Runaway Mind It's Not All In Your Head

By Wanda Butler

Wanda Butler, PhD

More Mental Health Articles

Runaway Mind It's Not All In Your Head

The world we live in seems to demand more from us than we have to give. From the time the alarm rings, many of us struggle to keep ahead of those demands, and often find ourselves thinking and planning ahead of the present moment. While fighting to stay ahead of the mind-train is common today, it is not normal. The habitual pattern of anticipating the day's events, leaves us feeling a loss of control over our lives and prevents peace and well-being from distinguishing our day.
While futuristic thinking sounds like a reasonable approach to staying in control, and warding off unwelcomed surprises, we often find that such a mindset takes on a force of its own. My clients commonly describe this force as a “running mind,” or something that “drives my thinking.” One 46 year old client recently told me that her “thoughts have a mind of their own. It doesn't feel like I'm in control of my own mind anymore.” Unfortunately, once the thoughts take over, states of worry and anxiety are not far behind. As stress levels increase, nor-epinephrine rises, and eventually, sleep, digestion, and general well-being will suffer. When this occurs, mineral reserves will be exhausted, acidity will rise, and symptoms, such as headache, gastric reflux, joint pain, and weight problems will often result.
In the throes of the fight-or-flight response, our bodies do all they can to stop the spiral effects of stress. Still, we need to do our part to help in winning that fight. The first line of defense is to give the body the weapons it needs to supply nutrients to the body's stressed parts. Consuming a diet rich in healthy proteins, whole grains, good fats, and several servings of fruits and vegetables daily is a great start towards ramping up the body's defenses. But in this day and age, when denatured soil no longer provides a full complement of nutrients, it becomes necessary for all of us to provide the supplements that are missing from the food. Providing the necessary micronutrients, such as good quality B-Vitamins, alkaline minerals, multi-vitamins, Omega-3 fats, and whole-food enzymes, are usually enough to provide the body with what it requires in order to reduce stress, quiet the mind and restore health.
For many clients, when nutrients alone are not enough to stop the running mind, it is likely that the brain is lacking in specific proteins it needs to make the protein molecules that will relax the mind and balance the mood. In most cases, the body is unable to supply enough Gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA. GABA is an amino acid, which, when taken in a 500 mg. capsule, once or twice on a daily basis, is often enough to ease anxiety and quiet the runaway mind. My clients report they notice relief almost immediately. Consult your holistic practitioner before taking GABA, especially if you have low blood pressure. You can find GABA at your local health food store.