarily, often with disruptive, unwanted, and difficult to control content.

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They may be associated with repetitive doubts, violence, impulsive actions, irrational fears or uncomfortable images. They tend to cause intense and deep emotions, but they do not necessarily mean a real desire to realize them.

Concrete examples include:

• Think about interrupting a meeting with an impulsive comment;
• Imagining unexpected accidents;
• Constant doubts if something was left to be done (even after confirming);
• Sexualized or aggressive thoughts in inappropriate contexts.
  

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These thoughts are common in frames of anxiety, PHDor obsessive-compulsive disorders, but there is effective treatment.

With follow-up in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for example, it is possible to reduce the impact and change the relationship with these mental contents.

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Positive Thoughts

On the other hand, positive thoughts, when oriented towards optimism and well-being, are not only pleasant: have noticeable effects on our health.

Benefits include:

• Lower risk of depressionand anxiety
• Lowest level of stress
• Greater longevity
• But self-esteem
• Better overall well-being

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💡 Curiosity: Did you know that positive thoughts can also affect children?
A study of Stanford Universityrevealed that children (7 to 10 years old) with a positive attitude towards mathematics performed better, regardless of their IQ. Apparently, this positive attitude was associated with greater activation of the hippocampus (center of memory and learning) during problem solving.

In addition, interventions based on positive thinking (such as structured gratitude exercises) have been shown to be effective in increasing resiliencee satisfaction with life.

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Train your thoughts about life

If your thoughts about life seem troubling to you, there is good news: with proper monitoring, it is possible to train them and direct them to a more positive field while reducing the impact of excess unwanted thoughts.

Here are some tips to get started:

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1. Gratitude Diary

What it is:Write down every day 3 things for which you feel grateful.

How to do:

• Use a notebook, a note on your phone, or an app.
  Write 3 sentences that start with “Today I am grateful for...”
• Try to vary every day — with a focus on the details.

Real example:

Today I am grateful for:

1. To have agreed without pain.
2. My daughter's smile at breakfast.
3. Unexpected message from an old friend.

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2. Learned Optimism (Seligman's ABCDE model)

What it is:A technique created by the psychologist Martin Seligmanto break negative automatic thoughts.

How to do:

Whenever an intrusive or defeatist thought arises, write:

• A- Adversity: What happened?
• B- Belief: What am I thinking?
• C- Consequence: How do I feel about thinking like that?
• D- Dispute: Is that 100% true? What else can be true?
• E- Effect: How I feel with this new thought.

✔ Real example:

A: I forgot about an important meeting.
B: “I am irresponsible. I will never be professional.”
C: Shame, anxiety.
D: No, I am a good professional. Everyone forgets sometimes. I can apologize and compensate.
E: More calm, with focus on what I can do now.

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3. Exercise of Mindfulness

What it is:A mini-meditationto get off autopilot and observe thoughts without judgment.

How to do:

1. Feel comfortable. Close your eyes.
2. Take a deep breath and focus on the sound of your breath.
3. When a thought arises, recognize it (“a thought about X”) and return to focus on breathing.
4. Repeat for 3 to 5 minutes.

✔ Real example:

1. The thought arises: “I will never get better.”
2. Internal response: “Thought of doubt about my own ability.”
3. I'm back to breathing.

In addition, it is important to find help. The psychologist is the most qualified professional to guide us to healthier thoughts.

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At NeuroImprove, we use two main types of approaches to support this transition and make the mental state more balanced:

• Clinical Psychology Consultations → based on strategies belonging to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, we help several clients reprogram their own thoughts and behaviors to achieve a calmer life.
• Neurofeedback → a brain training technique that allows us to specifically stimulate the areas that are in imbalance (possibly responsible for the excess of intrusive thoughts), enabling the creation of healthier activity patterns.
  
  

Throughout this article we have been able to realize that thoughts can have an influence on each of us and the way we look at and live life. They can often control us, but we can also train them to a more positive path.

Know that negative thoughts do not dictate your person or your future and, with the right professional help, it is possible to look at the world again with more color and meaning. 🌈 🌏

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References

Neupane, S., Fiete, I. & Jazayeri, M. Mental navigation in the primate entorhinal cortex. Nature 630, 704—711 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07557-z

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Lewis, R. (2023, October 7). What is actually a thought? And how is information physical? Psychology Today. Available in:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/finding-purpose/202310/what-actually-is-a-thought-and-how-is-information-physical 

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Ziyan Yang, Tim Wildschut, Keise Izuma, Ruolei Gu, Yu L L Luo, Huajian Cai, Constantine Sedikides, Patterns of brain activity associated with nostalgia: a social-cognitive neuroscience perspective, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Volume 17, Issue 12, December 2022, Pages 1131—1144, https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsac036 

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ON: Thomas A-F and Papesh MH (2022) Why Are We So Scent-Immental? Studying Odor-Linked Memories. Front. Young Minds 10:667792. doi: 10.3389/frym.2022.667

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Chen, L., Bae, S. R., Battista, C., Qin, S., Chen, T., Evans, T. M., & Menon, V. (2018). Positive Attitude Toward Math Supports Early Academic Success: Behavioral Evidence and Neurocognitive Mechanisms. Psychological Science, 29 (3), 390-402. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797617735528 

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Bamford, C., & Lagattuta, K. H. (2012). Looking on the bright side: children's knowledge about the benefits of positive versus negative thinking. Child development, 83 (2), 667—682. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01706.x 

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Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Authentic happiness: Utilizing the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment. Free Press.

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