Obsessive and intrusive thoughts

[Flowergigi]

Hi all fairly new here

This is my second post

I need some good pointers for dealing w dark obsessive and intrusive thoughts and images

Thx all

[quitter333]

I started having mind pops and what I gather - sympthoms of ADHD - just random quick thoughts and sometimes even random memories of voices and things like that. Those are similar to intrusive thoughts. At least I am 100% aware they come from my memory and are not "voices in head".

So how I dealt with them - since they bothered me the most right before sleep and at night if I woke up, I picked up a BAD habit of watching youtube I enjoyed.

Pros - some lazier shows are actually calming. You concentrate on them and actually your thoughts go in the background.

Cons - most screens make you even more insomnic than you need to be.

I also saw that I get worse with random thoughts as I slept less (I was traumatized a bit by my sudden night panic attacks, so I have hard time going to sleep even now).

Best cure - I studied. yes, plain old hardcore memorizing and learning.

It made my brain think about that and all thoughts organized themselves in some sort of proper order.

I am sure that putting your concentration is some single one thing will make your bad thoughts diminish very quickly (give it a few days, get rid of facebook and other media it is very bad for us).

Regarding "dark" thoughts I can remember having rather dark thoughts for quite a bit, so I don't think you need to be scared of them. I sometimes vizualized how I kill politicians or people I hated, or tortured them, just to show how wrong they are. I never really bothered to get scared that I have thoughts like that, and mostly ended with - hah, I'd be a pretty good killer. I fantasized about killing people in ways that could not be traced.

I was absolutely aware I'd not ever do that actually. I was not in a position to do it, I was not a warmongering barbar.

So I don't think you should be scared of such thoughts - just listen to your mind - why are you angry to this or that? Would you actually do something bad or you are aware you are just being super mean in your fantasy? Fantasies is what normal people do to not be mean in real life

As long as you don't do things, I think you should listen to yourself, question your motives and think - what are alternatives to dark solutions? Aren't you better than this? You probably are, since you already ask questions on this forum. And add some distraction, like concentrating onto something, like a book.

[Flowergigi in reply to quitter333]

Study is a great idea

[Panicatthehorizon]

usually what I do is distract myself. I talk to myself, call someone, or listen to music and dance around like an idiot.

[mjp9348]

Quitter333 is actually right , and addresses your situation very good . As Quitter has actually stated I shared in many of the same things as Quitter did ,and eventually came to realize it would be a person or a movie , or the tolls of the day that would set my mind off to the darkness and images and very bad ideas , even give me bad dreams . As I have gotten older , I have found going to bed with a positive thought or image , usually leads to a decent nights rest or even during the day when things are bad , I try to think of the positive outcomes and never try to let the negatives intrude into my thoughts. May sound kinda odd or foolish , but it helps me.

[adeo888]

May I ask, have you been specifically diagnosed with anything, like Depression or Anxiety? Rumination is a common occurrence for both of those and to be quite fair it can be very difficult to deal with. I myself struggle with his. Lately, I cannot bring myself back out of the mental wandering very easily. The thoughts can get dark and they can be about almost anything ... just the mind running and running and running to the point where mentally you are exhausted.

I know of 3 things that have or are supposed to help. Mindfulness is on the top of the list from most the therapists and doctors I've talked to about this. For those people like me where mindfulness is very difficult and somewhat annoying, simple breathing exercises can help a lot but this is something you need to practice often and not just keep trying to use this when you are stressed or your mind is running too fast in too many directions. Think of practicing breathing exercises must the same way as the muscle memory soldiers train for. With practice, it can bring you to a calmer, more relaxed state of mind out. I can't say it enough ... it requires regular practice but its worth it.

The last one, I often try to focus myself on something else but that something else needs to make my mind exercise. It is not just thinking of a happy place, counting to 100 by ones or the much fabled "counting sheep" at night ... it needs to challenge your brain. Try counting down from 100 by 7s. Don't just think about the numbers, draw them in your head and visualize them. In my case, I suck at math and it can cause anxiety. I conjugate verbs in other languages I've studied. Seriously, conjugating verbs in Latin is a mental exercise for me but because I've already studied the language I can do it with a bit of work. I do find myself mentally wandering around when trying to do this but I also realize I get lost for a bit and can bring my mental exercise back on track.

I keep working on mindfulness and breathing but that mental exercise in the last one is something I can do anytime. Find something you love to do and concentrate on doing it in such a way that you are actively visualizing it. If you get distracted and notice, bring yourself back to that task mentally.

[Flowergigi]

I do have major depression and ocd

I like your ideas !

I’m going to check into mindfulness

[RobynC]

The more power u give ur thoughts , the more they take over ur mind and control you . Thoughts are just thoughts and mean nothing , as disturbing as they can get

[Flowergigi]

Thanks everybody for your helpful ideas

[TriggerPoint]

Heck, EVERYBODY Has Been Attacked with Intrusive Thoughts. If They Say They Haven't ? It's A Lie. Everything Is Recorded & Stored In YOUR Mind. Good or/ Bad. So ? So As Easily As A Good Thought Can Cross Your Mind ? So Can A Bad One. The "FEAR" Of Those Bad Thoughts Fuel Them & Create A Vicious Cycle. It's Like The Little Newton Gadget You've Seen On Desks Ect... You Know ? The Little Balls That Once You Start One They Just Bang Each Other Back & Forth... You Got It ! Just Like The Balls, When That First Ball Strikes ? [ a bad thought ] & You Get Afraid or/ Fear It ? Guess Whats Coming Back On The Other End ?

If You Put Your Hand Between The Balls To Cushion The Returns, They Stop Rebounding.

FEAR Is The Real Enemy...

[Flowergigi]

But what is the hand in this metaphor?

[Hidden]

Hi All,I’m new to this support group. Suffer from anxiety/depression and don’t have anyone to talk too. Please reply

[Hidden]

Hi FlowergigiI have the same problem and I usually try to “ do something like coloring or puzzles.