I've realized lately that I'm in a constant state of trying to escape the present moment, because I feel so tired and anxious and just plain uncomfortable. This leaves me with terrible memory, and a distance from my thoughts and emotions. I'm sure this is a trauma response from my childhood. I've learned that what helps is actually ASMR. Tapping, scratching, water sounds. It's like the "seal" on my brain is loose, and all the thoughts are bouncing around in this wide, open space. ASMR helps my brain feel more full, and grounds me in the moment. Otherwise I drift out to space.

If yall are struggling, give ASMR a try. Here's one video I like a lot:

With this playing, I find it much easier to do tasks or activities that would otherwise bore me.

However, this is just a band aid on the problem. What'll really help is long-term mindful meditation, which I absolutely need to get back into.

Grounding oneself (like you mention), meditating, or just simple sitting with those thoughts and allowing them to pass without reacting are some extremely strong tools when dealing with thoughts your brain comes up with.

I’m no psychologist, but I do have officially diagnosed OCD (which is entirely misunderstood, it is not inherently “I like things clean” or “I am afraid of germs disorder” - but that’s a topic for another time), and I too tended to get lost in my mind and constantly tried to distract myself

All that does though, is makes the thoughts louder and more stronger. Avoiding thoughts, stopping thoughts, and arguing with thoughts are the worst things you can do when suffering.

The best thing you can do is acknowledge the thought, sit with the discomfort, check in with your body and see what your body is feeling (“I notice I am clenching my jaw”, “my chest feels a bit tight”, etc), and allow it to pass.

It’s almost like trying to push a ball under the water. What does it do? It comes right back up. But if you just float with it, it will eventually float away

try this one bro

one of the lamest things i ever witnessed online was the sexualization of asmr

Music is my ASMR, I can’t handle that whispering and scratching s*** but I do have music playing in some fashion all day long so I get it

Pretty much the same for me too

Sounds hard but music was there for me in my absolute darkest day

Audio Erotica existed before the ASMR craze

try binaurals too

I don't think it's lame, I think it's inevitable. You have pretty women online whispering intimately into men's ears, what did yall think was gonna happen? It feels like cope to me when people are like, "there's absolutely NOTHING sexual about this at all and shame on you for thinking that". Be real. People will use it in sexual ways, even if the creator didn't intend for that, and that's OK.

Anytime I feel overwhelmed I toss on one of those tiktok videos that has subway surfers gameplay on half the screen and misogynistic comedians on the other half

I once sat by the ocean for 3 hours. The subtle lapping of the waves, occasional seagull, it put me in a meditative state, I wasn’t thinking about anything. Been chasing that high ever since

Yeah, I find that to be the most helpful mindful practice as well. Crazy how thoughts just evaporate when we try and focus in on them.

you gotta meditate lil bro

I acknowledged that. Meditation is like working out and the ASMR is a quick fix in a pinch.

i do lowfi in the background

Give up chasing it

I cant do meditation . My mind is to active

Yeah the mind is wild. For me, and what I’ve read in the literature my psychologist gave me to read, it helps to visualize your thoughts as things passing by - cars on the highway, leaves blowing in the wind, clouds passing, etc

Each one comes and goes. It’s natural and normal, our brains come up with countless thoughts a day. Some people are more prone to succumbing to them then others

Meditation is essentially a workout for your mind, so anyone can do it, it’s just the length and effort that changes over time

It’s like lifting weights - you aren’t going in to the gym for the first time and start benching 350. You work up to it slowly. Hell, you may never even reach 350, but you will certainly be better than when you started with practice

Im like you, with OCD my mind gets flooded with thoughts and there’s always things going on in there. It was very hard to do at first, but it helps to know that even if you find yourself pulled out of a meditation by your mind, that’s normal and natural. It’s just what brains do. The “muscle” strengthens when you notice it happened, and then proceed with the meditation again

Thats the same as saying “I cant go to the gym my muscles are too small”

Thats the whole point of it

Literally have to start off small like 3-5mins or even shorter if you need to, can’t just start at 10 or 30 like these fake ass lifestyle gurus tell you to

i only hate roleplay asmr

I chant mantras on a Buddhist track in Sanskrit and do breath meditation.

You don’t want to escape the present moment, you want to immerse yourself within yourself to understand the present moment can bring bliss and peace.

You must learn to burn the fetters of emotional aversion.

I do the same but with smoking weed and watching vtubers

I just watch prime-era Simpsons.