The Problem with Intrusive Thoughts and How to Handle Them

The Problem with Intrusive Thoughts and How to Handle Them

Intrusive thoughts are those pesky thoughts we experience at random that can cause stress, panic, and frustration. Most of these thoughts develop due to the fear of making mistakes or not getting to where we’d like to be in life. Unfortunately, intrusive thoughts can become a big problem when they become more frequent. If it feels like these thoughts are taking over your mind, creating a war within yourself, it’s crucial to learn how to handle them. You don’t want to let negative thinking control you or take over your way of life.

Write Your Thoughts Down

Each time you have an intrusive thought pop up in your mind, write it on paper in a notebook. Letting it out of your head by putting it on paper can help you release some of the frustration and stress that these thoughts can bring to your life. You can also look back at your notebook and ask yourself some of the following questions:

• Is there something that happened to make me think this way?

• Did I watch a movie or television show that could’ve caused this thought to pop up in my head?

• Why am I worrying about something I don’t have control over right now?

You may not always have the answers to these questions, but they can help you understand some of the reasons these intrusive thoughts pop up at unexpected and inconvenient times. Try to remind yourself that they’re just thoughts while refusing to let those thoughts take control over everything you do.

Focus on the Present

Many intrusive thoughts have us thinking about what could happen in the future or what went wrong in the past. However, this causes us to live in the past and future instead of living in the present. If you focus more on the present and what is going on around you at the moment, you can push those intrusive thoughts out of your mind while spending time thinking about more positive and enjoyable things in life. Try your best to live in the moment. When you start having intrusive thoughts, do something to distract you from those thoughts, such as a kind gesture for someone else. If you don’t make an effort to push past the negative thoughts, it becomes harder to deal with them.

Use Meditation to Relax

Be sure to add meditation to your daily routine to help with intrusive thoughts. The practice allows you to manage your intrusive thoughts by accepting them for what they are instead of ignoring them. In addition, you’ll spend more time focusing on your breathing techniques and daily mantras, which can work wonders at taking your mind off the negative thoughts that take a toll on your mental health. Meditation is a valuable tool that will help you work through your thoughts and feelings while reducing the stress in your life and helping you relax more.

Most people will have intrusive thoughts at some point in their lives. If you experience these thoughts and feelings, know that you’re not alone, but there are effective ways to handle them. Instead of allowing the negative thoughts to take control over your actions and mood, start writing those thoughts down to identify triggers, focus more on the present, and use meditation to help foster a better relationship with yourself.