8 replies to this topic

[Nefertiti]

Hello everyone, i'm interested in the drugs-side of things, but i'd also like to figure out how to change my thought process. 1 - I am aware of this thing called meditation (and variants) and have found it very useful in the past, particularly when i quit smoking. However, meditation in my experience did not change how i thought, it only helped me control my impulses much better (i am a beginner though..). 2. I am aware of CBT/ NLP, and think it could be extremely useful in the long run. However, being in a therapy/ personal development context puts you in the position of someone with a "problem to fix" or someone wanting a "better you", and automatically shuts down a huge chunck of your natural ressources. Also, how good the CBT/NLP is can depend on the person teaching you, and may also end up being expensive. 3. Life experiences - in my opinion so far, the absolute best way to change your ways of thinking, by modifying your internal images. This is due to, what Dr Gerald Huether refers to as, images captured in a moment of heighten sensory stimulation. Awesome way, but is a but so so random, life has to give it to you. This is something that you could encourage by purposefully placing yourself in very challenging or unusual (for you) situations i think... 4. Iboga, Aya and all that... to a certain extent... 5. My question is = has anyone ever encountered ways to fundamentally change your thought process? .......Something to help you record your unvoluntary thoughts? A combination of elements that has helped your brain create new neural connections? ....Something that has allowed you to be fundamentally transformed, without being traumatised?

[Tom_]

Mindfulness won't help you change your thoughts, Its aim is to help you accept them. Meditation has a wide range of definitions - would mind being a little clearer about what you did.

NLP is not evidence based and I wouldn't recommend it for that reason.

CBT doesn't have to be with a therapist, moodgym gives CBT and you could buy a book on it (it might be focused on problems but you can still learn the techneques and employ them.

The bottom of your reply seems to be indicating you are after an entire and dramatic change in personality. With shit loads of LSD or brain damage, changes like that are between very unlikely and never.

[Godot]

Therapy isn't as expensive as people make it out to be. A year of therapy costs about the same as a single broken bone, and the positive effects can enrich your quality of life forever.

If you don't want to do that, try this book by Stephen Lankton -- a highly respected therapist and current editor of the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis. I attended a workshop he gave on the topics covered in this book and can personally vouch for the techniques. http://www.amazon.co...aw/d/098232880X

[Nefertiti]

With all the research that's been done into brainwashing, we still can't modify personalities, come on

Thank you for the book recommendation

Edited by Nefertiti, 12 June 2013 - 11:18 AM.

[Tom_]

Clinical hypnosis is great for changing egodystonic behavior but not egosyntonic. It is however an excellent recommendation.

[jakord]

http://www.amazon.de...n/dp/1583334831

This book has helped me tremendously, althogh I don't think there is a way to fundamentally change the way you think.
Mindfulness can help to reduce unwanted thoughts and behaviour in the long run, but it won't induce positive thinking.

Can you give me a source for what gerald hüther says to life experiences?

[Nefertiti]

Hi Morpheus, i really recommend you have a look at his book (although i could only find the link in French for some reason...)http://www.amazon.fr...r/dp/2840584697 I think he argues that the way you live your life is governed by the internal representation you have of things. And that those internal représentations can be altered, either internally (by your will), or externally (by life events, expériences). He seems to argue that external modifications are potentially more powerful and have a bigger impact on your brain (thus, the benefit of living a diverse and changing life ). Kind of like the movie The Game (with M.Douglas). I'm actually 100% convinced you can change yourself quite a bit, including inducing lots of positive thinking. But it might be a matter of combining lots of different techniques!!! Thanks for the book recommendation!

[Sunwind]

Mindfulness won't help you change your thoughts

Except it does. It takes your thoughts out of your head space and stops you ruminating and getting in to a cycle of bad thought by keeping you grounded in the moment, it's exactly what it does and is very effective if you keep at it.

[TheBatman]

What helps me most is to set aside 20 minutes a day to sit there and think about where I am in life and what changes I want to see. I think about my physical health, mental health, spiritual health, social health exc. and I make a sort of mental plan as to how I'm going to get there.

Remember "A great many people believe they are thinking, when in reality are they are just rearranging their prejudices."

I can't remember who said that, but when changing your thoughts, your thoughts have to be open to change. Yes nootropics can help with that though and I think that's your answer to #5. Whatarenootropics.com