How can someone overcome thoughts about an undesirable past?

Question

Hello doctor,

I had done some bad things when I was 18 years old. Now, it is haunting me. I fear that all that will be leaked on the internet, and my husband and family will come to know about it. I want to delete it from my brain and not think about it anymore. How?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I can understand what you are going through. When you are trying to forget something undesirable from the past, the first thing you need to do is vent it out. Either talk about it to someone you can trust, or you can write it on paper and then burn it, or maybe when you are alone, just try to talk to yourself. Next, you need to forgive yourself and let go. This part is tough. If you cannot do it yourself, I suggest you talk to a therapist. There is a technique through which you can reduce the intensity of these thoughts and feelings in your mind so that it does not bother you anymore. Emotional freedom techniques and cognitive modulation can help. These involve only talking and are not invasive procedures.

Feel free to ask any further questions.

Take care.