Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, involuntary thoughts, images, or ideas that are upsetting or distressing and can be hard to deal with. When happy thoughts enter our brains, time goes quickly, and ...

Though much is still not understood about what causes intrusive thoughts, experiencing such thinking is often connected to certain mental health conditions or as a symptom of anxiety or depression.

"Getting rid of intrusive thoughts is not a goal," says Needleman. "With successful treatment, OCD clients — like everyone else — will continue to have intrusive thoughts, but the thoughts won ...

The hashtag #intrusivethoughts has amassed over 830 million views, and research corroborates the growing interest in the phrase as over 90% of people experience intrusive thoughts. But with all ...

The good news is that even though no one can get rid of unwanted thoughts completely, "you can make a difference in the level of their intensity, the force of which they are felt, and the ...

Intrusive thoughts can feel distressing, but if one pops up once in a while, it’s probably nothing to be concerned about. In many cases, they are not caused by anything in particular.

The reason intrusive thoughts get “stuck” is because they “do not fit with you, your values, how you see yourself or what matters to you.” Intrusive thoughts are so upsetting precisely ...

Unfortunately, the more you try to get rid of the thoughts, the more likely you are to have them again. A better strategy for dealing with intrusive thoughts is to try to tolerate them.

"With OCD, [intrusive thoughts] lead to rituals to avoid acting on the thoughts or efforts to get rid of the disturbing thoughts or to neutralize them." Avoidance and excessive checking behaviors ...