intrusive thoughts . . .please help

Hi,

I have had a problem with intrusive thoughts. I would usually see a program where someone killed a family member or something and then get crazy what if thoughts that would make me very anxious. I love my family and hate the thoughts but Im having problems letting them pass and dealing with the guilt and anxiety afterwords. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Austin

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Austin, its not possible to give you a quick one line remedy. These kind of thoughts usually relate to some unconscious unresolved issue and only a psychotherapist can help you figure out the origin.

[kellyd]

I agree.  Usually these kind of thoughts do stem back to something.  It would be worth investigating more with the help of a professional.  :-)

[rpeders3]

These thoughts are typical of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Get an appointment with a doctor and tell them what you're experiencing. If it is OCD, it is NOT because of unresolved subconscious conflicts. That kind of thinking died with Freud (or at least should have!).

[snickerscal]

Hi Austin, I know what your going thru.I have OCD like the person before me suggested. My kids are 13 and 10 now and im 32.
With both of my pregnacies and about a year afterwards. I was haunted with intrusive thoughts. I still go thru them sometimes depending on the stress level in my life over anything. The guilt is overwhelming and you think whats wrong with me to have such sick thoughts. If you feel yourself starting to do this, the best thing I have found is to immediately get up and do something productive. You can start doing dishes run the vacuum anything. I know this now but at the time I felt like a crazy person and a bad mom. If you havent seen the movie "As good as it gets" rent it. It puts a lighter spin on it. But atleast you know if they made a whole movie about it we are not alone. I also avoided scary movies stay away from talk shows about molesting children and other horrific topics. Be aware that you can control this if you realize you have to. The mind is a very powerful thing but easily persuaded. Not that you would ever do these acts but just the thought is so bothersome. Please no your not alone and you can make it better if you put your mind to it. : ) No punt intended.

[lookingforme]

It is the most horrible feeling when your mind creates your own
panic attacks and feelings of inadequacy.
Anyone who deals with it has to be strong and a survivor.
I still feel like I will be rejected even after being accepted
by my college. Will it ever end?

[goldengirlmining]

Your not alone.  I have scary intrusive thoughts that are simply rediculas, but they are real terrors to me.  Like a plane is going to crash in to my house and kill my baby and I, or a car crash.  I go through about tyen panic attacks just riding in a car 10 miles.    I stlill blame it on post pardumn depression, and have taken meds for it.  wellbutrin helped for a while, but it seemed no doctors understood how to help/.-k

[EvyEve]

I too suffer from intrusive thoughts.  They usually come right after I see a tv program about some type of violent crime or accident.  I find that if I stay away from viewing horrible tv progams, my intrusive thoughts almost disappears.  I don't even like watching the news.

[brubaker68]

intrusive thoughts..horror of my whole life..im now 37 .i dont remember a time when i didnt have thoughts of well i dont no what they are or where they come from.all i no is there normaly not nice.last one i had i was in garden with my son who i love very much..i looked up the other end of garden and saw a pitch fork.instantly the thought dived into my head stick it through my sons stomach.what sort of sick thing is that..when i get them i ask the good and great lord to clear the **** from my mind.it normaly works for a short time.im not religious either. i feel i have more strength then my mind .and will never act out any of these rogue bulling thoughts..

[Doc 1]

You are emotionally abusing yourself when you have Intrusive Thoughts.  Emotions at work can include - Shame, Guillt, Anger, Resentment.

Doc

[April2]

I used to have a problem with intrusive thoughts. I like how you used Philipians 4:8 as your title. That's the Bible scripture I used to quote to myself a lot to help me overcome the thoughts. With a lot of prayer and reading the Bible and having others pray for me, I'm a lot better. I hope that you are doing better too. God bless.

[Snow Monkey]

It really does sound like OCD.  The best treatment for this is CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy).  The mai hing to unerstad is that EVERYONE will have thought like this that pop into their mind at some point.  The difference between you and a "normal" person is hat they won't think an ything of it and it will just pop in and pop out again!!  With you (and with me in the past!) these thoughts carry with them a strong emotion (guilt, fear etc etc it doesn't really matter) so you fixate on the toughts giving them strength and power - the more you try to push them out f your mind the more the thoughts will pop nto your head...hence the Obessessive part of OCD.  Don't let the thoughts wory you.  They do not mean that you are a horrible person or that you are going to carry out your thoughts (they are just thoughts!), and most importantly don't try and push them out of your mind.  Just remind yoursef each time you have one of how unimportant that thought is and concentrate on allowing the emotion that hought has creaed to pass.  Once you do this, the thoughts wll occur less and less and have a smaller and smaller emotional impact each time.  I know because I've been there and now have no problems with these sorts of thoughts.
If you can't do it alone ask your doctor to refer you to a CBT therapist and they will help you.
Good luck!