Are consuming thoughts typical? It’s normal to experience an intrusive thought. Practically everyone experiences it. In a 2014 study, they discovered that 94% of participants had experienced at least one intrusive thought in the three months before the study. Intrusive thoughts that bother you are uncommon, yet occasionally they can interfere with your life.

Stuck thoughts are ones that generate a lot of distress and are unwanted intrusions. They cause concern because they seem to appear suddenly, whoosh in, and cause an emotional mess. Unwanted, intrusive thoughts frequently contain sexual, violent, or otherwise undesirable images.  People who have intrusive thoughts may worry they could actually carry out the imagined actions. They may think the ideas must be a negative or weakness in themselves.

Unwanted, consuming thoughts are the subject of many misconceptions. In fact, one of the most upsetting myths is that you desire to act on those ideas. Simply put, it’s untrue; in fact, the reverse is true. People’s attempts to suppress their thoughts only strengthen them and encourage their recurrence.

Because the content of these thoughts seems foreign, inappropriate, and at odds with who you are, you fight them. The idea that every thought you have is significant is a second myth. Despite how they seem, these ideas are not messages, warning signs, or signals.

Thoughts are only thoughts. They are not you. You do belong to yourself, even when your thoughts don’t. ~  John Green

Why Intrusive Thoughts Feel Threatening?

The issue for those who experience these thoughts—and one estimate states that over 6 million Americans struggle with them—is that intrusive thoughts feel dangerous. This happens because nervous thoughts start to dominate, and although the notion may be vile, it does not actually have any power.  People frequently make hurried attempts to suppress their thoughts, which, ironically, increase their intensity. Thoughts become more ingrained the more one tries to distract oneself from them, divert, or replace them.

People who experience intrusive ideas need to develop a new relationship with their thoughts, understanding that sometimes their contents are irrelevant, and everyone occasionally has strange, inappropriate ideas. Your brain occasionally produces junk thoughts and is simply a part of the debris in your stream of consciousness.  Meaningless thoughts vanish and are swept away in the current of consciousness if you don’t pay attention to them or become interested in them.

A notion, even one that is really frightful, is not an instinct. Over-control by the ego rather than lack of impulse control is the issue. On the continuum, they are on opposite ends.  However, many who experience intrusive thoughts become frantic for confirmation because of their anxiousness. One must become less sensitive to intrusive obsessive thoughts in order to deal with them.

…ask yourself, What is happening around me that’s so upsetting? Often our intrusive thoughts are triggered by the events, people, and situations we encounter. Whatever you are doing at any moment will influence what you think. ~ David A. Clark

Types Of Consuming Thoughts

There are many sorts of intrusive thoughts, like:

• violence, hostility, or harming others,
• being an immoral person,
• situations of acting out or saying the wrong thing,
• reservations about doing things incorrectly.

Other intrusive thoughts that do not fall into these categories are also possible.

People who have intrusive ideas may occasionally worry about what they mean. Additionally, you could feel ashamed and prefer to keep them secret. Be aware that, while the image or concept may unsettle, it rarely has a specific meaning. It’s usually nothing to worry about if you don’t intend to act on the thought and can go about your day without difficulty.

Unwanted thoughts might just occur at random. Your mind occasionally wanders with ideas. Then, leaving no lasting impact, they leave in an instant. Less frequently, studies link intrusive thoughts to an underlying mental health issue, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Intrusive thoughts could show an underlying issue if they:

• last for more than just a minute
• cause distress over time and make you feel you need to regulate your thoughts as they keep returning
• alterations in thought processes
• obsessive negative imagery

Nothing about these ideas should make you feel shameful, but you should seek assistance so that you can start to feel better. You should also seek help if you have any thoughts of injuring yourself or other people. Get emergency help now if you’re considering injuring yourself or someone else.

Yes, I am a prisoner of sorts, but my prison isn’t the house. It’s my own thoughts that lock me up! ~ V. C. Andrews

Steps To Overcome Intrusive Thoughts

Getting involved with unwanted thoughts, worrying about them, battling them, or attempting to rationalize them away just serves to strengthen them. By attempting to avoid them, they become stronger. The thoughts will ultimately vanish into the background if you ignore them and act as though they aren’t even interesting.

Unsettling ideas don’t have to rule your life, which is wonderful news. You can triumph over them and set your mind free. Keep these five suggestions in mind the next time an intrusive idea crosses your mind.

1. Do not suppress the thought

When faced with an unwanted thought, many people immediately try to block it out. Unfortunately, using this technique has the exact opposite effect—it makes you think about the intrusive thought more.

Try to focus on something interesting to take your mind off of your thinking instead of intentionally suppressing it. Try solving a crossword puzzle or reading a book, for instance. Make sure you aren’t juggling many tasks. And that the task you choose to focus on is unrelated to the intrusive thought, and then give it your full attention. It wouldn’t make sense, for instance, to read a novel about murder to take your mind off of disturbing ideas about death.

Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power. ~ Shirley MacLaine

2. Be able to distinguish between thoughts and reality

The idea that they would act on a dark intrusive thought, like harming a loved one, is a major worry for many people who experience intrusive thoughts.  They want to know what these thoughts signify, and they want assurance that they won’t act on them.

But intrusive thoughts are just what their name implies—just thoughts. Despite what your egoic mind would have you believe, these ideas are not a sign of what’s to come and there is no intention to act on them.

So, when these thoughts emerge, accept them as simple thoughts. Recognizing them, but preventing yourself from being consumed by them, let them freely travel through and out of your mind. You’ll gradually worry less about intrusive ideas if you accept them as just another part of egoic thinking.

Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results. ~ Willie Nelson

3. Determine the triggers

Most of the time, your ideas are influenced by your daily interactions and are not completely random. Your intrusive thoughts can help you discover patterns over time if you keep a journal of the triggers you have.

Along with writing your thoughts, keep a journal with notes on your day and your general attitude.  Refer to those notes when you begin to notice repeated thoughts over time to see if you can spot any patterns.

Perhaps you had a lot of spare time when these thoughts occurred, or perhaps you saw a violent movie right before they did. You might identify the reason for these patterns and resolve the underlying problem by doing so.

Negativity is an addiction to the bleak shadow that lingers around every human form–you can transfigure negativity by turning it toward the light of your soul. ~ John O’Donohue

4. Incorporate a constructive modification into your routine.

The more positive energy you have to fill your life means there’s less room for negative energy. Why not incorporate a lifestyle change that has been shown to improve your mood and make it a dependable habit? You could, for instance, alter your schedule as follows:

• establishing a healthy diet
• daily meditation or breathing exercises
• strolling outside

Implement these strategies as soon as you wake up if you notice that your intrusive thoughts happen more frequently in the morning.

Be cautious with what you feed your mind and soul. Fuel yourself with positivity and let that fuel propel you into positive action. ~ Steve Maraboli

5. Discuss the issue

Many people have feelings of guilt or shame when they acknowledge having intrusive thoughts. They attempt to cope with their thoughts independently and keep them private from other people.

However, it can be quite helpful to talk through your emotions with your trusted tribe or family member. You might gain a completely new perspective on your circumstances if you’re honest and open about how you’re feeling and what you’re going through.

Speaking with a stranger can be less difficult for some people than speaking with a friend. My life coaching may be an excellent choice in this situation. There are numerous therapy options accessible, both for individuals and for groups.

The difference between misery and happiness depends on what we do with our attention. ~ Sharon Salzberg

Moving Forward With Less Intrusive Thoughts

Everyone experiences intrusive ideas from time to time. You can get rid of your intrusive thoughts with a little effort and dedication. Your capacity to resist the impulse to fret and obsess over them will determine your level of achievement.

The first step in ending the loop is realizing your cognitive habits. You can never completely control your ideas, thus it’s normal for your egoic mind to lean toward negativity. It’s crucial to keep in mind that thought has no power or significance on its own. It’s not necessarily a sign that you’re a bad person if you have a violent or unsettling idea. The first step in managing intrusive thoughts is realizing them for what they are, which is ‌possible.

Do you need help to deal with intrusive thoughts? Are you looking for a way to reframe the stories you tell yourself?  Do you want to stop feeling like your mind is on a negative feedback loop? If so, please reach out to me at TerriKozlowski.com and we can create a plan for you to alter how your mind deals with these thought processes.

When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite ones should be thought of. ~ Patanjali

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WHY IT'S VITAL TO HANDLE INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS AND WAYS TO OVERCOME THEM

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Everyone has intrusive thoughts. Knowing ways to handle and overcome them is a skill you should learn to deal with the egoic mind.

Author

Terri Kozlowski

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Kozmic Soul Solutions LLC

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