Intrusive thoughts how common?

[anitagreen]

Any one get them? Ways to deal with them? I'm aware of the condition OCD pure O. With obsessive thoughts being the main condition of it.
I have had them for a few years they do come and go atm they seem to be based on my fear of dying or me just randomly ending my life which I do not want to happen at all. Does anyone else have them? And what do you do to calm them down?

Hi
I'm sorry you are feeling this way. I have been tortured by intrusive thoughts at various periods in my life. Prozac helped 'turn down' the thoughts and I read The Imp of the Mind by Lee Baer which is an amazing book and in fact, can help even more so than the Prozac or at least in conjunction with it. It was life changing for me. I still suffer with obsessional thoughts from time to time but the content is not so scary.

Wishing you all the best....

Thank you
I don't mind when there silly and irrational but suicide and dying ones are really horrible to deal with they pop into my mind almost every hour and are frustrating x

I have been diagnosed with OCD and intrusive thoughts. I need medication for it.

I'm sorry you are experiencing this. No real advice, just wanted to say that I was plagued by them in the first months after having my DDs, and came to see it as a post-natal issue. I used to think that I would drop them when walking up or down the stairs in my house. Just that, but it it was so persistent and 'noisy' in my mind, and at times caused me to avoid the stairs for whole days. DP works in MH and helped me be patient and kind to myself, seeing that it was just a thought, like a little yappy Jack Russell in my mind, and meeting it with gentleness took the sting out of it, even if it didn't go away.

Thanks for all replies I've actually realised this whole summer I spent so much time focused on them and trying to put them off, long speeches with myself etc that was all not helping, I've now taken the approach to just accept they are just thoughts they won't harm me they are not my thoughts they are just intrusive thoughts and I do feel a lot more calmer and peaceful now. I still have the odd what if I do kill my self and then people look at my Facebook and write condolences on it? Or what if I fall out the window? But they are just thoughts and that's that. I'm not depressed or suicidal I am quite content with my life just annoying to have. But thank you all to who replied with there own experiences it has helped a lot to know it's quite common x

Yes, I have them, mostly about catastrophic things happening to my kids. I think they're triggered by tiredness (brilliant!). It does help to... Not 'accept' them, that's the wrong word, but think to yourself ah, right. One of those. I tend to close my eyes for a few seconds and open them again, telling myself that's it
, I've turned them off in my head. But as others have said if they're affecting day to day life then perhaps speak to your GP

If you can "chop" them off at the base. So, firstly recognise what they are like. Then when you recognise one try and cut if off before it goes anywhere. Maybe say "no" to yourself, whatever...its a case of finding a coping technique to stop them in their tracks.

As others say, look at when they happen. Stressed or very busy? Tired? Ill? and then they may be able to be controlled by trying not to be those things sometimes (not always possible I know)

I get them too and worry that if I've thought or discussed them, then that means they will happen. It's horrible, so I sympathise.
The worst thing is, they aren't irrational because bad things do happen to children sadly, so I'm stuck in a cycle of thoughts = fear/aniety. It's crap.

I had this many years ago, what worked for me was everytime a thought came into my head I would instantly pinch myself on the inside of the wrist, it's like a brain training thing, so your brain will associate the thought with pain and over time the thoughts reduce. It really worked for me, took a few days to notice a difference but I don't get them anymore. Also, repeating to yourself "it's not me, it's my OCD" will help put the thoughts into perspective.

I had these when I had postnatal anxiety; fears my daughter would die or I'd drop her or something else horrific.

They still occasionally happen but I have PTSD so I associate with that. I saw a counsellor a few years ago who said the best way to combat them is to talk yourself round. So when your brain says "Oh look a bus, lets jump in front of it" I say "No, we have no need, we've had a good day today we've done x and y" they can be unsettling, but I find treating them as another thought rather than letting them scare me really helps.

I've had this all my life and CBT genuinely helped me, after several goes of medication and other types of therapy. I still get it now but I'm much better at closing those thoughts off and recognising them as unhelpful.

Is this not just life? I regularly think about dying in a car crash because i drive so much. What would people say at my funeral etc.
I also think about how i might end up in a terror situation and where would i hide/run who would i save. Also, if i would survive a plane crash etc. Is this not normal?

One study of students with no mental illnesses found 95% experienced intrusive thoughts.

Whisky hmm define ‘normal’?! But no a lot of people don’t experience these regularly. I also think there’s a difference between worrying about the consequences of taking risks (like your example of car accidents) and imagining hurting yourself (so for example I imagine deliberately driving myself into walls, over bridges, cutting myself).

OP I get this. I take anxiety medication. I’ve found counselling with a CBT approach helps me to manage this better. I’ve been doing mindfulness and one phrase that stuck with me is ‘You are not your thoughts’. So although these things come to me, they don’t have to define me. I find they come up for a reason - I’m having them at the moment because I hate my job. If I can rationalise why ‘Okay, these thoughts are popping up because I’m unhappy at work’ it’s more effective than just trying to ignore them. Essentially it’s like my mind’s way of crying out for help.

I’d advise a GP visit to discuss it, routine bloods to ensure there’s not something physical causing your low mood, maybe medication and a counselling referral to help you.

I always thought this was normal. I've had them since forever. Mainly I've learnt to ignore them. When I hear it chattering about what would happen if I stepped in front of a car or if the baby is quiet because he's stopped breathing I either indulge it a little to get it out its system (so it elevorates on my funeral service, how DH copes) or I tell it to piss off and logic it silent (as I'm about the baby)
I've got used to the fact that there's a voice in there because like Sarah and the Goblin King, it has no power over me

As in the majority of people think like this?

I have random extreme visual images - so fast that I can't consciously block them. Random stuff like imaginary giant pitchforks hitting the street as well as more prosaic car crashes. It is as though my brain is on permanent worst case scenario mode. V stressful. Started post childbirth. 10 years on now

Yes i have diagnosed postnatal ocd intrusive thoughts. Im in therapy. I have been told and i think its working is when i have a thought i call it. I say this isnt real its not going to happen. Its bullshit. It seems to be working. Its about rettaining your brain and making new habits