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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if anyone else imagines themselves doing stupid/destructive things?

65 replies

MotherOfDragons90 · 19/04/2019 21:50

E.g we’ve got these lovely porcelain tiles in the bathroom and this evening I just kept imagining myself deliberately dropping a brick onto it. I couldn’t eject the thought from my brain.

Often when I’m carrying something fragile I imagine myself throwing it on the ground.

I have these kind of thoughts a lot.

Does this happen to anyone else or am I just a loon?

OP posts:
MotherForkinShirtBalls · 19/04/2019 22:27

I've heard it called the Imp of the Perverse. I always want to lick the bit of the charging cable that goes into my phone /laptop after I plug it in. Bet it would be buzzy.

whohaa · 19/04/2019 22:27

It's called 'Imp of the Perverse'- the urge to do something dangerous or wrong.

MsVestibule · 19/04/2019 22:28

I believe they're officially called 'intrusive thoughts'. I had lots of them when suffering from PND, some of them involving harming the DCs and me - I was 100% sure I wouldn't act on them but god, they really were disturbing and intrusive.

When I was much younger and travelled by tube, I had the almost irresistible urge to throw myself on the tracks as a train was coming; I wasn't suicidal at all, though!!

megletthesecond · 19/04/2019 22:29

There was a really interesting "intrusive thoughts" thread a few years ago.

MollyYouInDangerGirl · 19/04/2019 22:32

As a child in the back of my mum and dads car I used to get a really strong urge to open the car door as we were driving down the motorway.

I actually did it once but nothing happened - they must have had kiddy lock on

Shutuptodd · 19/04/2019 22:32

I have heard it called the imp of the perverse.

I often want to burn my own hands with the kettle. I never would but the thought goes through my head.

Rtmhwales · 19/04/2019 22:35

They're called intrusive thoughts and something like 90% of the population experience them at least semi regularly.

I get them when I see children sitting on tables (I imagine just pushing them off, I'd never do it, I love kids) and when I pick up sticks or batons I imagine hitting someone over the head with it. There's some evolutionary reason we have them but I'd have to google it.

Osirus · 19/04/2019 22:36

I get this too and it is horrible. I have thoughts about grabbing the steering wheel when my DH is driving, or wanting to kick the back of my colleagues’ chairs. It’s so weird, and completely random.

I’m an anxious person too, so perhaps there is a link.

TheInebriati · 19/04/2019 22:36

I didn't think it was anything sinister, I thought it was like an anxiety dream while you're awake, and you play through something catastrophic to vicariously live through the outcome.

Osirus · 19/04/2019 22:37

I forgot to add, I think there is a self preservation element to this - to remind us to be careful perhaps?

Hunkyd0ry · 19/04/2019 22:37

Can’t believe other people have the motorway one too! I just thought it was me. I’d never want to hurt my family but it does pop in my head.

Today at a wildlife park I thought about jumping into enclosures

drspouse · 19/04/2019 22:38

I imagined dropping my phone off the tower of the castle we went up with the DCs.

Rtmhwales · 19/04/2019 22:40

This.

To ask if anyone else imagines themselves doing stupid/destructive things?
OldAndWornOut · 19/04/2019 22:41

All of us people, to all intents and purposes, going about life sensibly, with all these scenarios playing out in our heads!
Who would have realised its quite common.
I read about the train thing in someone's biography, and since then I sometimes think about the urge to just step out...

grumpyyetgorgeous · 19/04/2019 22:41

So glad it's not just me..... I often imagine that I'll suddenly throw myself off from heights, grope somebody, stab myself or somebody else.
It's weird because I know I'm in control and would never do this in a million years and yet I still think "what if I did though?"

Bgrt73 · 19/04/2019 22:42

I think about crashing my car, hard so the bonnet crumples really badly. Obviously I get out of the car unscathed though Confused

M00nUnit · 19/04/2019 22:42

I get this a lot too. I have to remind myself that I'd never act on any of these crazy thoughts, I just have to think of them as "mind junk".

Anticyclone · 19/04/2019 22:44

Yes I'm sure I remember reading that the point of intrusive thoughts is your brain very unsubtley reminding you in a backwards sort of way that you should most definitely NOT do what the intrusive thought suggests. It kind of gives you a shock, and hopefully makes you realise the negative consequences if you actually went ahead.

Shutuptodd · 19/04/2019 22:44

The most scary one I had was when holding my baby (years ago) near the stairs thinking about dropping him down. It scared the life out of me that it would even cross my mind.

I have heard though that it's a good thing that these thoughts upset/unsettle us as if they didn't it would be more likely to do them.

Original poster
MotherOfDragons90 · 19/04/2019 22:44

Approaching junctions/cross roads in the car and imagining myself just not stopping is another regular feature

OP posts:
wishingforapositiveyear · 19/04/2019 22:50

Me I've always had them, I get the urge to drive into other cars , thankfully I haven't. My weirdest one is with friends who are pregnant I worry ill kick them 😳 I never would or have !

KatyaZamolodchikova · 19/04/2019 22:57

Yes, driving for me too, but mine is closing my eyes, holding the wheel straight and putting my foot down until I crash. I do not know why. I drive a lot for work. I have - thankfully - never done it.

Klopptimist · 19/04/2019 23:13

When I see someone bent over, perhaps tying a shoelace or picking something off the ground, I have an overwhelming urge to kick them up the backside.

OldAndWornOut · 19/04/2019 23:14
Grin