Find a reprocessing that works for you and use it if you give into the impulse.

Reprocussion.

I have those too, and they always come from "the pain". what works for me sometimes is when I can fully recognize that what I'm feeling IS a pain-related impulse. just facing that, and knowing that the outcome is not going to be good if I go through with it can help to prevent it.

say to yourself, "I know where this is coming from, and I'm going to be causing myself more pain. you won't get the best of me! if I resist you, it's me getting BETTER." use it as an opportunity to actually get better! easier said than done, but take some deep breaths and inhale strength if you can.

By "impulse" do you mean you lack impulse control? That is, you behave compulsively? If so, I can certainly identify. I guess it's a common problem stemming from anxiety. We're constantly looking for something, anything to sooth the anxiety. We often descend into addictive behavior as a result.

I found The Happiness Trap a good read regarding this. It lets you both address anxiety as well as impulses.

At the end of the day I really have needed to dig deep to (hopefully) identify the source of my anxiety and address that, however. Talk therapy is helping me right now.

If it's about contacting someone, I tell myself that I'll sleep on it and see how I feel tomorrow. The phone/computer isn't going to run away, and will still be there tomorrow if I change my mind. For me this is a bit like the emotional equivalent of the dieting advice to wait ten minutes or drink a glass of water before diving in for the snack you think you need.

The great thing about it is that you can repeat it indefinitely. You're ALWAYS going to go to bed at some time each day, and if you still feel the same the next day, you just keep on rolling it over to the next one, and the next... I've actually eradicated some bad habits this way. Not being too hard on yourself and telling yourself you can always do it tomorrow if you still want to gives you back a sense of 'owning' the problem AND the solution - I think so, anyway. You don't feel quite so much at its mercy.

Hope this helps you some!

Great Inputs. I will keep myself aware of the inputs you have given next time my Impulses kick in.