Had an intrusive thought and now I’m worried
So about a week ago I had an intrusive thought about something bad happening on the 25th of this month, and for some reason, this intrusive thought won’t go away, and now my mind keeps on referencing that date, and I keep on getting thoughts like “just wait till the 25th” and such.
I know it sounds really strange but now I’m worried about something happening on the 25th. I’m worried bcos this intrusive thought has stuck with me and I’m scared that it means that it’s true or something. I guess I just wanna know if im being silly 😅
Hello Silentlywishing!
Intrustive thoughts can be extremely powerful sometimes and can cause great stress/anxiety. But an intrusive thought is just a thought. It is not a fact. And just because this thought won't go away, it doesn't mean that it's true. There is no way to tell what will happen in the future ❤
Have you experienced an intrusive thought like this in the past? If so, how did you deal with it?
Thank you so much for the answer! :]
I do have a lot of intrusive thoughts on a day to day basis, but not too many of them are reoccurring, though some are. I typically brush them off but this one scared me for some reason 😭
Aww, I'm sorry this one is especially scary :( it's completely understandable though - I think anyone repeatedly hearing that in their mind would be scared!
I highly doubt something terribly bad, that you can't handle, will happen on the 25th ❤ To ease your anxiety, maybe you could try countering the scary thought. Whenever that thought pops up, you could think to yourself "It doesn't matter if something bad happens; I'm strong and I'll handle it" 🤗
@Silentlywishing I think it approaches near certainly something bad will happen that day, just as something bad has happened every day for many many years.
I would say the same is true for something good happening that day.
Maybe you can just use that through to hold compassion for those who need it most that day?
@Silentlywishing
our thoughts can be very scary but we can control them
How did yesterday go? ❤
Obsession usually occurs when you become fearful of a thought, resist it or avoid it, and thus entrench it…
what you can try doing is repeating the thought 20 times. You can also think as your self “I am having the thought “XYZ” “ to further defuse yourself from it. You are not your thoughts, like I’ve learned from acceptance commitment therapy.
the best way to overcome obsessive thoughts is accepting them and floating with them. Remove the fear by just acknowledging them curiously when they come again. It’s easy to obsess when you are really exhausted and your mind is frazzled so sleep really well, like 9-10 hours….