Intrusive thoughts are those thoughts that enter your mind and may cause anxiety and hyperfocus on those thoughts.  These thoughts may be violent, sexual or life threatening.  These are merely thoughts that pass through your mind.  They are not plans to do something dangerous.  Intrusive thoughts are experienced by everyone.   

They may be caused by trauma that you have experienced.  For example, you had a health crisis such as a heart attack and end up in the intensive care unit.  You recover and eventually return home. But your mind state is altered to being fearful that something unexpected will happen at any moment.  You feel the anxiety that fills your body as soon as you wake up in the morning.  You notice pain in your body that may be imagined or you feel us more serious than it actually is.  You worry that you are about to have a stroke or another heart attack.   

Another example of this phenomenon is if one of your parents dies unexpectedly when you are a child.  Your parents had been in good health and then suddenly your mother dies in a car accident.  Your innocence is shattered and from the moment of your mom’s death, the feeling that a traumatic event can happen at any moment.  You may not even be thinking about your loss, but the worry seems to always be in the background of your life. 

A third example of this phenomenon is suddenly losing your job after a long period of time.  You have worked as a teacher in a school you loved for twenty years.  The district suddenly decides to close your school for some contrived reason.  Your heart breaks and every time you think about applying for another teaching job, you become fearful that you will become too attached to the community and get hurt all over again.  You feel like you will never be happy again and feel the tears roll down daily. 

A fourth example could be the child who was abused by her parents throughout her early life.  Your parents may have physically or emotionally harmed you.  They may have destroyed all your self-confidence.  They may have called you names and degraded you constantly.  All of this can cause you to worry that  you will be harmed again and you are constantly hypervigilant.     

How to Deal with Intrusive Thoughts 

1. Be patient and kind to yourself.  The traumas can strike deeply, and the intrusive thoughts can take a long time to ease up.  It is not realistic to expect the intrusive thoughts to cease altogether, but they can become manageable. 

2. When intrusive thoughts come up, immediately tell yourself that your traumatic experiences have caused them. There is nothing wrong with you because you are having these thoughts. 

3. Research shows that physical exercise can lower anxiety and depression.  Create a consistent, regular, and enjoyable exercise program and you will notice a change in mood. 

4. Get a good night’s sleep and eat healthy meals on a regular schedule.  

5. When intrusive thoughts come up, don’t attempt to figure out why you are having them.  This only causes increased overthinking and worry.  Instead, go for a walk, read a good book, visit with friends or watch an enjoyable movie.