Have you ever had these intrusive negative unwanted thoughts that happen unexpectedly and you seem to have no control over?
You and I both know that at some point or another our brain conjures up these intruding uncontrollable thoughts. It certainly does not mean that you want to be or take part in these negative and sometimes outlandish and upsetting thoughts.
Occasional intrusive thoughts are normal and come from differents stressors in life. These come from stress and anxiety. It becomes an issue if it starts affecting your regular daily life.
What Are Intrusive Thoughts
Intrusive thoughts are those negative thoughts that disturb your line of thinking and make you feel trapped in that mental picture.
They dump themselves on you when you least expect and cause worry, anxiety, and stress.
It can sometimes be a struggle when these thoughts suddenly, without warning and uninvitedly invade your mind. At times it can be baffling when you try to get a handle on them or stop thinking about them.
No matter how you try, you can’t seem to shake them off. They might be so upsetting that you don’t want anyone to share them with anyone.
It can consist of or even be related to something that has you overwhelmed and or stressed out. These invading uncontrollable thoughts can also be something you worry about.
Example: it could be a past experience or mistakes you regret or dwell on. Family issues or relationships could be the bone of contention. Or, maybe it could even be some fears you are harboring about the future.
Intrusive thoughts are not just uncontrollable, but they can feel like it. They often feel uncontrollable because they keep popping up in your head at regular intervals. In many cases, this then leads you to over-analyze, stress about, and overthink these thoughts.
Unfortunately, it is a common cause of severe stress. But with the right methods, you are able to gain control of these thoughts and keep them at bay.
What Causes Intrusive Thoughts?
Uncontrollable thoughts are often very intrusive and almost always come without warning.
You might experience images you don’t want to see, relive past traumatic experiences. Or, you can see your greatest fears and worries in your mind time and time again.
You get upset and put up a fight but it almost seems that the harder you try to get these thoughts out of your head, the more difficult it is to get rid of them.
This can cause additional stress. As a matter of fact, these thoughts are often FROM stress and overwhelm as well.
You feel as though you aren’t able to stay calm or positive, as the thoughts just keep coming back. You might also keep them a secret due to the nature of some of your uncontrollable and unwanted thoughts.
If they are causing you great distress, making your stress worse, or leading to becoming very overwhelmed, then it is time to do something about them.
When Thoughts Become Obsessions
Some people experience these uncontrollable and intrusive thoughts as a result of a mental health condition. This includes anxiety disorder, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
If that is the case, then this makes it really important to see a mental health professional to get the disorder treated. If you delay or choose not to get treatment, then the stress you live in your daily life can only make the situation worse.
For people with OCD, you might find that the thoughts turn obsessive. This is where you can’t stop thinking about them, and you may even act on them.
The following tips can help if these thoughts go beyond just causing stress, but are also causing serious struggles just in your daily life:
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness does take a little practice, but it can be amazing for those thoughts that feel uncontrollable, whether they’re obsessive or not.
With mindfulness, you aren’t trying to get rid of the thoughts, but make more sense of them. You get into the state of acceptance of what is happening right now.
At this point, you are then able to stop thinking too much about the past or a future event that may or may not happen.
Switch Your Thoughts -Even Temporarily
I know there’s no magic potion to just wish those thoughts away… but sometimes you can distract your mind even for a few minutes at a time.
It might not seem like much, but this is going to relieve your stress related to these intrusive thoughts at least in short bursts.
It WILL make a difference and before too long, you are able to distract your thoughts for longer periods of time.
Write it Down
When you have a lot on your mind, doing a brain dump in a journal is an excellent way to get those thoughts out.
Journalling works both for things you want to think about, and those that you don’t.
In addition to that, a journal is personal and private, so you don’t have to show anyone else what thoughts keep invading your mind and causing distress.
Talk To Someone
It is also a good idea to talk to someone about your thoughts. Whether you tell them exactly what your intrusive thoughts are, or it could be just a little distraction.
Call up a family member or friend, text someone. Meeting a friend for coffee or tea is also an excellent strategy for distraction.
Their conversation alone is often enough to give you at least a few minutes of peace from your own intrusive thoughts.
Simple Steps For Overcoming Unwanted Thoughts
If you still don’t have a handle on your uncontrollable thoughts, there are a few more things you can do to manage them. These are going to help you control your stress and overwhelm as well.
Here are some more tips on how to handle intrusive, uncontrollable thoughts:
1. Use mindfulness to accept them, then move past them. Mindfulness helps you to reach a level of acceptance.
So, instead of just trying to make the thoughts go away, accept the thoughts, then try to move past them, removing their power over you.
2. Understand why the thoughts are there to begin with. Sometimes your uncontrollable thoughts are trying to tell you something. Remember that these thoughts occur without your intention.
It is somewhat similar to how a dream isn’t realistic… but it is sending you a message or explains what your subconscious is going through.
3. Stop trying to will them away. This isn’t going to work, and may even have the opposite effect and cause you to focus more on them.
Think about it like a craving. If you have a craving for something, the more you try to get rid of the craving, the more you want it. But if you have just one of whatever you’re craving, it eventually goes away.
This video done by Depression to Expression explains three (3) ways to help you handle your intrusive thoughts.
When your intrusive thoughts pop up, how do you handle them?
Disclaimer : The information provided through this Website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by your Medical Provider or Mental health Provider. I am not a doctor, nurse, psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor, therapist or licensed nutritionist. Always seek the advice of your Medical Provider or Mental Health Professional with any questions or concerns you may have about your health, medications, herbs or supplements you are currently using before implementing any recommendations or suggestions from our website.
