Have you ever thought about your mind as a computer? It can be a helpful metaphor to understand why you think and feel the way you do. Just like your PC, your mind processes information, stores memories, and generates outputs—your thoughts. But here’s the thing: just because your mind produces a thought doesn’t mean it’s true or useful. In fact, many of the thoughts that pop up are just “outputs” from your internal system, based on the programming and experiences you’ve had over time.
Understanding the Mind as a Part of the Body
Your mind is part of your body, just like your heart, lungs, and liver. Its job is to help you plan, remember, and interact with the world. The thoughts you experience are your mind’s way of trying to make sense of things. They’re like notifications or pop-ups on your computer screen—signals meant to capture your attention. But just like not every pop-up is worth clicking on, not every thought is worth your attention.
Many of the thoughts and feelings that might be causing you distress are echoes or “ripples” from earlier times in your life. They’re outdated files that your mind keeps opening, based on old programming. The good news? It’s completely possible to rewire your mind for more helpful responses, just like updating software on your computer.
Thoughts Are Not Facts—They’re Just Outputs
It’s important to remember that thoughts are not facts. They’re simply outputs produced by your mind’s programming. Most thoughts never become reality, and many are not accurate or helpful, especially when you’re stressed. Mark Twain captured this perfectly when he said, “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” This quote highlights how much energy we waste on thoughts that turn out to be meaningless.
Imagine your mind as a factory producing thoughts. Not every product off the assembly line is useful or relevant, yet we often treat every thought as if it’s important. In therapy, one of the key skills you’ll learn is how to recognize which thoughts are worth your attention and which are just noise.
Adjusting Your Perspective: Zoom In, Zoom Out
Another way to think about your mind is to imagine it as a camera. You can zoom in on details or zoom out to see the bigger picture. When you’re stressed or anxious, your mind often zooms in too closely on a problem, making it seem bigger and more overwhelming than it actually is. Learning to “zoom out” can help you gain perspective and see the situation more clearly.
For example, imagine you’re dealing with a difficult situation at work. Your mind might be zooming in on all the ways things could go wrong, making you feel anxious and overwhelmed. By zooming out, you can remind yourself that this is just one moment in your life, not the entirety of it. This shift in perspective can help reduce anxiety and make the situation feel more manageable.
Just Because It Feels Awful Doesn’t Mean It Is Awful
Our minds can be full of “thinking errors”—patterns of distorted thinking that lead us astray. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), we teach that just because something feels awful doesn’t mean it is awful. For example, catastrophizing is a common thinking error where we expect the worst possible outcome, even if it’s unlikely. By learning to recognize and challenge these errors, we can change our mental programming to produce more balanced, realistic thoughts.
Rewiring Your Mind: Tools for Change
So, how do we update the software of our minds? Therapy offers many tools and techniques to help rewire your brain for better mental health. Here are some approaches:
Mindfulness and Acceptance: Techniques like mindfulness teach you to observe your thoughts without getting caught up in them. You learn to notice when unhelpful thoughts arise and let them pass without acting on them, much like ignoring pop-ups on your computer that you know are irrelevant.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps you identify and challenge thinking errors. You learn to “debug” your mental software by questioning distorted thoughts and replacing them with more accurate, helpful ones.
EMDR and Trauma Processing: For those who have experienced trauma, EMDR can help reprocess and update the emotional impact of past events. It’s like clearing out corrupted files from your system so they no longer cause glitches in your thinking and behavior.
Narrative Therapy: This approach helps you rewrite the stories you tell yourself about your life and your identity. It’s like editing the code that shapes your self-concept, allowing you to create a more empowering and truthful narrative.
Internal Family Systems (IFS): IFS helps you understand the different “parts” of your mind, like subroutines in a computer program. By healing and harmonizing these parts, you can resolve internal conflicts and create a more integrated, effective system.
Tuning Out the Noise: Learning to Filter Your Thoughts
Psychologist Russ Harris has a great analogy for unhelpful thoughts—they’re like background noise. You don’t need to tune into every station your mind broadcasts. Just because a thought is loud and insistent doesn’t mean it’s true or important. With practice, you can learn to tune out the noise and focus on the thoughts that actually serve you.
Final Thoughts: Rewiring for a Better Life
Your mind is an incredible tool, but like any tool, it needs regular maintenance and updates. The thoughts and feelings you experience are just outputs from your internal programming. By understanding this and learning to filter out unhelpful thoughts, you can create a more positive and functional mental environment.
Therapy can help you update your mental software, clear out old, unhelpful files, and install new, healthier ways of thinking. If you’re struggling with thoughts that keep you stuck, consider reaching out for support. You have the power to change your mind—literally—and create a life that’s aligned with your true potential.
Take a look at this great clip (below), by Psychologist Russ Harris.
If you would like to experience some respite from the mind, book an appointment by emailing info@emmasolomonpsychologist.com or fill out the Booking Form on my booking page for a free 15 minute consultation.
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