How to switch brain off

Just had some fireworks going off outside. We have a tradition of big fireworks thru newyears here. I wasnt wearing ear pro but it wasnt too loud or anything. I just thought oh theyre busy again lets put plugs in.

Now I notice that the entire evening my mind has been wanting to get back to thinking about that "bang". I want to let go, i dont want to think about it i dont care but my brain remains fixated.

What does this tell me, how can i fix this? I'm kind of worried its a sign my brain still needs a fixation, which would mean im not ready to get better. Why does my brain do this, and how can i tell him "no"? Also, is this to be expected?

 

Because your over‑concerned lizard brain is trying to protect you. Its job is to keep you safe — and it believes that staying worried and hyper‑alert is the way to do that. It’s misguided protection, not malfunction.

When my brain starts looping with anxious thoughts, I use a visualization that helps interrupt the pattern. I picture myself as a sponge made up of living cells that breathe together as one. Just like a cell, this sponge gently absorbs water and then releases it again. For a few breaths, I imagine breathing through all my pores like that — slow inhale, longer exhale — letting my body remember what safety feels like. After a few rounds, I shift my attention to something neutral or pleasant.

Yes, for many of us TMSers it is. The brain’s just doing what it thinks it must to protect us, and these patterns fade as safety starts to register at a deeper level.