Intrusive thoughts, am I the only one?

[MumofHennHals]

Am I the only one who has intrusive thoughts? Like I sometimes make up a situation in my head and I hate it.
Anyone else?!

No, intrusive thoughts are really common.
If it is having a big negative impact on your life, then it is worth getting some help for them.

Very common, lots of threads over the years on here about it

Yeh I have terrible intrusive thoughts. I think it's fairly common. I had CBT which was pretty useless. There's not really any other "help" available unless I'm prepared to pay for it and I can't afford to.

I get them in the form of cringe things I did when younger - like if I was being a bit rude or pretentious. I have to remind myself that that's most people in their late teens, no-one cares, and also most likely no-one even remembers!

They are common though - even my confident, happy-go-lucky OH apparently has them from time to time.

Sertraline improved mine a great deal, as did having children, as I have no time at all less time to ruminate, and also more pressing things to think about. So I guess keeping busy. They do still creep in from time to time though, you're not alone x

I looked on the Mind website to help my 14 year old autistic son with them (professional help is long in coming so I've learnt to search out support myself). It says to diminish them, so we call them 'silly meanies' now which seems to be help. We talk about them drifting in and then it being ok to acknowledge them, call them 'silly meanies' and they drift away.
I think it's important to acknowledge them rather than deny them and to be open about them rather than to repress them.

www.mind.org.uk/

If it helps, almost everyone has them! But only a small number of people are negatively affected. Most people can just shrug them off as background noise.
But it's possible to learn how to deal with them.

Yes. I have OCD and anxiety. Intrusive thoughts have been a huge part of that.

currently I’m fine (various medications) and have been for CBT and seen various psychologists. But when I’m stressed. The issues return: so I spend a lot of time and energy managing stress levels

There is no help! Not on the NHS anyway, thanks to the Tories

This is the specific page which helped us: www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/self-care-for-ocd/

Depends on the area. Yes, NHS MH services are shite now.. but other services pick up the pieces.
MIND is fantastic where I live.