ideals, such as "God, the Church, the State, morality, fate, the laws of life, the people, the future." Focusing your attention on these things (whether you support or contradict them) can help you feel like your consciousness is not adrift, or as Zapffe said, build "walls around the liquid fray of consciousness." 3 Distraction : Keep your thoughts from turning to distressing ideas by filling your life with distractions. Focus all your energy on a hobby, project, job, or other outlet that can consume your thoughts. 4 Sublimation : Refocus your energy toward positive creative outlets, such as music, art, literature, or any other activity that you find allows you to express yourself. Other Methods 1 Understand what caused the problem . The issue is not your thoughts -- it is your attachment to the thoughts. Your thoughts (and the language in which you experience them) come from your conditioning, your society, your reaction to experiences. 2 Try to see life and your place in it as it really is . Question everything and attempt to see past all social, political, spiritual and personal conditioning and falsehoods. 3 Acknowledge that this is a common problem . Know that we humans often feel that we are stuck in a game designed and controlled by others who do not have your or humanity's best interests in mind. When you're in crisis, it looks like others succeed through ignorance, fear and the ability to lead you around by the nose. Research the history