Table of Contents
Understand your triggers
There are a lot of different psychological factors that can lead to people having intrusive thoughts, but one general trigger is when we engage in repetitive actions. One example of this is when you watch TV shows. They usually have a specific structure (commercials, the opening credits, etc.) and if you focus on it by watching the whole episode over and over again you may start to feel an intense pressure to watch what’s happening next; this sense of pressure can cause intrusive thoughts or flashbacks. Worrying about something that happened in the past, or anticipating a future event, can also cause similar feelings.
There are other triggers too, like:
■ Feeling disconnected from other people or the world in general. ■ Being emotionally overwhelmed. ■ Subjecting yourself to high levels of stress and anxiety (for example, by anticipating a difficult test or job interview).
If you want to get rid of your scary thoughts, it’s important that you try to understand why they occur and then find ways to deal with them. In this article we’ll look at the different types of intrusive thoughts and some strategies for being able to handle them better.
Intrusive thoughts aren’t just about watching a scary movie that has a nightmare scene. For example, you might have the intrusive thought that you’ve left the stove on when you’re in your bedroom.
Take some time for yourself every day
Take time to do something that you enjoy, such as watching a movie, reading a book, playing a game, going for a walk, or even just sitting and doing nothing. This is particularly helpful because it lets you get away from the repetitive thoughts you may otherwise have. It can also be helpful to do something that involves distracting yourself from your thoughts, like making a collage, writing a poem, or working on a creative project.
The goal is to feel better, not just to numb yourself. If you find that you’re only able to enjoy one or two specific things, try doing a little more than one of them or try doing something else productive.
You can also set aside some time every day for yourself and make it non-negotiable. Decide in advance that a certain amount of time will be spent doing something healthy for yourself, so that your mind doesn’t come up with reasons to avoid this self-care task. You can even schedule it into your calendar if that helps you take it seriously. This might include things like doing one type of exercise, meditating/praying, drinking tea or coffee instead of a sugary energy drink, taking a hot bath/shower, cooking healthy food, getting a massage or other form of bodywork, getting enough sleep, or taking time for self-care activities between your work and school commitments.
Connect with loved ones
If you’re grieving the loss of a loved one, it can be helpful to share your thoughts about them and feelings with someone close to you. If you’re worried about something that happened during the person’s life, talk about it with a family member or close friend. You can also write a letter to the person you miss, telling them anything that’s on your mind. It’s important to realize that no one should feel obligated to share their thoughts or feelings with you, and if they’re fine with not talking about it then it’s fine to understand their wishes. If you are feeling a profound sense of loneliness, please seek professional help or contact a trained counselor.
“If you hold on to anything too tightly, it will just slip away. Loosen your grip slightly, and it will stay.”[ARTICLE END]
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Here are some [especially recent] examples that can be used as examples:
Seek professional help if needed
You can speak to a psychologist or therapist if you’d like their professional opinion on how to cope with your thoughts, or if you’d like them to help you find out more about the thoughts themselves. A counsellor can also help you find ways to deal with your thoughts and talk to you about whatever you’re struggling with.
You may feel uncomfortable telling someone new about your intrusive thoughts, but remember that they’re not real, and it’s good to talk about them with someone who will be able to help you. If you do tell a counsellor or other professional, they should keep any information you share confidential.
Be patient with yourself
Even if you have intrusive thoughts, it doesn’t mean that you’re a bad person or anything like that. You’ll find that things do get better, and even if they don’t get better right away, it’s important to understand that there are small steps you can take to reduce the impact of your intrusive thoughts. You can also do things that may distract you from thinking about anything; going for a walk, playing a video game with friends, or coming up with creative projects are all ways to relieve the pressure you feel.
You may think that you’re not a good person, or people won’t like you. However, this is simply not true. It’s difficult to change how other people think about you, but there are ways to change the way you think about yourself.[1]
The most important thing to keep in mind is that it’s impossible for others to know your true thoughts and feelings. It’s also impossible for them to know everything about your life. As a result, you shouldn’t be afraid to express your feelings, thoughts, or beliefs around them. If a certain thought makes you feel that you should hide it, then do so for other reasons. For example, if a thought about sex makes you think that others will think that you’re strange or weird for having it, then your only other option is to change the thought so that others won’t be uncomfortable around you.[2]
