Can’t Get A Comment Out of My Head

Reader’s Question

Someone said something to me today that made me “stop in my tracks” if you will. What they said has been bothering me all day, but now it’s totally driving me crazy. How do I get it out of my head?

Our Clinical Psychologist’s Reply

There’s not enough information here for a complex response. We often need to ask ourselves — what about that comment made me stop-in-my-tracks? Was it who said it…was it unexpected, a revelation, a contradiction? Was it what was said? Was it directed at you personally? What was shocking about it?

Stop-in-your-tracks comments are typically very insightful — they create a different way of looking at something. It can also be a single comment that suddenly clears our perspective. Of all the comments you heard that day, why was this comment so special?

Rather than get it out of your head, allow yourself to think about it and why it’s important. When we try to repress a thought, it becomes stronger. It’s like trying not to think of a white polar bear. Pose yourself some questions such as…If my friends heard the same comment, would they have the same reaction? Clearly, it’s given you something to think about.

There are a few mental health issues that would create this situation. Depression and OCD both cause us to ruminate — think obsessively. If you’ve been depressed, your brain may be using a comment to torment you. In severe depression for example, religious people are often tormented by profanities in their thoughts. Some are tormented by violent images. If you also have depressive or OCD symptoms, you should consult a mental health professional.