Intrusive Thoughts

[KittyRockstar]

Back in January I suffered for the first time with the most horrendous intrusive thoughts. They did go away without me telling a single person. But now they are back again with avengence and I am so upset I don't know where to turn or what to do. Do I tell someone? I feel like the worst Mum in the world right now. Please tell me it will go away again. Has anyone got any experience of this or any advice pleae?

Hi OP, Intrusive thoughts can feel awful, but it always helps me to remember that everyone has them and thoughts are not actions. Can you try to just notice them, maybe say to yourself what the thought is and just allow the thoughts to come and observe them without trying to push them away?That is a technique from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and can be really effective. Another technique that can really work is to imagine a reallt bad thing happening (e.g a thunderbolt coming out of the sky and hitting someone on the head, or something else a bit playful ), really try to make it happen with your mind and you will see that it doesn't happen . That may help your brain to get the message that thoughts cannot make bad things happen and can help to soothe the anxiety around intrusive thoughts. It may also help you to aee a clinical psychologist or CBT therapist if the thoughts really trouble you. Good luck OP!

They are really troubling me at the moment its like they are taking over my mind. Like I can have 2 thoughts running alongside each other-what I am doing day to day and then the intrusive thought there aswell

I suffer with ocd and intrusive thoughts, speak to the gp who can refer you to someone that can help. It can be really debilitating, but you don't need to suffer

Thank you for your reply. I just hope they understand. What help do you have?

I also have OCD and I have upsetting and guilt-inducing intrusive thoughts. I take medication for mine but therapy is also available. I've explained even my most disturbing thoughts to my GP and it was fine, it's all part of the disorder and there is help out there.

The most important thing to remember is that the thoughts are in no way a reflection on you as a person. In fact, intrusive thoughts tend to reflect the opposite of who you are. So if you are quite peaceful, you will likely have quite violent thoughts. They are upsetting and you should get help, but you shouldn't believe they make you a bad person because they don't.