How do you deal with intrusive thoughts?

It depends what the intrusive thought is about. Many times writing the thoughts down helps. it lets me know that I will be reminded to deal with it later and so I don't have to worry about it now. With many intrusive thoughts, it is important to remind your self that they are JUST THOUGHTS. You do not have to do anything about them, and many times you will be better if you don't. Next, distract your self. Get invested in some project or hobby that makes you happy or invest in the moment you are living in. Scan the environment. Listen to your teacher, nature, your friends.

I welcome them and explore why they are coming to me. I take the time to breathe and ground myself to feel safe, sometimes using my imagination and then I lean into the feelings and explore. Sometimes this feels uncomfortable and sometimes it is scary or hurtful or anxiety-proviking but it is necessary. I also find that having a strong sense of self awareness helps for moments like this because if you know what you need and if you know how to calm yourself down and what works for you then this is. a much easier process for yourself.

Identify what is triggering them, and do not suppress them. After you identify the cause or what is triggering them, you can work around that to problem-solve and make changes. Also, it would be great if you can speak with a professional about them and to gain coping skills or to work with someone professional to reduce the triggers and how to go around them. It's not an abnormal thing, we all have intrusive thoughts and they are a part of everyday life. However, it becomes a problem if they are unavoidable and start impacting your everyday life functioning.