Intrusive thoughts started showing up in my life slowly but soon became overwhelming. I’d be going about my day when suddenly, a disturbing or embarrassing thought would pop into my head—something violent or completely out of character. One time, I had a sudden image of hurting someone I loved. I was terrified and confused because I’d never want to hurt anyone. The thoughts felt like my mind was betraying me.
At first, I kept these thoughts to myself. I was embarrassed, scared, and honestly felt like I was going crazy. I didn’t even realize what was happening or that it wasn’t normal. How could my own mind be filled with such awful images and doubts? It felt like there was something deeply wrong with me. I worried that if I told anyone, they’d think I was dangerous or unstable. The constant battle to suppress or ignore the thoughts only made me feel more isolated and fragile.
Therapy became a turning point. My therapist helped me understand that intrusive thoughts are common and don’t mean I’m a bad person or that I’ll act on them. They’re just unwanted mental “noise” that can happen to anyone, especially under stress.
One technique that really helped was learning to “sit with” the thoughts without reacting. For example, when the thought of hurting someone popped in, instead of panicking or trying to suppress it, I learned to say to myself, “This is just a thought. It doesn’t control me.” It felt strange at first, but over time, it took away the power those thoughts had.
Another example was when I had intrusive doubts about whether I’d locked the door or turned off the stove. These thoughts would spiral into hours of checking. Therapy taught me to set limits—like checking the door once and trusting myself, even if the doubt lingered.
Therapy also helped me identify triggers like stress, lack of sleep, or feeling overwhelmed. I learned grounding exercises, like focusing on my breath or noticing objects around me, to pull myself back when intrusive thoughts started to take over.
Living with intrusive thoughts is still a challenge, but therapy gave me tools and hope. I’m learning to live alongside these thoughts without letting them define me.
If you’re struggling with intrusive thoughts, know you’re not alone—and that with help, it’s possible to find peace.
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