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Comment by LandR | Hacker News Reader

The thing I find is hardest about sitting and reading a book is the quietness and being essentially alone with my own thoughts.

If I'm sitting watch a film / netflix etc, there is noise and that seems to distract my brain from going to dark places.

It's like I'll be reading a page and then by the end of the page I've taken nothing in and my brain is forcing me to think about stuff I don't want to think about. Intrusive thoughts like you suck as a person,you're fat, you're ugly, why do your friends like you? You suck at your job etc.

I think this is the same reason why I struggle to sleep, just being alone with my thoughts trying to sleep ends up putting me in a bad place.

It sucks because I used to love reading.

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Yes, this sucks. It can be quite hard to see and understand, that these thoughts are your own activity, you are enabling these thoughts.

You can't control if thoughts pop up, but you have control if you are following these thoughts, if you continue them.

It might be very difficult to see the difference between the pop up of a thought and its following, because if you always follow a thought you get used to it, it just automatically happens.

It can be quite hard to get rid of this habit, it takes time and energy, but the more you try to not automatically follow thoughts - but only if you really want to - the less thoughts will randomly pop up.

I have the same problem. It's definitely the worst effect of information overload - being alone with my own thoughts is anxiety inducing.

I've also noticed that on the days I spend too much time scrolling through Reddit and skimming the news, I have this background feeling of restlessness.

I'm trying to fix this by resisting the urge to look at my phone whenever I have a spare moment - like waiting in line, or when taking the elevator. Boredom shouldn't feel scary.

Meditation and going for walks (without bringing my phone) also help.

I would suggest that these are probably not thoughts you should be trying to ignore. What is at the root of your mind telling you that you suck as a person? Do you work with a therapist? It may help.. If you can face into these and change whatever it is you need to then maybe you can start reading and sleeping again, plus your life will be better in just about every way!

I know this,

You might want to try meditation, it let’s your brain dump these thoughts and then be more present.

Dude, this is not normal. Don't think you have to accept that. Talk to somebody.

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