How to Clear Your Mind

Your brain is hard-wired to do all sorts of things when you are not consciously thinking about something. But just because it’s normal for your mind to wander doesn’t mean that it’s always good! Luckily, once you know how it works, you can find ways to control it.

Hosted by: Brit Garner
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[jermsmason]

I'll have to watch this again, I was on default mode.

[NewMessage]

Thanks to my depression and self loathing, my 'default mode' is more of a 'myfault' mode'.

[adanigelavar]

I feel as though the SciShow Psych channel is very underrated yet. Just barely above 400k subscribers? You guys make amazing videos and thus deserve much more than that.

[puurrez]

I keep thinking about this terrible thing and when I’m not thinking about it my mind goes “finally we’re not thinking about that” and then I start to think about it again

[Wilson-zkqe]

Thank you so much for this. I struggle with obsessive thoughts and always have to ask everyone to repeat what they say because I’m always thinking of something. It’s really hard and I think it plays a part in how exhausted I get from day to day. Will try focused attention meditation :)

[merriellenroselette]

As a person with OCD, GAD, and PTSD, not letting my mind control me, is easier said than done. This explains a lot though! Wow...

[evaristegalois]

Can't clear your mind if you've lost it

[Deman]

This whole day has been kinda foggy and weird for me so before watching this video I decided to sit and focus on my breathing for a few seconds before I started the video so I could properly digest it. It was amazing to see them talking about the effectiveness of this in the video, and how my mind was only focused because I performed that action. I used to gawk at meditation and that kinda stuff, but truly, when I close my eyes and just focus on oxygen entering and exiting my lungs, I open them feeling more aware, happier, and since Ive been doing this for a couple weeks now its amazing to see how it collectively gets better and better and helps me understand what normal and natural feels like. Really y'all, practice this. Its perception changing. Theres is no greater investment, and Im the first person to shoot this kinda stuff down.

[KooblyK]

It would be interesting to learn how that network relates to ADHD

[Brainstorm]

I love the default mode network. Doing a study on it at the moment.

[ICONICCOINS]

The answer is "meditation" they make it sound so easy

[catherinesoph]

Brit: "Clear your mind."

My mind: "OMG She's wearing a Hogwarts shirt!! I wonder what house she's in! I love Harry Potter so much!!"

[sadhaadh]

Me: how to clear your mind
Others: meditate
Me:how to meditate
Others:clear your mine

Me : TRIGGERED

[IceMetalPunk]

This is somewhat related to hypnosis (the therapeutic kind, not the stage "cluck like a chicken" kind). I was never a big believer in hypnosis, and then my therapist (who happened to also be a licensed hypnotherapist) did it with me. It's not the smoke-and-mirrors you tend to think of; it's more like guided meditation. I ended up so relaxed that my head actually drooped and 30 minutes felt like 5. It's really just finding something to focus on -- like the therapist's voice, or an image, or your breathing -- so that other thoughts can't sneak in. I really wish I was better at doing it on my own, but I'm too impatient and not self-disciplined enough; when my mind wanders, I'm just like, "Well, okay, that didn't work, let's check YouTube!" >_<

[Dionyzos]

I started meditating daily because I was depressed and couldn't stop thinking about all the things that went "wrong" in my life. I was a few months in when suddenly Christmas holidays threw my daily routine all over the place and I stopped. I got depressed again really fast and so I realized how important meditation has become for me. There is nothing wrong with your life, your thoughts are the problem.

[muhammadsiddiqui]

To me, meditation is not blocking the default mode network, it is basically consciously entertaining even the slightest of the thought and it works just amazingly.

[jacobb]

You people are modern heroes. You have no idea how much good this is doing. Thank you.

[Chevelin_X]

I’ve found the focused-attention meditation to be the most successful in provoking results for entry-level participants desiring to clear their mind of these flurrying thoughts. I’ve also found leading your meditation with music especially created in the process of composition to aid your journey into this absent mind, and as well as using your breath as a vehicle to lead your current existence working very well, too.

[rudrapratapsinghsolanki]

Thanks for summing up scientifically, all the discussions around mindfulness, the effectiveness of meditation. Really helpful video.

[inwebelieve]

A channel called What I've Learned, has all kinds of wild claims about a lot of things. He's pretty good at hyping them up too. They seem reasonable, but I always come here to double check him.

I've been waiting for you guys to make this video so I could fact check some of his info on meditation. This didn't cover all the bases, but it makes me a little more confident in his video.