Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive thoughts can be sudden, seemingly unprompted, and are often a socially inappropriate thoughts. These thoughts can be like an image or a mini reel that pops into your head and are often fleeting. These thoughts can range anywhere from sexual, aggressive, embarrassing, and scenarios of being in danger.

For many, an intrusive thought is often fleeting, acknowledged and not acted upon or overly dwelled over. For individual with Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), intrusive thoughts can feel quite alarming and disturbing; often perseverating on these thought, replaying the thought involuntarily on repeat, experience significant distress and fear of acting on the thought, and even altering daily behaviors in order to avoid or prevent the felt dangers of the intrusive thought (Najmi, Riemann, & Wegner, 2009).

OCD and Panic Disorder

Individuals who struggle with panic disorder and OCD may experience significant distress associated with intrusive thoughts and worry, “why did I imagine this? Am I capable of doing such a thing? What if I lose control and it happens?” These thoughts and the worries associated with them can become obsessive; thoughts replaying over and over again despite their efforts to seek relief or redirect their thoughts (Najmi, Riemann, & Wegner, 2009).

In addition to Panic Disorder and OCD, intrusive thoughts are also strongly linked to vicarious/secondary trauma, postpartum depression, postpartum OCD, postpartum anxiety, PTSD, and generalized anxiety.

Seeking Support

If you or a loved one are experiencing this, please know that you are not alone. The first step is naming it. Therapy can be a helpful space to explore some of these intrusive thoughts, develop skills to help manage the distress triggered by them, and understanding that you are in control of your being- these thoughts are not a reflection of you and do not dictate your actions.

References

Clark, D. A., & Purdon, C. L. (1995). The assessment of unwanted intrusive thoughts: A review and critique of the literature. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33(8), 967-976

Najmi, S., Riemann, B. C., & Wegner, D. M. (2009). Managing unwanted intrusive thoughts in obsessive–compulsive disorder: Relative effectiveness of suppression, focused distraction, and acceptance. Behaviour research and therapy, 47(6), 494-503.