Everyone´s mind wanders sometimes and can end up with unusual thoughts. If unusual and often unpleasant or disturbing thoughts and images suddenly pop up in your head, you are experiencing what psychologists call intrusive thoughts. Having them occasionally is not problematic, especially if you are easily and successfully getting rid of them.
Some people, though, struggle with this and wonder how to get rid of intrusive thoughts. There are various suggestions for how to deal with intrusive thoughts, and we at We Level Up Tamarac, FL, would like to share techniques and tips that can help. Remember, if these thoughts are unmanageable and impact your daily functioning, you can always turn to us for professional and individualized help.
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Understanding Intrusive Thoughts
The American Psychological Association defines intrusive thoughts as mental events that interrupt the flow of task-related thoughts despite efforts to avoid them. Intrusive thoughts suddenly pop into your head, can come in the form of thoughts or images, and are unwanted and often unpleasant. They can range from random images to disturbing and violent ideas.
Typically, when people start wondering how to get rid of intrusive thoughts, they have general intrusive thoughts that can be sexual, violent, health-related, negative or self-doubt thoughts or even religious thoughts. When they are especially uncomfortable (like sexual or violent images), we try to push them away, or we can become fixated, wondering if this makes us a bad person.
Intrusive thoughts may also be related to death. Most people in their lives had suicidal thoughts at some point. But, how to get rid of suicidal intrusive thoughts? These thoughts are often related to some type of self-harm, but they do not necessarily mean you wish to hurt yourself. However, if you find yourself planning to injure yourself, seek professional help as soon as possible.
A specific category of intrusive thoughts is related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Intrusive thoughts can become obsessions, and people might act in certain ways to get rid of them. These acts can then turn into compulsive behaviors. OCD-related intrusive thoughts may be anxiety-provoking, irrepressible, and persistent, making the question of how to get rid of OCD intrusive thoughts that much more important.
How To Get Rid of Intrusive Thoughts: Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques
When facing intrusive thoughts, most people will try to get rid of them, suppress them, or discard them. Understanding them, accepting them, and allowing them to pass would be more beneficial. These efforts are part of what we call cognitive restructuring.
Cognitive restructuring is a group of techniques used in the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approach that can offer a solution to the question of how to stop intrusive thoughts. It helps people notice and change negative thinking patterns. The idea is to interrupt and redirect negative and destructive thinking patterns rather than allow them to interfere with relationships, achievements, and even well-being.
Some of the popular cognitive restructuring strategies are:
- Socratic questioning
- Decatastrophizing
- Putting thoughts on trial
Although these strategies differ, the goal is always the same, which is to analyze and dispute dysfunctional thoughts. In the context of intrusive thoughts, your therapist might work with you to develop cognitive restructuring skills that you can independently implement later when you find yourself in the situation of having intrusive thoughts. There are five steps to take in order to cognitively restructure intrusive thoughts:
- Identify an upsetting situation (what triggered intrusive thoughts).
- Identify triggered feelings (e.g., guilt, shame).
- Identify the thoughts related to the situation and underlying the feelings.
- Evaluate the thought (are the thoughts supported by any evidence?).
- Make a decision about your thoughts.
It requires some practice, and you might be struggling in the beginning, but after a while, using this technique will come naturally and easily to you.
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FREE 24/7 Dual Diagnosis Mental Health Services HotlineHow To Get Rid of Intrusive Thoughts: Mindfulness and Relaxation Strategies
Similarly, if you are wondering how to stop intrusive thoughts, mindfulness and relaxation techniques can provide a solution. They bring relief through the successful management of intrusive thoughts. These techniques help people recognize intrusive thoughts without letting them affect them. It´s stripping the thought of its value and letting it pass without triggering negative emotions.
Mindfulness techniques are not difficult to implement in everyday life, making them that much more practical and valuable. You can practice mindfulness while taking a walk or sitting in a quiet and comfortable place. The idea is to develop a sense of focus. You can either be mindful about your breathing, meaning focus on yourself or give intentional attention to elements in your surroundings. Mindfulness makes a person feel grounded and present in the moment.
Progressive muscle relaxation is related to it but is also a stand-alone technique. The whole concept entails tightening and relaxing groups of muscles in a specific pattern. It often helps people recognize unconscious muscle tightenings they have in stressful situations, such as experiencing intrusive thoughts. As conscious relaxation is practiced, the same can be used in future situations when intrusive thoughts have been recognized.
Practical Steps for Immediate Relief
Developing techniques for intrusive thought management might take time, and many are looking into how to deal with intrusive thoughts quickly. Some techniques are able to provide immediate relief from intrusive thoughts. Grounding techniques and positive affirmations for mental health are just some of them.
The point of grounding techniques is to distract you from intrusive thoughts by pulling you back into the present moment and refocusing your mind and senses. There are physical, mental, and soothing grounding techniques. Physical grounding techniques include breathing exercises, fidgeting, using anti-stress balls, and holding ice cubes, but also activities such as gardening. Examples of mental grounding techniques could be memory games and sudoku. Meditation is another great example. Soothing techniques include anything from making a hot drink to smelling something nice or listening to music that you love.
Positive affirmations are a popular strategy due to their ease of use. The whole concept entails repeating positive statements about oneself or the situation they are in. This is known to trigger the activation of certain brain structures related to self-perception. Believing in yourself and your abilities can act as a defense mechanism against intrusive thoughts and empower you to manage them efficiently.
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Hotline (855) 940-6125Long-Term Strategies for Managing Intrusive Thoughts
All the above-mentioned strategies and techniques are oriented toward how to deal with intrusive thoughts the moment they appear. However, developing some long-term healthy routines is important to ensure well-being and potentially prevent the impact of intrusive thoughts.
Sometimes, finding a hobby or discovering an activity you enjoy can have many benefits for mental health. Sports activities, for instance, have multiple effects: they contribute to dopamine release and, with that, a good mood; they ensure physical health and decrease health-related stress; and they can contribute to self-esteem and a sense of self-efficacy. Activity does not need to be intense to be beneficial. Gardening, for example, is one of the lightest activities for good mental health.
Even small changes in one´s routine, like establishing a better sleep pattern or a healthier diet, can be highly beneficial. Learning some self care tips for women can result in small but significant changes for long-term well-being, not just strategies for stopping intrusive thoughts.
Professional Help and Resources
If intrusive thoughts are frequent and affecting your life, and no matter which self-help tactic you try, you still don´t know how to deal with them, seeking professional help can bring that long-seek relief. A professional therapist can dive deep into automatic thinking patterns and help you discover the sources and causes of the intrusive thoughts you have.
The staff of We Level Up Tamarac FL can provide you with a solution for how to get rid of intrusive thoughts by relying on a holistic approach, addressing your body, mind, and spirit, and treating you as a person rather than just focusing on the problem that brought you to us.
The evidence-based psychotherapy approaches we implement, like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectic-behavioral therapy (DBT), are mostly dealing with change in thinking and acceptance of what one cannot change. Group therapy helps our clients stay connected and get the sense they are not alone, while treatments like meditation and massage therapy help with feeling grounded and relaxed. We also understand that it´s not easy to return to your usual everyday obligations after working on your intrusive thoughts. This is why we help you get back to work after mental health treatment and remain available for various forms of aftercare.
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How To Deal With Intrusive Thoughts: A Recap
Intrusive thoughts happen to everyone occasionally. The most important part is learning how to let go of intrusive thoughts and let them pass without affecting you. For some, this is a challenging task, and it takes time to master the skill of managing intrusive thoughts. Luckily, various approaches, strategies, and treatments can help you.
Seeking professional help when feeling overwhelmed or just unable to deal with intrusive thoughts on your own can help you speed up the process and prevent intrusive thoughts from taking over your life. Call We Level Up Tamarac, FL, when you find yourself in situations like these, and let us help you reclaim your life.
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Sources:
dictionary.apa.org. (n.d.). APA Dictionary of Psychology. [online] Available at: https://dictionary.apa.org/intrusive-thoughts.