What are intrusive thoughts? Intrusive thoughts are unwanted negative thoughts that pop into your head without your consent.
What can intrusive thoughts be about? Intrusive thoughts can be about many things. These thoughts can be disturbing, embarrassing, revolting, horrifying, or can otherwise cause extreme distress
What do these thoughts mean? Most of the time, these thoughts have no real world impact. They do not reflect you or your beliefs, and they certainly do not line up with anything you'd ever want to do. The contents of these thoughts may be disturbing, but overall they aren't dangerous and they're certainly not a sign that you're going insane.
Who can have these thoughts? Anyone! A lot of people with intrusive thoughts have other underlying mental illnesses, but not everyone does. Sometimes it's a symptom of OCD, sometimes it's a result of depression or anxiety, or sometimes, it's just something that happens as a result of stress or something else.
How do I deal with intrusive thoughts? While these are not foolproof methods, here's a list of a few ways you can deal with them:
- Acknowledge them for what they are. Recognize that those thoughts don't reflect you or your intentions as a person.
- Accept them. Don't try to force them out of your head.
- Don't ignore them. You can subconsciously create links between the distractions you use and your intrusive thoughts.
- Book a CBT [Cognitive Behavioral Therapy] appointment if intrusive thoughts become a serious issue.
- Self Care!! Refer to Chapter 2 of this guide for self care techniques.
- Talk it out with someone you trust. If they're a good friend/family member, they won't judge you for having these kinds of thoughts.
- Ask about medication you can take, if an underlying mental health condition is causing your intrusive thoughts.
- Don't ignore your mental health and/or let it get bad.
I don't have much to say on this topic, so if you have anything to add to this list, let me know!
Resources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/intrusive-thoughts#treatment
YouTube: "Dealing With Intrusive Thoughts" by Thomas Sanders
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Self Help Guide
Non-FictionHi! This book is meant to detail self help techniques for dealing with all sorts of situations. Some things you may encounter while reading this guide include: -Coping techniques for depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses -Coming to terms w...
