Negativity And Intrusive Thoughts
Written by Crystal Yeager
There is an understanding that not everyone has good days, it is best to recognize them, and figure out a reason that led to the bad day, and if it will be a recurring thing. Negativity can come from various life concerns such as financial struggles, relationship issues, trauma, or even family struggles.
As a part of negativity, Intrusive Thoughts, can be a big part of a downward spiral. Intrusive thoughts are defined by HealthLine.com as “thoughts and images are unwanted and often unpleasant. The content can sometimes be aggressive or sexual, or you could suddenly think about a mistake or a worry” (Holland, 2022). Usually, Intrusive Thoughts are irrational and nonsensical, however, they still have the power to overtake or distract your mind, usually for a short period of time. Intrusive Thoughts can vary in their types, here are some examples of Intrusive Thoughts:
Germs, infections, or other kinds of contamination
Violent acts, aggression, or causing harm to other people
Doubts about doing tasks wrong or leaving tasks unfinished
Religion, blasphemy, or being an immoral person
Sexual acts or situations
Acting out or saying the wrong thing in public
It’s also possible to have other types of intrusive thoughts that do not fit into these categories (Holland, 2022).
But why do we have Intrusive Thoughts?
Intrusive Thoughts can come from anywhere. Just as it is a well-known fact that dreams are usually based on daily events, so are Intrusive Thoughts. Stressors from our day-to-day life can be the reason. However, unlike our dreams, Intrusive Thoughts do not always have a particular meaning or lesson, even if the thought is scary or disturbing. An Intrusive Thought can also be seen as daydreaming or an escape of reality. Additionally, Intrusive Thoughts can be a deep-rooted fear or outlying worry about a completely unreasonable event or something that we are trying to avoid or fearful of happening.
Intrusive thoughts may not have a cause. They can just happen randomly. Some thoughts wander into your brain. Then just as quickly, they exit, leaving no lasting impression. Less commonly, intrusive thoughts are related to an underlying mental health condition, like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These thoughts could also be a symptom of another health issue, such as:
brain injury/TBI
dementia
Parkinson’s disease
Signs that there might be an underlying cause include intrusive thoughts that:
last longer than a brief moment
continue to pop back into your head
cause distress over time
make you feel like you need to control your thoughts
Changes to mental health are nothing to take lightly. Early symptoms of some conditions may also include:
changes in thought patterns
obsessive thoughts
thoughts of disturbing imagery
These thoughts are nothing to be ashamed of, but they are a reason to seek a diagnosis and treatment so that you can start to feel better (Holland, 2022).
What’s Next?
There are several ways to manage Intrusive Thoughts, it is best to use what works best for you and keep in mind your mental health:
“Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In CBT, you’ll work with a therapist to learn ways of thinking that can help you become less sensitive to intrusive thoughts. In a controlled setting, your therapist may also expose you to triggers for your intrusive thoughts so you can learn to react to them differently.
Medication. Sometimes, medications are used to treat conditions like OCD and PTSD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed to treat these mental health conditions.
Self-care. A good step toward treating intrusive thoughts is recognizing what they are: just thoughts. You can learn to label them when they happen and recognize that thoughts are not the same as intent or behavior. This may help reduce the frequency or intensity of unwanted thoughts” (Holland, 2022).
Reference:
Holland, K. (2022, May 20). Why do we have intrusive thoughts? Healthline.