Intrusive thoughts

[Wrapitup118]

Hi all. I have been taking medication for anxiety and depression and have come a long way from the initial panic attacks and overall depressed feelings. However, I still have these nasty suicidal thoughts barging in every so often especially when driving. How do you get those out of your mind? Any ideas? Thanks

[Sandpiper14]

Hey, I’ve been recovering from my mental breakdown for about 6 months now and some times those very dark thoughts trickle in. I think I just tell myself I am lucky to be alive, think of your nearest and dearest and make plans for the future but also try and find happiness in every day life (hard task I know) even if that’s writing one thing to be grateful for a day! I’d also recommend a check in with your GP and perhaps upping your meds or engaging in talking therapies! I’m about to start therapy in the next two weeks!

[012703060610]

I know how those thoughts can come in waves and out of no where. I’m so sorry for how you are feeling but glad to hear you are in recovery. I think for me, my young kids keep me motivated enough, beyond that, I struggle to find my own joy in this life. I’m about to live the rest of my life with a life ending disease that only gets worse. I personally do not want to live through the pain and anguish as my body fails. However, we get one shot here. While I am utterly miserable, I seek out anything positive in a day that I can. It certainly isn’t easy. I try to make very small goals. Yesterday was get to doctor and shower. I made it to the doctor. Today will be to shower and I’m giving myself a day of rest. Thinking small helps me get through the days rather than trying to solve for all. I’m a different person now physically ill and am working to come to terms with all of that. I say small steps and keep on this recovery journey!

[designguy]

I went through a period of very intrusive thoughts and even suicidal thoughts and I feel your pain. What helped me was reading that we have on the average of 4 to 6 thousand thoughts a day and the majority of them are negative because our brain is trying to keep us safe by throwing up the worst case scenarios to prevent us from being harmed. I also learned that anxiety and our anxious thoughts are a paradox, the more you resist the anxious feelings and thoughts the more they persist. The more you try to fight them or out think them the more they stick around. The solution is surrender to them and let them happen and go on about your day. The reality is thoughts have no power unless we choose to believe them and allow them to. And thoughts are just thoughts. I got to the point that I started laughing at the absurdity of the thoughts and even making fun of them and trying to make them even scarier. The biggest key to my healing my anxiety has been to never believe my anxious thoughts no matter how crazy they are. Practicing simple mindfulness meditation is a good way to learn to let your thoughts flow in and out of your brain and detach from them. It's also a good way to just sit with your anxious feelings/sensations and allow them and realize they can't harm you and desensitize yourself. You may also have some OCD issues, I have some, which is common with anxiety.

You might check out the youtubes and website of Paige Pradko, she is a therapist with anxiety/OCD who healed herself and now helps others heal. She has some videos on intrusive thoughts and ruminating which are good. I've also found the DARE Anxiety book and youtube videos helpful.

[Dardiz1 in reply to designguy]

very good advice do most of it myself different people on you tube

[designguy in reply to Dardiz1]

Thanks, glad you know about them and have found it helpful.

[Hidden]

I relate. One of the things I've learned is to take life one moment at a time. Sometimes it's 1 minute at a time.

In the long term, gratitude journals help me. The ones you can just fill in that are helpful I've found on therapistaid.com.

Sorry to drop a link but, that site is super helpful 👌. I hope you continue to heal. 🫂