What Are OCD Intrusive Thoughts?

Have you ever caught yourself having an unwanted thought or mental image? Perhaps you tried shaking it out of your mind but didn’t have any success. These thought patterns are known as intrusive thoughts and everyone has them from time to time.

Sometimes these thoughts can go away on their own other times we need some help and support from counselling or support groups.

For others they can become overwhelming We’ll explain what causes intrusive thoughts, how to treat them, and more in this guide.

What Is OCD?

OCD stands for obsessive-compulsive disorder. It’s a mental health disorder that can affect people of all ages, young or old. It features a pattern of unwanted thoughts, obsessions, and fears that lead the individual to do repetitive behaviors. This obstructs daily activities, causing distress and the inability to live a normal life.

Symptoms associated with OCD include the following:

•            Fear of becoming contaminated by touching objects others have touched

•            Feelings of stress when objects aren’t in their proper place

•            Doubt that you’ve turned the stove off or locked the door

•            Ideas about acting inappropriately in public

•            Avoidance of certain situations like shaking hands

By engaging in these compulsions, the individual believes they’re in control and will prevent something bad from happening. For example, if they’ve left the house, they may turn back around to double-check they turned the stove off. They’ll check the stove repeatedly to make sure it’s off. Unfortunately, engaging in these compulsions only leads to temporary relief.

What Are Intrusive Thoughts?

These are concepts that pop into your head without warning. They appear when you least expect them and just like OCD, may cause distress. They’re repetitive and despite trying to shake them away, they remain. These unwanted or “intrusive” thoughts come in the form of thoughts, images, or urges.

How does this relate to OCD? Well, OCD intrusive concepts lead to compulsions. These are behaviors that the individual does to try and get rid of these thoughts or fears. The mental discomfort felt with this way of thinking causes worry, stress, and anxiety.

Examples of Intrusive Thoughts

For a better understanding of what intrusive thoughts are, here are some common examples:

•            Someone has ideas about hurting child or baby.

•            Repeat thinking about doing some illegal.

•            Reminders of past traumatic events that come unexpectedly.

•            Worry you may do something embarrassing.

•            Fear about catching a serious illness, germs, or condition.

These are all thoughts considered “intrusive”. When they appear, they’re very difficult to push out of the mind or control.

Are They Normal?

Intrusive thoughts are typically harmless. It’s normal to have them every so often. In fact, it’s likely you and everyone you know have had them at some point.

While they’re nothing to worry about, those with OCD intrusive thoughts can sometimes obsess about them so much that it affects their day-to-day life. It causes them to live their lives in fear or distress. This is often a sign of an underlying mental health condition and should be attended to as quickly as possible. Intrusive thoughts may be a sign of depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

What Causes Them?

Intrusive thoughts don’t always have an exact cause. Sometimes, they happen randomly and exit the mind when you least expect it. However, for those with OCD, this is rarely the case. The thoughts don’t go away as quickly. They persist until they leave a lasting impression.

Here are a few signs someone may be experiencing OCD intrusive thoughts:

•            The negative thoughts last longer than a brief moment

•            The thoughts keep popping back into your head

•            Feelings of distress are associated with this thinking

•            A large amount of time is spent trying to control the thoughts

It’s difficult to know how to act when experiencing these thoughts. Many try to control or stop them. Others feel ashamed and keep their thoughts a secret from others. We’ll go over how to treat OCD intrusive thoughts a little later in this guide.

Treatment Options

The first thing someone may try to control OCD intrusive thoughts is suppressing them. They’ll monitor them closely and try to push them away. However, this often backfires and causes the individual to develop more intrusive thoughts. Also, trying to control this pattern of thinking can lead to hypervigilance and lessen the quality of life.

Here are some ways you can treat OCD intrusive thoughts:

Recognize That These Thoughts Are Trying To Control You

How will you treat something you don’t know exists? It’s important to understand that your body is creating these negative thoughts. After you recognize that these thoughts are trying to control you, it’s time to take action.

Talk to a Mental Health Professional

If your thoughts are making it hard for you to function at home, work, school, or in social settings, talk to a mental health professional. It may feel difficult to ask for help, but there are treatments that can help you feel better.

Ways that a mental health professional may be able to help include:

•            Therapy. There are several types of therapy to help you manage your OCD symptoms. The most common psychotherapy is cognitive behavioral therapy. Exposure therapy is used to face your fears and overcome them.

•            Medication. It’s common to take medication to manage symptoms. Your doctor will prescribe the right medicine whether it’s an anti-depressant or similar prescribed medication.

•            Mindfulness. These exercises might be a part of your therapy, but they are also techniques you can do on your own. There are also phone apps that you can use to track your progress. A therapist can help you figure out the techniques that work best for you.

Overcoming Obstacles to Find Peace

It’s normal to experience intrusive thoughts, so don’t automatically panic if you catch your mind wandering down the rabbit hole. There’s a point where this can become dangerous, and you should then seek help.

If you have OCD, these images in your mind can become excessive, finding it difficult to cope. They could make it hard for you to function in your daily activities. If you try to resist and push away these ideas, they can become an issue. Suppression can feel like a solution, but it can actually intensify the obsessiveness and distress you are feeling instead of lessening it.

With this information in mind, take back control of your mind.

Intrusive Thoughts CBT

Cognitive behavioural therapy is an effective treatment for OCD. This type of therapy teaches you how to modify the negative thoughts and beliefs that contribute to your condition. It also helps you develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Access CBT offer CBT treatment for all types of OCD issues both in person in the Liverpool branch or with online OCD Support

The NHS UK also offers a number of support groups and advice for those suffering from OCD and R-OCD