Therapist-Approved Tips for Stopping Intrusive Thoughts

Take the time to understand intrusive thoughts and stop them from overwhelming you.

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Your mind might be a significant part of your being, but your thoughts are not always an accurate representation of what you really want. Persistent misaligned or unwanted thoughts, known as intrusive thoughts, can be disruptive and cause intense distress. “When someone is experiencing intrusive thoughts, they might first notice that these thoughts, feelings, memories, or images may be abnormally violent, sexual, religious, or fearful than what they typically experience,” says Charlie Health Licensed Creative Arts Therapist Courtney Way, MA, LCAT, listing a few common intrusive thoughts. Way notes that stopping intrusive thoughts can be challenging due to the consistency of intrusive thinking, but there are things you can do to manage this kind of thinking. Read on for therapist-approved tips on how to manage intrusive thinking. 

5 tips for stopping intrusive thoughts

As Charlie Health Group Facilitator Bree Williams, LPCA, says, “Coping with intrusive thoughts requires patience and intentional strategies.” Here are techniques you can use to cope with intrusive thoughts. 

1. Acknowledge the unwanted thought 

Our thoughts often happen to us without our permission, and we can’t always stop unwanted intrusive thoughts from happening, but we can change our relationship with the thought.  Trying to act like intrusive thoughts don’t exist or trying to push them away inevitably leads to focusing on them more. For example, if someone told you, “Don’t think of the purple balloon,” you are now suddenly thinking of the purple balloon and maybe struggling to get the image out of your head. This is exactly what happens with our intrusive thoughts. Williams notes that accepting intrusive thoughts involves understanding that they exist but knowing that they don’t define you.

“Acknowledge and label the thought as being intrusive and separate that thought from who they are and the values they hold, accept the thought — don’t fight it, fighting it can make the thought louder and more prominent,” adds Way. “Practice self-compassion and patience and allow yourself grace, space, and time to move through the thought without trying to push it out or punish yourself for having the thought.”

2. Write the thought down

Charlie Health Primary Therapist Alysson Thewes, LCSW, recommends coping with intrusive thoughts by writing them down. “Externalizing those thoughts, making our brain turn them from words in our mind to words on paper, can take some of their power away,” she says. There is something so satisfying about turning those thoughts into nothing but a bit of ink and some serious perspective. 

Staring at intrusive thoughts on paper can also give you a clear opportunity to invalidate them. Williams recommends asking if this thought has any basis in reality.

3. Do something mentally or physically active

Yes, scrolling on your phone or letting yourself dive into an unwanted intrusive thought can both feel satisfying in the moment. In reality, you’re just feeding a negative mood, which can allow your uncertainty to fester. Instead, Thewes recommends trying redirection. “I challenge you to get up, do something with your body, do something with your mind, and shift your brain away from the intrusive thoughts,” she says. “When they come back, gently remind them that you are busy.”

4. Practice mindfulness

Take the time to practice mindfulness, whether through a meditation exercise or a body scan. Mindfulness involves learning to recognize our thoughts as temporary mental events. Our mind is like the sky, and our thoughts are like clouds– the inevitable noise that passes over the backdrop. When we gaze up at the sky, we recognize that the clouds will come and go without damaging the integrity of the sky. Through practicing mindfulness, you can learn to adopt that same mindset toward your own thoughts. Williams recommends exploring grounding exercises and deep breathing to “focus on the present, reducing the intensity of [intrusive] thoughts.”

5. Seek therapy 

Therapy can be a tremendous tool in coping with unwanted intrusive thoughts. Williams recommends exploring techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or exposure and response prevention (ERP) to manage your intrusive thinking, whether it be a violent thought, disturbing thought, or distressing thought. 

Whether you are in therapy currently or interested in seeking out therapy, talk to your healthcare provider about how intrusive thoughts are impacting your life and explore the potential fit of CBT or ERP therapies to help you manage your symptoms.

The link between intrusive thoughts and mental health conditions 

It’s important to consider the impact of intrusive thoughts on your life and the level of distress associated with them, as more distress might signal an underlying mental health condition. 

Specifically, the National Institute of Mental Health reports that intrusive thoughts are a common symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In cases of OCD, intrusive thoughts typically center around an obsessive theme, such as fear of contamination, fear of causing harm, or excessive concern with order and perfection.These obsessions result in frequent, unwanted thoughts that may cause anxiety and lead to compulsive behaviors, which serve as an attempt to alleviate the anxiety. For example, someone experiencing symptoms of OCD might have intrusive thoughts that center around an obsessive fear of germs, resulting in compulsive hand-washing behaviors as they attempt to quell the anxiety or fear associated with the obsessive thought content.

However, having or being diagnosed with OCD is not a prerequisite for intrusive thoughts. Intrusive thoughts are common and can happen in individuals living with or without diagnosed mental health conditions. In fact, one study of college students across 13 countries found that about 94 percent of people experience intrusive thoughts at one point or another. Way adds that an intrusive distressing thought is more likely to occur when you’re experiencing high levels of stress or anxiety.

How Charlie Health can help

If you or a loved one are struggling to stop unwanted or negative thoughts, Charlie Health is here to help. Charlie Health’s virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) provides mental health treatment for people dealing with serious mental health issues, including OCD, anxiety disorders, depression, and more. Our expert clinicians incorporate evidence-based therapies into individual counseling, family therapy, and group sessions. With support, managing intense distress from negative thoughts is possible. Fill out the form below or give us a call to start healing today.