What Are the Six Most Common Intrusive Thoughts?

TL;DR

Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, disturbing ideas that most people experience and do not reflect who you are. The video lists six common types, notes the seventh trauma related category, and explains how exposure therapy and cognitive defusion reduce their power. It also stresses seeking a licensed professional for exposure based treatment and learning to stop feeding the thoughts.

Transcript

A lot of people are afraid that they're broken  or disgusting if they have an intrusive thought. Like, check out this comment from the student in  the Intrusive Thoughts course where Dr Kat Green is the instructor: "When Kat stated specific  intrusive thought examples, I sobbed because there are some I've told my therapist and some  I thought were ... Read More

Key Insights

• Intrusive thoughts are unwanted and usually disturbing but do not indicate reality, and most people experience them at some time.
• The six common intrusive thought types are self harm, harming others, sexual thoughts, immoral or blasphemous thoughts, self doubts and mistakes, and contamination or health fears.
• A seventh category exists for unwanted past trauma related thoughts which align more with PTSD than random thoughts.
• The key difference for OCD is how thoughts are reacted to, with avoidance increasing distress.
• Exposure therapy, specifically exposure response prevention, helps by facing thoughts without acting on them.
• Resisting or suppressing thoughts tends to make them louder and more persistent.
• ACT strategies like cognitive defusion, mindfulness, and willingness help people observe thoughts without identifying with them.
• More videos from this channel:
  • How to Reduce Daily Stress and Anxiety Effectively
  • How to curb emotional flooding in relationships during heated talks
  • How to Find Meaning to Fight Anxiety and Live Fully
• More from this channel: Therapy in a Nutshell

Questions & Answers

Q: What are intrusive thoughts and why are they considered normal in many people?

Intrusive thoughts are words or images that pop into the mind unwanted and are often disturbing, with little to do with reality. They can feel loud and distressing but do not define who you are. Study after study has shown that almost everyone experiences intrusive thoughts at times, making them a normal human experience rather than a sign of moral failing.

Q: What are the six most common intrusive thought types?

The six common types are thoughts of self harm, thoughts of harming others, sexual thoughts, immoral or blasphemous thoughts, self doubts and mistakes, and contamination or health fears. Each type can be distressing and appear in various everyday contexts, but having the thought does not mean you will act on it.

Q: What is the seventh category of intrusive thoughts mentioned in the video?

The seventh category is unwanted thoughts of past trauma, including bad memories and flashbacks. These are connected more to actual events and PTSD than to random thoughts, and they are grouped separately because they have a different origin and treatment implications.

Q: How does OCD change the way a person responds to intrusive thoughts?

A person with OCD tends to worry about what the thought means about them, asking if it indicates they are dangerous or immoral. This reaction can lead to a cycle of trying to suppress or control the thoughts, which actually makes them louder and stronger over time, whereas other people may simply dismiss them.

Q: What is exposure therapy and how does it help with intrusive thoughts?

Exposure therapy, specifically exposure response prevention, helps by gradually facing the feared thought and refraining from the associated compulsive response. This process increases anxiety initially, but over time the brain learns that the thoughts are not dangerous, reducing their impact and frequency as the person habituates to them.

Q: Why is it important not to feed intrusive thoughts, and what line from Jung is cited?

Feeding intrusive thoughts by resisting, suppressing, or acting on them tends to increase their intensity and stickiness. The video cites Carl Jung, saying that what you resist not only persists but grows in size, highlighting the value of allowing thoughts to pass without engagement.

Q: Which ACT strategies are recommended for managing intrusive thoughts?

ACT strategies recommended include cognitive defusion, mindfulness, and willingness. These techniques help individuals observe thoughts without attaching meaning to them or trying to control them, enabling a healthier relationship with thoughts and reducing distress over time.

Q: Where can viewers learn more about Dr Kat Green’s approach to intrusive thoughts?

The video mentions Dr Kat Green’s course Taking Charge of Intrusive Thoughts and notes that more depth on the strategies can be learned there. Viewers can also explore the linked course in the video description to gain structured guidance on managing intrusive thoughts.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Intrusive thoughts are unwanted words or images that pop into the mind and are often disturbing, but they do not reflect reality. They are common across healthy and anxious individuals alike, and awareness is the first step to managing them. The video emphasizes normalcy and hope.

• The six main types are self harm, harming others, sexual thoughts, immoral or religious blasphemous thoughts, self doubts and mistakes, and contamination or health fears. A seventh trauma related category is noted for past events and PTSD related experiences.

• The recommended approach includes exposure and response prevention, cognitive defusion, mindfulness, and willingness strategies. These methods help separate oneself from thoughts and reduce their impact over time, ideally with professional guidance.