Intrusive thoughts

[Worrywort321]

Hello so I haven't been on in a while but am not feeling great mentally right now. I've been having some intrusive thoughts that I'm crazy or a psychopath or something but with no anxiety attached. And then it scares me but I still don't have fear. And I think deep down I know I'm not a psychopath but now it's upset me and I feel disconnected to myself. Any advice? I don't really have anyone to talk to this about cause it's kinda a crazy thing to talk about (excuse the pun).

[Carl87]

Hey, welcome to being human. We all experience rough horrid thoughts now and again, our brains are constantly seeking and wanting to play with new things , some good, some not so good. Did you used to get these types of thoughts and it used to give you such anxiety? Or have you also thought them with zero anxiety at all? I’m only asking because whenever I get an intrusive thought I don’t want or like it’s usually followed with an anxiety sensation or feeling. Needless to say, just because you don’t experience any anxiety, doesn’t warrant you a psychopath either! I’ve also had intrusive thoughts and experienced zero anxiety, but I’m not a bad person in the slightest, and the more i accepted my anxious thoughts, the more I’ve learned to accept them, let them be there without reacting .. and they fade. That’s how our minds work in relation to thoughts. We will all get obscure, uncontrollable thoughts from time to time which make no rational sense whatsoever and completely go against our core values and beliefs. However, knowing that they are meaningless and not some underlying sign that you are crazy, is simply crucial. Laugh at your thoughts and see them for what they are , meaningless non factual things which will soon fade away the less attention you give them. You’re only focusing on those thoughts because their unwanted thoughts. Try not to worry about it, we all get them, only most people brush them off instantly because of how ridiculous they are. Just remember, we are far more than just the random thoughts in our minds . Hope this helps.

[Worrywort321 in reply to Carl87]

Thank you so much! That makes so much sense and helps I just have to get it through my head! See I did used to get anxiety from the thoughts but no more and that's what upsets me which I know it's kinda stupid cause nobody wants to feel anxious. I'm gonna work on this and thanks again

[Carl87 in reply to Worrywort321]

This will help you too... if you were really a crazy psychopath , you certainly wouldn’t be on an anxiety website trying to get rid of them lol. You’d be fine with them and even like having the thoughts. This in itself, proves you’re absolutely 100% not crazy the next time you get a thought you don’t want , and it’s stuck, leave it be there.. . Let it try and scare you as much as possible , it’s just the anxiousness tricking you. The more you accept them and let them be there , the less they will appear until one day , they’re gone!

[DeeM3 in reply to Carl87]

Perfectly said! My cousin has several diagnosed mental disorders and when she is off her meds she has NO clue how’s she’s acting. She can’t look outside herself and judge...she’s living it unaware.

[Sfqueen]

I totally understand I suffer from thoughts as well.. when I get then I just say to myself they meaningless thoughts and just let them pass. It's hard but you just have to practice

[Sfqueen]

Here are Steps for coping with Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts That I suggest to my patients:

Label these thoughts as "intrusive thoughts."

Remind yourself that these thoughts are automatic.

Accept and allow the thoughts into your mind. Do not try to push them away.

Float, and practice allowing time to pass.

Remember that less is more. Pause. Give yourself time. There is no urgency.

Expect the thoughts to come back again

Continue whatever you were doing prior to the intrusive thought.

(I sometimes call this part LAD: Label, Accept, Don’t bother.)

Label the thought

Accept the feeling it gives you.

Don’t bother to engage in avoidance and safety seeking behaviors. They work backwards.

Try Not To:

Engage the thoughts in any way.

Push the thoughts out of your mind.

Try to figure out what your thoughts "mean."

Convince yourself that you would never do what the thoughts are saying.

Change your behavior so that you avoid the possibility of acting on your thoughts.

Try to:

Label these as intrusive thoughts.

Number your anxiety level and watch it go up and down.

Allow the thoughts to remain without hindrance. (They will go away on their own).

Focus on managing your anxiety in the present. (That means staying with What is as oppose to What if?)

This approach can be difficult to apply. But for anyone who keeps applying it for just a few weeks, there is an excellent chance that they will see a decrease in the frequency and intensity of the unwanted intrusive thoughts.

[Worrywort321 in reply to Sfqueen]

Thank you so much! That is very helpful!

[Gambit62]

This post on intrusive thoughts might give you some ideas and help you understand what is going on a bit better

healthunlocked.com/couchtob...

the post is really about finding a way of changing the way you react to a thought when it arises so that it doesn't stress you out, leading to more similar thoughts and getting into a vicious circle.

[Worrywort321 in reply to Gambit62]

Thank you!! I'll have a look!! Really appreciate everyone taking the time to give me help it means a lot