The best way I've heard it described is that your intrusive thoughts tend to be the opposite of the person you actually are. I consider them like a separate person from myself and they're using the issues that bother me most to drive the knife in. One example for me is that, as a survivor of SA, my intrusive thoughts used to taunt me and claim I was an abuser in the making and that it was just a matter of time before I showed my true colors. It was a thought that nearly tore me apart because it was the opposite of the real values and behaviors that make me who I am - vulnerable people need to be protected, not taken advantage of. When I realized the cause of those thoughts and talked about them with others, their power slowly went away. Hopefully anyone you disclose intrusive thoughts to will understand how they work, and maybe this explanation can help you in some way. ❤️

Yes yes yes. It's tormented me for a while and I just realized last week that is OCD. And I've been reinforcing the cycle by condemning the thoughts and trying to prevent them. I feel like a secretly terrible person even though I know my actions are kind, my thoughts are so terrible and gross sometimes I feel like I can't get close to people because they will find out I am terrible. It sucks so bad because these thoughts are so antithetical to my morals. I try to remind myself it's an illness though. And we often have obsessions over issues that are most important to us. I hope it gets better for you. It tends to wax and wane for me and I feel like it's getting a little worse right now.

I have struggled with this form of OCD for a while now. The feelings of disgust will pass, but once they do, something else that triggers you will come in it's place. You have to be comfortable with the thoughts and get will no longer take over and cause you so much pain. The discomfort comes from the thoughts not aligning with the person you really are and if they were true, you would not be feelings this way, i guarantee it. It's important to recognize when something is a trigger and try to remove it from your environment as soon as possible.

Yes!!!!! They can be terrifying. My therapist has helped so much with these. He said to think of them like elevator music and that has helped me a lot. I still get those thoughts but now im able to brush them off rather quickly

Yesss since kindergarten

yes!!!! I struggled a lot with it for a long time. ERP is key if you have ocd, and a therapist who specializes in ocd will not judge you! everyone has intrusive thoughts. it’s just that you’re focusing and obsessing about them! it takes time to learn that and not continue to feed into the cycle of ocd.

yes yes omg it drives me up the walls!!!!! sometimes it gets so bad i get trapped in my own head and i end up feeling so powerless. i’m sorry this happens to you too :[ hang in there

Yes absolutely. All the time. Every day. About everyone. Everything. I let the thoughts play out without fighting them but also o don't give them much attention. With practice they are always there vut have gotten quieter.... how do I stop the day dreams or day mares that involve then though 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

THIS, thank you, i feel like such a horrible person and i am so afraid of asking for help out of fear of being judged even though i know they’re not mine

Yes and it's so so horrible to experience, just remember that those thoughts are not you and do not come from you, and your ocd will most likely use the things that bother you the most against you (at least in my experience). You wouldn't feel guilty if a stranger said something messed up, it's hard but try and think about it that way

I think a lot of what makes intrusive thoughts hard is the accompanying shame, and shame can only live in silenced. I suggest telling a therapist specifics about your thoughts, because at least for me that was the scariest things but the most helpful thing.

Yeah I used to when I was younger and I was scared someone could read my mind😭

YES! I have those

Yes! My therapist had these tips for me and they helped a lot: - acknowledge the thought like “wow, that’s a scary thought” so that you don’t just try to brush over it and force it down bc for me that just made it worse. This also separates you from your thoughts (i.e. you can passively observe your thoughts without them defining your character or indicating that you want to follow through on a thought) - once you acknowledge it, think about putting the thought in a stream and watching it float away

yes and it terrifies me because i absolutely would never choose to say or think those things. the way i deal with it personally is to repeat that its not my real thoughts and it’s my subconscious repeating things i’ve seen happen or my subconscious taking advantage of my intense imagination

YEARS ago I had the same issue, horrible thoughts of things I would NEVER in a million years do. I thought I was losing it having thoughts so bad I still have only told one person, my therapist at the time. She said those thoughts were due to my OCD. After that I was able to push the thoughts out of my head. I knew they weren't my thoughts and that really helped.

✋ I do and I constantly feel guilty about it. A piece of advice Intrusive Thoughts are just that, intrusive. If you were truly a 'bad person' you wouldn't feel disgusted by them or bother to correct them, or worse act on them. The guilt is the proof that you are a good person.