What Are Intrusive Thoughts, And How Can Get Rid Of Them? - Gain Inner Peace

Last updated February 8, 2023 by Katie M.

Do you ever inadvertently torture yourself with crippling doubts about your capacities or your self-worth? Or perhaps you often find yourself worrying about your partner cheating on you, even though you have no real proof as to why? If you regularly find yourself fighting a losing battle with intrusive thoughts, then, know that you are not alone, and that you are in the right place! Here are 10 ways to get rid of these awful and invasive thoughts.

What Are Intrusive Thoughts, And How Can Get Rid Of Them? - Gain Inner Peace

Contents;

What are intrusive thoughts?
How can I stop them?
Editor's opinion - The right mindset conquers anything and everything

So, what are intrusive thoughts, then?

Oh you know, they're those niggling ideas that drive you absolute crazy, for no apparent reason. That's right, intrusive thoughts have always been a big part of my life, which is definitely unfortunate, and up until a few years ago, I found myself battling with them on a daily basis. These aggressive ideas would creep up on me without rhyme or reason and would make me feel terrible for days on end, until one day, I decided that I needed to take control of my life. I was no longer going to live at the mercy of my rambunctious mind. I couldn’t waste another minute of my life worrying about whether I was capable enough of handling all of my clients at work, or wondering if my boyfriend was more attracted to his new coworker than me… STOP! Enough is enough, I won’t do this to myself anymore.

>>> Read up on how I cope with anxiety

How to stop intrusive thoughts - 10 Ways you can deal with them

10 Techniques to get rid of them once and for all!

1) Meditation

Meditation is an excellent way to calm yourself down and transport yourself to a happy place, whenever you feel like your reality is getting too much to handle. Whenever you feel like you are being overloaded and overwhelmed with invasive thoughts, put yourself first and focus on making yourself feel better with a calming bout of meditation. A quiet atmosphere and some time to wind down will do the trick when it comes to freeing up your mind. Plus, anyone can start meditation, you don't have to be a pro for it to work.

2) Try out counseling

Reaching out to a professional isn’t always an easy task for everyone, but in this case, it can be a truly helpful one. Being able to open up and truly explore your feelings in a safe environment will help you quash them. Plus, an outsider’s opinion will likely be helpful when it comes to putting them into context for you. Sometimes asking for help is a necessary step toward healing.

3) Join a support group

Whenever we are faced with mental health or anxiety-related issues, we often feel very isolated and alone. For many people, invasive thoughts make them feel too vulnerable to talk about. However, knowing that we are in fact not alone is a deeply reassuring sentiment and will give us the confidence to ask for coping techniques too.

4) Prioritize self-care

Whether it’s doing your nails, plunging yourself into a hot bubble bath, or going for a relaxing walk, here, it’s essential for you to put yourself first. That’s right, whatever makes you feel better, do it! Invasive thoughts are very hard to deal with at the best of times, and prioritizing yourself at that specific moment when your mind is being drowned, is essential. After all, making yourself feel better will help you gently return to reality.

5) Visualize something positive

It has been proven many a time that when you are stressed and feeling completely overwhelmed, imagining something that makes you smile works an absolute treat. Here, you can imagine whatever you want, whether that be a scene with your family, or a calm walk on the beach at sunset. The idea is to distract your mind and reset your thoughts positively.

>>> Read; Why can I never see the positive in things?

6) Keep in mind that they will pass

I get it, when we are trapped in an episode of horrible thoughts, it is so tough to accept that they’ll soon pass, but, it’s true, they will! This overwhelming negative mindset is only temporary and won’t bog you down forever, so remind yourself of this, and think about the next step.

7) Identify what triggers them

Knowing what triggers you is virtually 50% of the effort required to get better. Perhaps certain situations at work stress you out to no end, or perhaps your partner’s behavior is responsible for your spiraling thoughts. Here’s a tip for you, next time they invade your brain, note down in a journal what you were doing beforehand and repeat this exercise every time they occur.

8) Remind yourself of the reality

Giving yourself a reality check is one of the most effective ways to put an end to your mind fuzz. To break the chain of heavy thoughts, repeat to yourself that you are okay and that nothing can hurt you, your thoughts are simply that, just thoughts. Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it!

9) Work off the tension

Working out and getting your body moving are essential to shaking off bad vibes. In fact, exercising is often credited with reducing stress and anxiety levels, so why wouldn’t it help you in this intimidating scenario? Working up a sweat might just do the trick and help rid you of the darkness inhabiting your mind.

10) Focus on your breathing

Techniques such as the 333 rule for anxiety will be helpful here. These sorts of techniques are natural comforting remedies created to help people manage their episodes of stress and mental discomfort. Learning to control your breathing will have a positive impact on your overall well-being and give you a technique you can use in all sorts of uncomfortable situations.

Editor's opinion - The right mindset conquers anything and everything

Knowing where to turn when we are inundated with negative ideas is certainly no easy feat, but we must keep in mind that our brains are very powerful tools. In fact, when we are in the right frame of mind, we can accomplish absolutely anything. These thoughts might be daunting at points, but they are only temporary, and you are ultimately in control of them, so be sure to limit their influence on you.

🤗 Understand yourself, accept yourself, be happy... Let’s do it here and now!

#BornToBeMe

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