What do you do when you get an intrusive thought?

How do you deal with intrusive thoughts? What is the appropriate reaction to them, especially the ones that cause a lot of anxiety and doubt and keep showing up?

Hi Nicolette, welcome to Psych Central. How do I deal with intrusive thoughts? Well it depends on how emotionally charged they are. A little pesky thought, not much worry about it, dismiss it. A hateful angry thought, grab the steering wheel and start counting my breaths silently, 1 with the inhale, 2 with the exhale, continuing up to 10 then start at 1 again.

Well the massive thought attack, I run for the nearest bathroom and start doing everything I know to just be quiet and NOT fight them. Fighting thoughts makes me a battleground. Some call it practicing mindfulness.

The other thing I do is logon to Psych Central and reading and replying to others posts. Just a few minutes here makes me be thankful I am only dealing with my problems.

Many people who are actively involved in Psych Central find it helps take them out of their own problems to develop empathy for others. And their problems though still there are more manageable.

There are lots of compassionate people here that can make the load lighter by sharing and caring. Feel free to participate actively at Psych Central. Some people find the forums give them the compassion and empathy they seek. http://forums.psychcentral.com

Please feel free to private message me or any of the Community Liaisons by left clicking on the name in blue to the left of their post) for questions or just to share.

hi nicolette
i use a mindfulness technique for most intrusive thoughts cause i have come to learn they really dont matter, but just serve to mess me up. i imagine a door at the front of my mind and one at the back. the thought comes in, i recognize it as bothersome, i imagine it as a cloud floating through and out the back door. i give it no more attention then to send it out the back door. sometimes it takes a bouncer to drag it kicking and screaming out the back door but the whole focus is the vision of passing through, not on the thought itself.

welcome to psych central. you will find we have several forums where you can post about your concerns and receive feedback from other members. you will get a lot of support here. again, welcome

Hello and welcome to Psych Central Nicolettte!!! It's nice to meet you. You have joined a community of warm and caring members who will want to offer you support and advice. Yours is welcome as well.

Please feel free to contact any community liaison or moderator by left clicking on their name in blue to the left of their post if you need help navigating the forums. It will take some time for your first five posts to appear as they are being evaluated and then you will be able to join chats.

I'm sorry for your struggles. I deal with intrusive thoughts by trying to stay in the present. Refusing to dredge up the past or worry about the future. You'll find we have a safe and supportive community. I'm glad you've joined us.

I look forward to seeing you around!!!

I try to talk about it. I have had problems with taking to bank customers about an intrusive thought. I also call hotlines compulsively. Sometimes I avoid things and/or change residences. I also wash everything I own or anything that could have been contaminated. Once I threw away all of my bedding. I usually hoard papers and miscellaneous items. I used to pray, but that really was unhelpful.