My mind is constantly bringing up horrific images I've seen and caused me to not sleep! How can I get it out!?

• I find that my mind is constantly bringing up random things I've seen in my life. Be it creepy images, embarrassing moments, gorey scenes in a movie... anything! Yesterday, I saw a close up picture of a larvae infested female breast. The picture is said to be a digitally created picture of what it would look like. Then I saw the real picture. The fake one was even more disgusting. Even now as I type this message, I can feel my mind picturing the image inside my head! I tried to think of other things, but no matter what I try to do to distract myself, I will see a faint image of the picture inmy mind! I tried to imagine it being erased or covered up by something else, but the image will keep popping back up. I couldn't sleep until 4am yesterday because of this. When I finally fell asleep, it was because I took sleeping pills! Please help me! Anyone! I need my sleep! This week it may be the larvae picture, next week it could be something else. I need a cure to end this madness!!!

• Answer:

  The more you are telling yourself to forget something, the more you remember it because you need to remember what you want to forget in order to identify what you're trying to forget -- IF you can follow my circular logic. With my mood disorder, I get nights like that too -- usually when I have to get up early and rested (which adds worry to the already hellish feelings and insomnia) but here ar a few suggestions (in random order) that have worked for me as long as I don't always do the same thing because repetition gets old fast when you are struggling with something: variety is the spice of life. 1- SEX If you are in a relationship, a good romp before nodding off puts you in a more pleasant place in your mind. 2- CLASSICAL MUSIC OR SOOTHING NATURE SOUNDS Sound therapy has been proven effective for many 3- SMOKING A JOINT Although a controversial substance, it can truly mellow out a person. Just don't overdo it 4- STAY AWAY FROM ALCOHOL Booze is a depressant -- which is negative. Two negatives only make a positive in mathematics!! 5- DO SOMETHING GOOD Get up and do something constructive around your house: Do that last bit of laundry you never seem to get to, Rearrange your closet or drawers or something, Finish a project or a sketch or a painting 6- ANIMAL THERAPY Pets have a way to make you feel better so cuddle your cat or take your dog for a walk 7- TAKE A BUBBLE BATH Perhaps a tad of aromatherapy coupled with soft music as you soak the yuckiness away and visualize all that yuckiness going down the drain after you're done. I hear lavender is a very relaxing feel-good smell. 8- GAMES Go online and play a game of euchre or crib or scrabble or something. Interactive internet games can put you in a different perspective and maybe you can make a friend 1/2 way around the world as a bonus!! Just try not to stay online all night :) 9- PAINT YOUR TOENAILS Doing something esthetic just for yourself can be a positive pick-me-up. Just don't do something irreversable nor drastic. I've had the worst haircuts when I was in a dark mood and just told the stylist "Do whatever -- I need a change" 10- MOVIES Put a different picture in your mind by watching your favorite comedy movie. An hour and a half of laughing beats 5 hours of "I need to get to sleep I need to get to sleep..." any day! Remember, you are not alone. Everybody gets edgy because of past negativity. But replacing negativity with positivity, although it takes time, helps put things into perspective. Meanwhile, never ever give up. Some of us don't have a logical explanation for the hellish pictures in our heads and have little if any control over our thoughts. If you try positivity, you have a 50/50 chance of success but if you don't persevere, you have a 100% chance of failure. Where do YOU think the odds are better? Good luck, and good night! xo