The possibility that most patients with intrusive thoughts will ever act on those thoughts is low. Patients who are experiencing intense guilt, anxiety, shame, and are upset over these thoughts are very different from those who actually act on them.
Myth 1: A person wants to act on these thoughts
According to the ADAA, the opposite is true. The most dangerous myth surrounding intrusive thoughts is that they might lead to action. People experiencing these thoughts typically work hard to fight them, which results in the thoughts becoming persistent.
You might feel upset that you are capable of having such thoughts. Remember: obsessions are not a reflection of your personality. People with OCD are very unlikely to act on their thoughts.
New research from Concordia University and 15 other universities worldwide shows that 94 per cent of people experience unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images and/or impulses.
Intrusive thoughts are common
“Intrusive thoughts are a normal part of human life and many people have them,” Dr. Monga said. Up to 90% of people may have intrusive thoughts at times. Having them doesn't mean you will act on them.
Intrusive thoughts can be about anything. But negative intrusive thoughts are the ones that tend to be the most upsetting. These negative thoughts are often about topics that you find disgusting, disturbing, or scary. They may be violent, sexual, or otherwise go against your values.
Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts, impulses or "mental images". These thoughts may surround the fear of committing an act you consider to be harmful or violent to yourself or others. There is no intent to act on these thoughts, although your OCD may attempt to persuade you that you will.
This has been linked to anxiety—suggesting that frequent catastrophizing may be a factor in developing certain mental health problems. Catastrophizing comes from the belief that by imagining what might go wrong, we're better able to protect ourselves from harm—both physical and mental.
Your mind is sending you signals that you need to do something, even though there is no real risk. It is yelling at you that you need to take action. This is why OCD feels so real. There is a very real process taking place in your brain.
Remember that intrusive thoughts are not sins. These thoughts aren't necessarily a reflection of your true beliefs. It's natural to have fleeting thoughts and images that don't mesh with your beliefs and ideals. Most people can dismiss these thoughts.
It's unlikely that OCD can actually cause schizophrenia to develop. But while OCD doesn't necessarily cause schizophrenia, it can come with higher chances of experiencing it than people without OCD.
Healthy ways to respond to unwanted thoughts
Don't bring your attention to it, but passively notice the thought. By trying to push it away or ignore it, we still see intrusive thoughts as a threat and a danger—it's better to accept the thought without giving it any meaning.
Intrusive thoughts are often triggered by stress or anxiety. They may also be a short-term problem brought on by biological factors, such as hormone shifts. For example, a woman might experience an uptick in intrusive thoughts after the birth of a child.
Anxiety can cause uncharacteristically violent thoughts. “Unexplained” violent thoughts are also a symptom of some types of anxiety. How you react to those thoughts can increase how frequently they occur.
“The reality is that our intrusive thoughts alone can't compel us to engage in a behavior that we don't want to do,” she says. “A true intrusive thought is simply a thought, and we can choose to act on it or not.” The majority of people do not—and these involuntary thoughts don't capture their actual desires.
While psychologists are not entirely sure why some people have looping thoughts and others do not, they agree that some brains are wired differently than others. Those with looping thoughts tend to come from perfectionist families, struggle with trauma, have anxiety disorders, or depressive symptoms.
Bible Verses for OCD Sufferers
2 Timothy 1:7: For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-control. 1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Psalm 4:8: I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Anxiety can be so overwhelming to the brain it alters a person's sense of reality. People experience distorted reality in several ways. Distorted reality is most common during panic attacks, though may occur with other types of anxiety. It is also often referred to as “derealization.”
Once a mental health problem becomes severe enough that it has a significant impact on your life, it is then considered to be a psychosocial disability. Mental health diagnoses that can potentially fall into the category of psychosocial disability may include: Bipolar disorder. Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Borderline personality disorder is one of the most painful mental illnesses since individuals struggling with this disorder are constantly trying to cope with volatile and overwhelming emotions.
Personality disorders are some of the most difficult disorders to treat in psychiatry. This is mainly because people with personality disorders don't think their behavior is problematic, so they don't often seek treatment.