Intrusive Mental Images

Sometimes I will get these random images in my head of me taking a knife (like a nice kitchen knife) and just stabbing it into the top of my fore arm and dragging it down. Other mental images like me literally slicing my own throat or stabbing myself in the chest have also come up, but not as often as the first one.

I've had mental images like this for a while, but I've recently decided to acknowledge that they exist and need to go. I'm not sure WHY they are there and come up when I get depressed, pissed, see a kitchen knife, or sometimes even just randomly.

I have Self-Injured before, but never with a blade of any sort. I used my fingernails and scratched my skin. I haven't done this since around the beginning of July.

Any explanation of WHY the heck I'm having these mental images or how to stop them? Not even sure if this is the right place to post this, but I hope someone can help me, because they are kinda disturbing.

These are probably intrusive thoughts which are related to anxiety. The more you try to suppress them and the more you fear them the more likely they are going to bother you. This link below describes this and in it it is suggested that you just allow the thought to be. Let us know how you are doing?

http://www.panic-and-anxiety-attacks...sive-thoughts/

Up until a couple of months ago, I had really disturbing mental images of harming myself - I literally would close my eyes and shudder as if I was actually seeing the images in front of me happening.

They have reduced alot recently and when I do get them they are not so intense. For me I think it was linked to low mood and anxiety. I don't know why they have lessened and the only different thing I am doing (along with going to weekly T sessions) is exercising twice per week.

Take care - SD

I also have similar types of thoughts/images. I also don't know what's causing them.
In my case I think it might be related to my mood and feeling hopeless.

How is your mood? Do the images happen less frequently when your mood is better?

Sannah: Thank you I am working on suppressing things less every day. I hope it helps.

SoupDragon: I can't see a T currently, but I plan to start seeing the counselor again in a few weeks when I move back to my college. I saw her three times last year, but was not as open as I needed to be, so hoping to do better this time.

Nicoleb: They are much much worse when I'm in a lower mood and not is one of my happy, hyper, creative moods.

I definitely know what you mean. This happens to me too. I've never told T or anyone just because I thought it was so weird and disturbing! But I will be washing dishes and see a knife and there come the thoughts, things like that. Sometimes its even just random. Interesting that it could be anxiety related though.
So at least know you aren't alone! I hope they are less often, and eventually go away for you! And I hope seeing the T when you go back to school is helpful!

This happened again when I did the dishes the other day... something about kitchen knives :P I don't really get it.

It happens to me on a regular basis too. Usually when I really need to SI. Sometimes it stops me dead in my tracks. Other times it dosen't.

I'll just sit there and zone out and look at it for a while...

I get a lot of these horrid images. Mine are (I think) entirely anxiety based. It has taken me a long long time to realise that because they often flash through at times when I don't think i'm in the least bit anxious....but I definitely am. They increase when I'm anxious and in a low mood. Sometimes I get to the point where they're so constant they're more an irritation than anything else, like having intrusive bad thoughts (which I guess they are but visual ones) but at others they can be so bad they make me catch my breath (which can be fairly hard to explain to people).

Have you tried noting down both the images you get and when you get them and trying to figure out a pattern? Other than that I'd try and not get to apprehensive about them...just because you think these thoughts doesn't mean you'll carry them out. I found once I realised that I could get through a day being bombarded with them. Although I understand how difficult and scary it can be.

Ah I'm glad I'm not the only one, I get these thoughts when I see kitchen knives and door knobs and sometimes randomly

I also thought I was the only one that had this experience. Although I deal with a lot of anxiety, I had no idea that these intrusive images were related to anxiety. Sometimes the images are so disturbing that I am afraid to even move in case I end up acting out what I have seen in my head.

When I'm depressed I'll imagine slitting my throat and various ways of hurting or killing myself. I haven't thought too much of it, because when I'm not depressed, I can ignore them and not think about them. When I am depressed, though, I sometimes lose myself in the images and the feelings — I feel the images as well. I really shouldn't indulge in the mental imagery I get when I'm depressed, but I can't help it.