What are intrusive thoughts and how to overcome them?

Involuntary and unwanted thoughts that come into your mind. They disrupt your daily life and may cause you to feel anxious or depressed. Some examples include: thoughts about hurting yourself or others; repetitive thoughts about germs, body parts, or terrible images.

All of us have had the experience of intrusive thoughts at one point or another. Some people experience them more frequently, but there are many others who are much more prone to having them. Those who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), or any other form of trauma, can attest to how debilitating intrusive thoughts can be for them. These thoughts are often associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but they can be found in other mental health disorders and in people without a diagnosis.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that is triggered by a terrifying event. The person who suffers from PTSD constantly relives what happened in the past, and is constantly on the lookout for danger. The symptoms are flashbacks of the traumatic event, depression, anxiety, insomnia, isolation, and inability to trust others.

If left untreated, these intrusive thoughts can be very disruptive to the life of an individual. It’s crucial to heal the root cause of the trauma in order to find relief. Working with a coach or therapist who specializes in healing trauma and integrates trauma treatments into your recovery will help you heal. In addition to seeking help, there are practices you can try to help you manage your intrusive thoughts that stem from PTSD.

Here are some ways to manage intrusive thoughts:

1. See your thoughts from a logical perspective and not emotionally. You’ll begin to move away from any fearful thoughts into a calmer state. When you see your thoughts realistically, it will shift you from fight or flight to feeling safe. Ask yourself, is the thought true or is it fear? Most of what is feared isn’t true or will ever happen.

2. Place your hands on your heart and breathe until you feel your thoughts shifting. Breathing helps regulate your emotions and calms the nervous system. This will help calm the brain and shift your thoughts.

3. Listen to music that reminds you of a positive and happy time.  It will push away negative thoughts and you’ll feel more positive emotions. Remembering times when you felt joy and safety can help heal the brain.

4. Journal your thoughts and look at them objectively. Writing down your thoughts will help you see them as just thoughts. Thoughts come and go. Most of them aren’t real. Reading them will help dissolve them and alleviate the intensity around them.

5. Listening to guided meditations relaxes the mind and emotions. It can help you visualize peaceful sceneries that are soothing and help release negative thoughts.

6. Going for a walk in nature will clear your mind and distract your thoughts. Exercise nurtures the brain and helps balance out the chemicals such as; serotonin and dopamine. When the brain receives what it needs, it becomes healthier and more positive.

These suggestions can help you manage your intrusive thoughts, but trauma treatments will eliminate or reduce your symptoms. Healing your trauma will help you let go of the past and create a new sense of self that feels safe in the world.