Misconceptions about Intrusive Thoughts & How to Deal with Them
Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts, images, impulses, or urges that occur spontaneously or that may be cued by external or internal stimuli. They are associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and can also be common symptoms of other anxiety disorders. Typically, these thoughts or images are disturbing to those experiencing them, causing distress and anxiety, thus why they are labeled as intrusive.
Common themes of intrusive thoughts may be harm, violence, sexual behaviors, related to religion, and making and/or causing mistakes. They typically are out of character for the person experiencing them eliciting feelings of shame, guilt, embarrassment, and/or fear. These thoughts can be experienced by people who don’t typically struggle with anxiety or mental health issues making them even more concerning to these individuals. It is estimated that 90% of the population have experienced intrusive thoughts.
People experiencing intrusive thoughts may feel afraid that they might act on these thoughts and images or that having the thoughts means they are bad people. This can be distressing, but is a common misconception about intrusive thoughts. In fact, the opposite is true. Intrusive thoughts get stuck in our heads because we are shocked by them and try to fight them. They seem unacceptable and are contradictory to how we see ourselves. People with violent thoughts are usually gentle people. Those that have thoughts about suicide love their lives. If you have an image of doing something repulsive in church, you probably value religion.
The second misconception about intrusive thoughts is that they are meaningful, or worth examining. In actuality these thoughts are not red flags or warning signs, they are just thoughts. But the perception that they mean something about us as people, distresses us, and we seek to rid ourselves of the thoughts which further entrenches them. What is needed is a new way of looking at these thoughts and a new relationship with them.
If you have an intrusive thought instead of it causing you anxiety, think:
- It is just a thought, not a desire
- The content of the thought is immaterial
- That everyone has occasional strange, bizarre, socially improper, or violent thoughts
- Our brains sometimes create anomalies that are meaningless
- If I go about my day this will probably leave
The next time you have an intrusive thought take the following steps to alleviate distress:
- Label the thought as “intrusive”
- Remind yourself the thoughts are automatic, and you did not come up with it
- Accept and allow the thoughts into your mind.
- Pause and give yourself time to recover
- Expect the thoughts to come back and be okay with that
- Move through the anxiety to your next task
The following things can be counter productive in overcoming intrusive thoughts and may entrench them further.
- Engaging the thoughts
- Trying to block them out of your mind
- Trying to figure out what they mean
- Checking to see if your steps to get rid of them are working
If you are having intrusive thoughts that seem overwhelming and are causing distress, reach out and talk to someone. Having someone else affirm that you are not your thoughts is often helpful.
If you have suicidal thoughts or are in immediate risk
If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, get help right away through one or more of these resources:
- Reach out to a close friend or loved one.
- Contact a minister, a spiritual leader, or someone in your faith community.
- Call a suicide hotline number — in the United States, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to reach a trained counselor.
- Make an appointment with your doctor or a mental health professional.
- Call 911
Yours in health,
Danielle Older, MSW, LISW-S, CCTP
Danielle is one of our maternal mental health therapists and the founder of River Root Counseling. Her therapeutic style is individual, evidence-based, and unique to best serve each individual client. Danielle will work with you, at your pace, cheering you on and empowering you as you accomplish your therapeutic goals. Danielle values the therapeutic relationship and works to make each session beneficial and helpful for her clients. Danielle is a mother herself and understands the roller coaster that parenting, and motherhood, can sometimes feel like.
Call River Root at 330-595-4563
Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervision Designation (Ohio) – I.2002068-SUPV
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP)
Bachelor’s of Social Work – University of Akron
Master’s in Social Work – Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Schedule a consultation here.