Do you ever have a random thought of doing something you shouldn't do, that you would never actually do

[SunshineSunshineSunshine]

I have no idea if that makes sense.

But the past 2 nights I have been lying in bed whilst it's rainy, dark and windy and thinking
"I could get out of bed and walk to that 10 minute away creepy lake right now if I wanted to and sit on the tree swing"

I'd never actually do this at night though as it is across a long field and just gives me the creeps.

Yes. I travel to work on a really busy bridge where people drive so crazy. Swapping lanes, cutting people up etc.

I always get the intrusive thought of just turning my engine off and stopping in the lane.

Would obviously never do it.

On a few occasions I’ve imagined speeding up and driving the car into a tree/ wall because my children are really fighting or whatever in the back.

I think I think of it because of a scene in the book ‘Dead Babies’ where ‘Johnny’ accidentally-on-purpose let’s a guy find a letter from his abusive father when he’s in the car with his two friends, and he speeds up and ‘flies into the coming lights’. It’s a weird book.

I’ve also imagined my children absent-mindedly stepping into the road and being hit, which makes me jolt if I do it just as I’m falling asleep.

I have a regular intrusive thought when we are out for a walk or drive and I will see a bridge and think, 'I could sleep under there if I had to' or a bench and I'll think, 'I could sleep there if I had to.' I'm sure I have a fear of homelessness triggered by an insecure upbringing that lingers in these thoughts.

Really interesting thread.
Do you remember about seven years ago, that woman who put a cat in a wheelie bin?
She was depressed due to the death of her mother iirc.
That must have been an intrusive thought that she carried through.

Oh yes, elizabethM I remember at the time thinking, 'why on earth would it make anyone want to do that though?' but now it that makes some kind of sense now.

Yes. I remember that there was video footage of her putting the cat in the bin, and she was so casual about the way that she did it.
I remember wondering if she was actually aware of what she had done, or if she just thought that it was a thought.

Yes I have two...

If I’m at the top of something high, like a cliff. I have an urge to jump off (not suicidal!) and I’d never do it.

In the olden days of human contact, if someone would lean over me (usually in work to show me something) I have the weird urge to kiss them on the cheek. I’d never do it but I get it every time!

I don’t know how to add a link here but I’ll put it below anyways and suggest you look up this link, Juggling the Jenkins anxiety 3 video on Facebook. It’s about anxiety and intrusive thoughts. It’s really well done.

www.facebook.com/JugglingTheJenkinsBlog/videos/2387345861532624/?vh=e&extid=KDJ8EDkmcT0kGsUE

I get them all the time but about bad things happening to the children. I think it's because it's my biggest fear so my mind is keeping me cautious.

I get these - especially in a boring meeting at work, I think about standing up and shouting things. And the one about driving off bridges.

I have excellent mental health generally, so I think they're normal and nothing to worry about

It's called the call of the void. allthatsinteresting.com/call-of-the-void

Handling big knives: taking them from the dishwasher and putting them back in the knife block. The what ifs...

Kissing people: in work place scenarios. That I've gone up to them and just kissed them. I think it's a worry about being inappropriate because I do say things that others wouldn't.

I do this. If I'm having coffee with a friend, I really like them and its a great conversation but I can't stop thinking what would happen if I threw hot coffee in their face right now? I mean, what would be the first words out of their mouth? It's like creating a totally bizarre situation just to see the outcome, because it's so unusual.

It can be dangerous. I do remember holding my baby at the top of family multi storey car park and thinking what if I just gently dropped him over the edge and walked off. It bothered me that I could even think such a thing and still be a decent person.

I feel better for actually reading this thread, I thought I was crazy.

I have the kicking thought, when someone usually a work person is talking to me stood up I'll think about kicking them.

I've had they keys in the drain, I'll be driving and think what if I just turn the car into something. It's random and I'd never do any of it, it used to bother me about why I did it

For me, it's staircases and bannisters. I could just lean down and topple all the way over the edge. Mostly happens when I'm holding the baby. Horrible.

Yes, I get them quite often.

But I get negative intrusive thoughts a LOT more when I'm stressed or anxious. They happen when I'm driving sometimes, which is a bit scary.

Every time I make toast I think about sticking a knife into the toaster. I've felt that way for as long as I can remember - don't know why

*@SunshineSunshineSunshine
I'm sorry, but yours made me lol!

Yes I get intrusive thoughts, they are horrible. Often involving wanting to shout things out loud, or jumping in front of lorries. The worse ones are about my kids, I try to suppress them instead of just letting them come and go, a symptom of my OCD.

When I go to someone’s house and they have a balcony, I always get a strong urge to jump off it. When I asked anyone else though if they think the same they were horrified and said no of course not.
If I’m carrying glass bottles in the supermarket I want to drop them on the hard floor.
I have terribly anxious dreams too, about losing my children somewhere and I frantically look for them or my dog runs off and I can’t run fast enough to catch him.
I think the thoughts are linked to anxiety.

I get them frequently, but have learned to ignore.

The worst intrusive thing thought by far though was when my eldest was a baby, when I was pushing her in the pram, every time we passed someone in the street I used to think, “What if this person grabs the pram and pushes it into the traffic?” or “What if this person squirts lighter fluid and sets the pram on fire?” it really terrified me.

I mentioned the thought about jumping from a height to a counsellor, and she said it was actually the brain’s way of alerting us to danger.

I’ve also had the thought about jumping on to tables in the exam hall (or a classroom).

When I’m carrying a glass of water through the office, I sometimes get the urge to chuck it over the nearest colleague.

I was once on the top of a steep hill and saw a man crouching down near the edge, taking photos. I had the impulse to run up behind him and push him off. I get the same thought if I see an adult crouching on the edge of a river or pond.

I have never done any of these things.

Yes. But of like, pushing someone in the road or dropping my nephew or pulling my MILs hair. Would never do it obviously.

Yes I sometimes imagine licking the dirty floor of public toilets (so wierd)

Most people have intrusive thoughts, but only a few people become unduly bothered by them. It can be a form of OCD. But often without the physical rituals associated with OCD. It's really horrible if you do get caught up in taking them seriously.
I have many but am unconcerned, but my DD struggles with it.