bad intrusive thoughts at certain times...

Well I suffer from pretty bad intrusive thoughts. They are everything I fear or would never do. They can be horrible religious thoughts, bad sexual thoughts, or even harming loved ones. It's crazy because anyone who knows me says I'm a great listener and extremely compassionate!

They seem to come at night more than anytime. Especially before bed I'll have thoughts that I'll sleep walk and do something horrible! It's really crazy!! They do also come during the day but it seems I can control my response better.

I've never been diagnosed but I'm pretty sure I have pure ocd. I don't take meds for it because I have been able to function most of the time. Ocd runs in my family. I don't have any rituals just thoughts.

At night these thoughts seem like they have more power or intensity. Just wondering if anyone had any kind of advice to help me cope better with these thoughts...thanks!!

do you have a problem with getting on meds if they would help you feel better? if the thoughts are interfering with your life, that would be the way to go. I have thoughts that I am going to snap and murder someone or do things to cause great financial ruin but t keeps telling me based on current behavior these things are unlikely so that is what I tell myself and I try to ignore them after I assure myself they are just unrealistic and they tend to go awy. I just try to use mindfulness and let them float thru my head like clouds and give them no merit. in the front door of my mind and out the back door. I don't have to dwell on them. hope that helps. take care.

Thanks for the response! I wouldn't have a problem with meds if I didn't grow dependent on them. I've heard all sorts of stories about antidepressants and anti anxiety meds. I guess I'm nervous about them. Sometimes I really consider meds though! It's weird that the thoughts I have are the total opposite of whom I really am!

I dont think I took meds due to the fear that itd change me as who I am as if I would be the only the only person in the family who does. Just rationalize, what are thoughts? Thoughts are just things you think of nornally with no affect or trigger whatsoever. intrusive thoughts are just thoughts that bother and come up occasionally to really simplify it. What I did was close my eyes, and try to pass it off as a normal thought, not a bad thought, since then, I still have those thoughts now, but it doesn't bother me. I used to fear that if I got over my thoughts that I was opened to act on my violent thoughts, absolutely incorrect. I now am able to cope with it due to the fact of using logic. Dont think what if, think why? Why would I do that? if you cant answer that question the there is rational reason to harm anything or anyone. Additionally, the consequences within your actions, think about it, I hate to think deeper into my intrusive thoughts, but to think the consequences that come if I do them, really makes me switch gears on my mind. Hopefully some of this can help you, if not, there are many here who can help you. If an average lame butt guy like me can get over it, I assure you, you can too.
Same with the sleepwalking scare for me, but I realized that its 1 out of a billion jillion chances that is ever going to happen, Most of these thoughts come and night becyaee there nothing to occupy you but your sleep, giving you time to focus on your thoughts. Just hold on there Johnny, you got this!

I always related my intrusive thoughts to that one annoying kid in my class, if you dont do something about it, hes gonna keep throwing spitballs at you. LOL

You are sooo right. How I was able to get the thoughts under control during the day was by telling myself, "thoughts are just thoughts not reality."
I also fear that me becoming more numb to these horrible thoughts is actually me accepting them...meaning I'll be more likely to act on them. It's a really vicious cycle to be stuck in! It also seems that when I get one horrible thought under a control another one pops up and then it takes weeks for me to subdue that one! It seems I know exactly how to handle it but grow tired of the constant cycle of them.

Haha thats really good that you are able to to control them. And no, there is an absolute no possibility, that if you get numb from those thoughts and start doing it, like I said, when you think logically you can get over these thoughts. I remember my therapist telling me I won't need pills if I don't want them, it's really just a persons preference on that one. Intrusive thoughts are thought by people who don't have Pure-O, the difference is how we react to it. We have Pure-O mainly because we dwell on it (correct me if I'm wrong), as I theorize, its more of a chemical imbalance in your brain that needs time to remain settled over time. So don't worry, keep away from your triggers and keep rationalizing your thoughts, give your intrusive thoughts a funny voice, like Daffy Duck or something. That's what I used to it. You'll conquer it!

Yup People who don't have pure o have horrible thoughts too! My husband who doesn't have any issues with pure o tells me he has horrible thoughts also. He just doesn't dwell on them. He said "I just don't pay them any mind." I think its amazing he can do so! I think a thought then start to think "why am I thinking this is this a sign that I need help? What made me think about this? I must be losing it!" That's pretty much the pattern...just alot more questions. Sure wish there was a STOP button! Lol!