Accelerated thinking syndrome: what it is, symptoms and treatment

Accelerated Thought Syndrome is an alteration, identified by Augusto Cury, where the mind is full of thoughts, being completely full the entire time the person is awake, which makes concentration difficult, increases anxiety and wears down physical health. and mental.

Thus, the problem with this syndrome is not related to the content of the thoughts, which are generally interesting, cultured and positive, but rather to their quantity and the speed at which they happen inside the brain.

Typically, this syndrome appears in people who need to remain constantly attentive, productive and under pressure and, therefore, it is common in executives, healthcare professionals, writers, teachers and journalists. However, it has been observed that even children have demonstrated this syndrome.

Main symptoms

The main characteristics of a person with accelerated thinking syndrome include:

• Anxiety;
• Difficulty concentrating;
• Having small memory lapses frequently;
• Excessive tiredness;
• Difficulty falling asleep;
• Easy irritability;
• Not being able to get enough rest and waking up tired;
• Restlessness;
• Intolerance of being contradicted;
• Sudden change of mood;
• Constant dissatisfaction;
• Psychosomatic symptoms such as: headache, muscle pain, hair loss and gastritis, for example.

Furthermore, it is also common to feel that 24 hours a day are not enough to do everything you want.

These symptoms are common in students who spend many hours of their day in the classroom and workers who are always under pressure in search of better results and being recognized as the best in their field of work.

This syndrome has become increasingly common because the amount of stimuli and information available in newspapers, magazines, television, social networks and smartphones is very large, and bombards the brain with information at all times. The result of this is that in addition to having a large amount of information in the mind, thinking has become increasingly accelerated, making it more difficult to manage the emotions associated with each situation.

See 7 tips to control anxiety and live better

How the diagnosis is made

The diagnosis of this syndrome is made by the psychologist or psychoanalyst based on the symptoms and history that the person presents, but the person can also answer a questionnaire to help identify this syndrome faster.

What is the treatment like?

Treatment against Accelerated Thought Syndrome must be guided by a specialized professional, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, for example. But it is generally done by adapting your lifestyle habits, and you should try to include several breaks during the day, do frequent physical activity or include small moments to listen to music or read a book without thinking about other activities.

It is also advisable to avoid long working hours, carrying out work-related tasks only during working hours, and taking short-term holidays more frequently. A good tip is instead of taking a month off, you can take 4 or 5 days off every 4 months because this gives you more time to rest and disconnect your mind from work and study tasks.

Here are some tips on how to combat stress and relax after work.

Most recommended remedies

The medications that may be recommended by the psychiatrist to help manage Accelerated Thought Syndrome are anxiolytics, which combat anxiety, and antidepressants, if there is associated depression.

But the use of medication alone is not enough and that is why regular consultations with a psychotherapist are necessary so that the person can know how to manage their emotions and control their thoughts more efficiently. There are several strategies that can be adopted by psychologists and psychiatrists to achieve this goal, but some tips that can help people keep their thoughts and emotions more controlled are listed below.

Tips to combat this syndrome

• Study or work with relaxing ambient music, at a low volume, but enough to be heard and appreciated. Nature sounds and classical music are good examples of musical styles that increase concentration and bring a sense of peace and serenity to the mind;
• Set aside up to 3 times a day to access social mediaand not always be online, nor go on social media every 5 minutes to avoid excess information and stimuli in the mind during the day;
• When talking in person with friends, express your feelings and talk about your victories and defeats because this humanizes relationships and makes them stronger and more resilient, being more appreciated than virtual reality, which can imprison the mind.

Possible consequences

Accelerated thinking syndrome is very harmful to the mind, as it hinders the development of essential capabilities such as creativity, innovation, reflection and even the desire to keep trying, without giving up, generating chronic anxiety and prolonged dissatisfaction.

Furthermore, in this syndrome the brain blocks memory frequently in order to think less and save more energy, and therefore frequent memory lapses arise which are also due to the fact that the brain uses up the energy reserved for the muscles, causing an excessive sensation. of physical and emotional tiredness.

People with accelerated thinking syndrome have difficulty putting themselves in someone else’s shoes and do not accept suggestions, constantly imposing their ideas, in addition to having difficulty reflecting before acting. She also has more difficulty dealing with losses and recognizing her mistakes, reflecting on them.