Unwanted intrusive thoughts may make you feel uneasy, but they are common, and you can apply coping mechanisms to help you deal with them!

We can never fully control our thoughts, it’s normal for our minds to lean toward unwanted thoughts occasionally. However, intrusive thoughts can become a daily struggle for some people.

Intrusive thoughts are unwelcome and frequently unpleasant thoughts and images. You suddenly have a strange, unsettling thought or image that appears out of nowhere. It might be a persistent worry that you’ll say or do something inappropriate or embarrassing. Whatever the subject matter, it’s frequently unsettling and might make you feel anxious or ashamed. The thought returns no matter how hard you try to get it out of your head.

It’s important to remember that having these thoughts does not make you a “bad” person, and that thought is powerless and meaningless.

The first step in managing intrusive thoughts is realizing them for what they are, which is generally possible.

Here are the details.

What are intrusive thoughts?

Unwanted, involuntary thoughts frequently feel even more powerful because they seem to come out of nowhere and may recur repeatedly. The thoughts are frequently abnormal for the person and may go against their values or beliefs.

Usually, intrusive thoughts are violent, unsettling, and sexually explicit, or they are the result of beliefs that the person finds unacceptable. This can make the thoughts even more upsetting because the person having them may harshly critique themselves.

Intrusive thoughts are identified by these signs:

• For you, the thought is unusual. Typically, an intrusive thought differs significantly from your regular thoughts. For instance, it might be violently out of character.
• The idea makes you uncomfortable. An intrusive thought is one that you want to push out of your mind if it makes you uncomfortable.
• Controlling the thought seems complicated. Intrusive thoughts frequently repeat themselves and refuse to leave.

Sometimes mental health conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder, where thoughts become so bothersome that they cause repetitive behaviors or compulsions, are linked to intrusive thoughts. They are also frequent in post-traumatic stress disorder, which can be brought on by a traumatic or seriously upsetting event like an accident or violent attack. People suffering from anxiety or another condition may be more likely to become fixated on an unwanted thought and interpret it negatively. They might also give the thought more weight by becoming more concerned about its ramifications.

However, intrusive thoughts can also happen to individuals who don’t struggle with mental health disorders. 

Therefore, although intrusive thoughts can occur to anyone, they might be more severe for those with mental health issues.

How to cope with intrusive thoughts?

Identify the triggers

Most of the time, your thoughts are influenced by your daily interactions and are not entirely random. Your intrusive thoughts can help you understand patterns over time if you keep a journal of them. Along with writing down your thoughts, keep a journal with notes about your day and your general mood. Refer back to those notes as you begin to notice repeated thoughts over time to see if you can spot any patterns. You might be able to identify the cause of these patterns and resolve the underlying problem by doing so.

Don’t hide from the thought

When faced with an unwanted thought, many try to block it out as their first response. Unfortunately, this technique has the exact opposite effect—it makes you think about the bothersome thought more. Try to focus on something interesting to take your mind off your thought instead of consciously suppressing it. Try solving a crossword puzzle or reading a book, for instance.

Separate between thought and reality

Intrusive thoughts are precisely what their name implies—just thoughts. So, when these thoughts arise, accept them as mere thoughts. Recognizing them, but preventing yourself from being consumed by them, let them freely pass through your mind. You’ll gradually worry less about intrusive thoughts if you accept them as another thought.

Try having a positive outlook

You might frequently focus on the negative and make up unfounded stories due to intrusive thoughts. You might be living a lot in the past or worrying about the future without even realizing it. Mindfulness practice involves bringing your attention to the positive aspects and establishing your presence there. Being mindful can help you deal with intrusive thoughts by acknowledging them without giving them any weight. Mindfulness can also help us accept our thoughts and feelings and lessen anxiety. So, even though you might still have these negative thoughts, you don’t feel compelled to act on them.

Intrusive thoughts can be alarming and upsetting and might be totally at odds with your regular beliefs and actions.

It’s critical to remember that thought only has the strength you give it, and it doesn’t necessarily represent who you are or your true character.