How to get rid of intrusive thoughts once and for all. It's not what you would expect...
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- Опубликовано: 18 июн 2024
- Intrusive thoughts include thoughts that are unwanted and unexpected. They usually have a violent, sexual, or socially unacceptable nature. Our instinct is often to try and push these thoughts away. But this can lead to serious problems, including the development of obsessions, which are a hallmark of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Here is what you need to do to get rid of intrusive thoughts for good. If you like my content and want access to more exclusive stuff like videos, blog posts, journal prompts, Q&A, merch, and more, consider supporting me on Patreon so I can keep making free content like this!
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As always, my content is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and does not take the place of therapy. If you have questions or need help, please reach out to your doctor or therapist.
Further reading: www.psychologytoday.com/us/bl...
References:
Hames, J. L., Riberiro, J.D., Smith, A.R., & Joiner, T. E. (2012). An urge to jump affirms the urge to live: An empirical examination of the high place phenomenon. Journal of Affective Disorders, 136, 1114-1120.
Fairbrother, N., & Woody, S. R. (2008). New mothers’ thoughts of harm related to the newborn. Arch Women Mental Health, 11, 221-229.
Brok, E. C., Lok, P., Oosterbaan, D. B., Schene, A. H., Tendolkar, I., & van Eijndhoven, P. F. (2017). Infant-related intrusive thoughts of harm in the postpartum period: A critical review. J Clin Psychiatry, 78, e913-e923. 
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Thank you so much for talking about this, my intrusive thoughts turned into my suicidal thoughts/attempts because I resisted them. I wish people would talk more about mental health. I appreciate you sm 💜
How are you now?
8:15 it actually starts. What to do to stop it. You're welcome
Sleep mares thank you
tyy
thank uuu
Thanks
This video made me feel so comfortable. It's nice to know what I'm experiencing is normal.
So basically don’t judge the thoughts and don’t ignore the thoughts and but just let the thoughts be
I’m really glad that people talk about this. I get them really bad and it always helps for me to get a little reminder that they are just thoughts. This really helps
Wow, I’ve been dealing with this for DECADES!!!!! It’s really been disturbing to me since I thought this indicated a really dark and disturbed core inside my personality. Thank you SOOOOOO much for making this video!!!
Thank you so much for making this, I have intrusive thoughts every day and they scare me so much and it’s a huge thing that I struggle with, i’m glad I’m not the only one going through this.
Thank you but i started having intrusive thoughts about what if they came true and what if suddenly they are not unsettling to me but thoes thoughts were very very anxiety provoking and i need you to know that you have helped me and that thoughts are meaningless and that they are not real and they will never come true i think of them like bad dreams bc bad dreams do not affect you ever bc they are just bad dreams do they will obviously will not come true come to real life or anything like that and i realised that when im tierd so im get more intrusive thoughts bc i have more anxiety and when i wake up i feel awesome and even forget about them
Intrusive thoughts are not always a bad thing and it's good to have them....it reduces stress! Also your beautiful! Js!
That’s exactly what’s happening to me lol
I've been dealing with this for a few months. Very disturbing thoughts, I've dealt with them before back in 2017, i actually thought I was going crazy and found out what they were. I was no longer sub conscious about them I could just push them to the side and ignore them. Fast forward to 2021 about three months ago, they randomly came back and I went into full panic mode. Almost to the point that I wanted to vomit. Just yesterday I was perfectly fine then today it's a different story. I only started having these thoughts when I got depressed, before that I was completely normal and had a healthy mindset. Anxiety/depression doesn't run in my family, it's more caused by environmental factors. Where exactly would I need to start in order get help for this? Who would i reach out too? I'm completely lost and don't even know who I am anymore. ☹️
Go see a therapist or counselor. Insurance can help cover costs. Also local hospitals often times will have programs to offset the cost of treatment. Last resort is to go into debt to see someone. That's okay too. It's helpful.
Same, I had been doing so well for a lot of months and then it just kind of appeared again.
@@itsjustp1nk923 if you dont mind me asking, what caused them for you? Or was it something that you always had as a kid? How do you deal with them?
@@hueso5071 Well it kind of happened out of the blue a year ago. I just let my imagination run wild a little while doing some painting and then my mind started thinking randomly of something dark and I couldn't stop thinking about it because I thought there was something wrong with me. I was also too scared to tell my parents so it was torture for me for a couple of days. In terms of dealing with them, not paying attention to them helped me the most because I noticed when I questioned the thoughts they just kept coming back. The best thing to do that worked for me is to acknowledge that they are intrusive thoughts and leave it at that. Don't try to pick them apart or try to find the cause because there isn't really. It's just a random thought like any other but since it's upsetting you get stuck on it. I know it's really hard, it made my life a lot harder but I've learned to cope with them over time. They never really completely go away, but that goes for everyone, everyone has some sort of intrusive thoughts. Unfortunately since I have a vivid imagination it can be challenging to forget my intrusive thoughts and it might take some time but I know you will be okay. Also, having someone to talk to about them is also helpful. I have a therapist and she usually helps me get out of the loop of thoughts as I say when I used to get really stuck on a disturbing thought. I know they are really scary though but just remind yourself that the fact you're upset about the thought means you're normal. In other words, there is nothing wrong with you if you have intrusive thoughts. I hope you are doing better now with them (I'm guessing you have them because you watched this video.)
@@itsjustp1nk923 yes i was going to through an intrusive episode really bad. I already know that these are intrusive thoughts and aren't my values as a person but the anxiety that comes with the thoughts was terrifying. I did some self help for a few months and it seemed like it was working when i started to feel better, but somewhere down the line i gave into the thoughts and I'm back to square one again. It's really a battle inside our heads at times and can be frustrating to deal with. I'm not really confident on who i anymore because I just don't know. I like to reach out to other people and hear their story, talking about it does help most of the time. I send you my blessings.
This is one of the best videos I have seen regarding intrusive thoughts; everything you say makes great sense and is very helpful!!
Thank you so much this video truly I can tell is going to change my life.
You can totally get rid of intrusive thoughts but u need to accept the thoughts a lot to make them go away
Thank you. I had problems when sleeping. 24/7 Panicking Sometimes wanted to cry. Thank you.😊
I have derealization an intrusive thoughts an it's hell I hate it so much. I try mindfulness alot an I will admit it has lesson over time cus before it was worse but having it still is still uncomfortable an I hate it. Everything feels hopeless but I try to keep hope.
I’ve been dealing with derealization for the past 6 years. Are you doing any better than you were when you posted that comment?
Same I both have derealization and intrusive thoughts, it's the worst
thank you so much! Whenever I touch a wall a weird way, or blink while looking at a cloud, I get really bad intrusive thoughts. I started to get scared because I learnt something called manifesting, which is something that you practice to make your thoughts a reality. These tips really help though! This video is so calming, relatable and helpful! Thank you, hope to get rid of these thoughts soon!
Same! I never really cared about my intrusive thoughts like they obv bothered me but they were something I could manage however after I learnt about manifestations I started panicking when I had bad/intrusive thoughts because I was scared they’ll turn into a reality
@@wes8792 haha glad its not just me!
I think the thing i helped me the most is knowing that your will matters the most. Imo your intentions govern what you manifest, in plain terms this means that you cant manifest what you don't want to manifest. I hate when people say that your beliefs are all that matters because how many things have you expected in your life that didnt happen (before you discovered manifestation)? Clearly intent was not there for what you wanted to manifest. I really hope this helps you, because i know i struggled with this too.
I really wish someone told me right when i started sometimes because the thought patterns are still kind of there and i wish they would disappear faster.
Thank you for this!!
I hate if I dont talk about them then it continues to roll through my mind.
Thank you so much for this 💗
Thank You for this 💙
Thank you!!!! Thank you!!!! I’ve watched so many videos on this and you just explained it in the best way
Dr. Sheppard, what do you do about intrusive thoughts that have become a reality and you struggle to get them to go away because of what you saw?
It is like I'm starting to think about what if I will lose my mind now and jump or something, I got that thought and I'm starting to think this is the proof that I'm crazy and I can do it. It is like spinning in circles.
It’s just so annoying. About a year ago I looked up bad people and it started an obsessive cycle. One year later it has got worse and it can be really annoying when it’s constant whether at school or at home
Hi there ma'am. Umm so here's the thing. I love this girl and randomly the thought came to stab here. So after doing some light research I found tht this doesn't represent me. AND I ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. but the issue is that when i think about my girlfriend the thought comes back to mind. Is there a way to stop this
“Your gonna keep the knife in a safe position,”
Me, who is terrified of the intrusive thoughts I get of graphically killing myself or my family with a knife:
*dangles the knife from the tip of the handle because I don’t even want any sort of leverage and would rather drop it on the floor than do anything else with it*
Thank you, Doc. Would you mind sharing the non-medicated treatment options for mild or moderate OCD?
How closely correlated is this to paranoia? I’ve had this issue with the fear of certain family members dying/me dying/ and vivid images of people I love and care about being hurt .
Is it the same thing?
Also love your channel! First video and I’m looking forwards to watching more of you!
Being going through the same thing for a few weeks now. It’s been hell every day, how have you been dealing with it?
@@samlugano737 I know someone going through this how are you I pray everything works out for you ! Sending blessings your way !!😊
I’ve been having really bad thoughts about harming my bf like cheating on him knowing I will never do it a day in my life I get so scared and try to shut it off but it keeps coming back to the point where I feel so numb and confused as to why I’m thinking like this knowing I love him fully and I am loyal I just need help in understanding these are thoughts and I will never happen so thank you for this
Wow. I think my former therapist was way off. I complained about worries and she said it's intrusive thoughts. I don't think about the kind of examples you gave. Not urges, violence, etc. It's not anything I'm going to do. It's about bad stuff happening TO me. Usually something that already happened that I don't want to happen again.
Thank you so much for your valuable video, Melissa. It was very helpful yet you didnt the question you asked at the cvery beginning ''Who do intrusive thoughts happen?''
Do you mean the question of why? If so, start watching at 4:50 for some of the theories!
@Nino Sokrivo Please see a doctor! I can't diagnose based on information online but this is something that a doctor or therapist could absolutely help with.
I am troubled by the thoughts of getting touched or grabbed inappropriately 24x7 by people I am not attracted to or say feel disturbed by.
I suffered from severe pure O last year but with medication it went down but this year though mostly under control but there are such phases last for weeks that I my anxeity level go high and have to stay alert 24x7 about the intrusive thoughts of getting touched on private parts.
How to stop it?
Do you do therapy? Where can I contact you?
Please help. My thoughts are different if I think about them all the time so I’m sometimes scared they’re going to come true. I know they are just thoughts but they pop up all the time I’m stressed 24/7 and I know I’m healthy but my thoughts say otherwise. I have thought over and over like I have___ when I know I don’t
I know what you mean, I think it’s called magic intrusive thoughts or something like that-
It’s basically thinking your thoughts are gonna come true and I think a lot of people (myself included) have-
There’s not even an hour that goes by where I don’t think about my awful thoughts, but I am much better than I was a couple years ago-
It’s fine man, you’re ok
Oh my thoughts just feels very very different and unusual to me but I'm doing better
Sometimes I keep getting thoughts about fictional characters and I feel really weird about it like something is wrong with me like it's crazy
I have been having intrusive thoughts in form of extreme pain. And the images are unsettling and I can feel it and each time it gets worse.
Just ignore it and know that it’s normal it won’t last forever
This was helpful but have you ever considered doing a video on intrusive thoughts during sex? I can deal with intrusive thoughts in general with no problem but during intercourse there is often a chain intrusive thoughts that are usually either insecurities or closely related to insecurities (how do I measure up to past lovers, is she looking for something im not offering, size matters, etc). They are often persistent to the point that it wouldn't matter if I ate a handful of Viagra, performance comes to an abrupt stop. Its as if there is an on/off toggle switch and sometimes the only way to turn it back on is to fetishize something related to the insecurity. I feel like my issue must be more common than I hear about. ...my solution.... No so sure 🤷🏽♂️
Best solution mate, try practicing having the thoughts there while having sex, enjoy the experience, that's the only way. keep trying it's going to be hard to separate it but it's possible
Also, I wanna know the treatment guidelines for the same Contamination OCD... Right now, I am working on all parts of it - fear, anxiety, obsession, and compulsion. However, reverese process has been applied.
The order it works is... Obsession》Anxiety》Compulsion》Relief... and the cycle starts over. I'm having to get smart on this subject due to a family member... Hang in there. There is ways to stop the cycle at each of the stages. It's not easy, but it can be done. 😉
Hey POW, one other thing I learned is treat fear and anxiety as 2 different things. Thing of Fear as there is a bear in my trash can and Anxiety as there might be a bear in my trash can. One is real and the other is imagined.
Which time do she start to get rid of it
I don't like these thoughts I wanna die 😩
9:06. Book mark
Becareful for people who have triggers. This video is full of them
My have become somewhat obsessive 😔
Mine too....😔
I got the thought that if u wear nosepin it would look beatiful on u .
Why do people intentionally expose themselves
Today is the Day.
9:45
Care for the dog
This taking so long
lost me at the medication part, sorry.
Get to the point already
Thanks for the feedback! I’ll keep working on getting more concise. I always try to include some background information for context but it’s hard to know how much.
Surely that comment was an intrusive thought. 😂😂😂
@@MelissaShepardMD it wasnt that bad. You were able to discuss the whole idea behind it, gave relatable examples and analogies. Though I agree that you may try to be more concise and plan out how you want to give the discussion so you wont repeat what you say (unless you really want to give emphasis to it). In any case, perhaps you have more tips for people having intrusive thoughts? Particularly, intrusive sexual thoughts -- its not like I dislike the thought itself, but its just so hard to focus/sleep because of it. Its likely i space out on what im doing.
omfg fr tho
Geez people be nice! She's trying to help!
This video means a lot to me, I don't eveb know who I am anymore or what I should do and feel. All those disturbing thoughts that I should not have, thank you for the informational video.
I hope it all gets better soon and in reality, it's a fight between me and me. Thank you so much! 🤍