![]() ![]() Others may suggest that people struggling with intrusive thoughts distract themselves, get their mind off of these thoughts, or just “simply” don’t worry about them. ![]() People without clinical anxiety are more apt to dismiss such thoughts as out-of-character and go on about their day. Furthermore, they are more likely to overestimate the probability of experiencing these feared outcomes. People with clinical anxiety are also more likely to spend more time thinking about the implications of these thoughts and take measures to attempt to prevent the feared potential consequences from occurring. Such interpretations generally lead to emotional activation, which increases the perceived strength of the intrusive thoughts, which then increases the level of focus upon the thought. Individuals with clinical anxiety are more likely to judge their intrusive thoughts as bad, immoral, or dangerous. The primary difference between intrusive thoughts that occur in the presence of clinical anxiety and those that do not is the way these thoughts are appraised. Some intrusive thoughts that have been identified by people who do not experience clinical anxiety include: thoughts of swerving their car into incoming traffic, images of hurting a loved one, thoughts of catching diseases, impulses to do something shameful, thoughts of leaving an appliance running and causing a flood or fire, thoughts that are blasphemous, etc. In fact, research has found that over 90% of the population experiences intrusive thoughts (Abramowitz, Deacon, & Whiteside, 2011). They are also experienced by individuals who do not routinely struggle with anxiety. Intrusive thoughts are not unique to people who are struggling with a mental health concern(s). However, intrusive thoughts are far more common than typically believed. Consequently, many people are hesitant to reveal or disclose their intrusions to others. Intrusive thoughts often elicit feelings of guilt, shame, embarrassment, and/or fear. Such themes generally provoke emotional distress, particularly when they are perceived as being out-of-character or against the person’s respective values. Common themes of intrusive thoughts include (but are not limited to): harm/violence, sexuality/sexual behaviors, religion, and making mistakes/causing accidents. They are predominantly associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but they are often seen amongst the symptoms of other anxiety disorders. ![]() Typically, these thoughts are distressing (hence “intrusive”) and tend to reoccur. Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts, images, impulses, or urges that can occur spontaneously or that can be cued by external/internal stimuli. ![]()
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