Weekly Prompt #39: How do intrusive thoughts impact your daily routines and activities?
Hello all and welcome back to another discussion,
A couple of weeks ago, we discussed: What are some things you've learned about yourself through experiencing anxiety? Thank you to all who participated and shared your thoughts with us. I appreciate you all. I hope all who may read it find it relatable too. If anyone hasn't shared yet, please share them here and I look forward to reading and discussing them with you.
This week's prompt: How do intrusive thoughts impact your daily routines and activities?
Intrusive thoughts are unwelcome, involuntary thoughts, images, or ideas that pop into your head unexpectedly. They can be disturbing, upsetting, or even frightening. But please know
- You are not alone as many people experience intrusive thoughts.
- They don't define you because they don't reflect your character or desires.
- Seeking help is okay because support is good.
Let us know your experiences and challenges with intrusive thoughts. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences!
@ASilentObserver
How do intrusive thoughts impact your daily routines and activities?
I guess it would depend on the day, and my mood. If it's just a normal day it's just random thoughts overlapping each other throughout the day. What's that? Why's this? How come wasps can sting more than bees, and so on. It just makes staying on task a little harder sometimes, but other than that I don't really view it as like a negative impact.
On the flip side, depending on the level of stress it can be pretty instigating. Weird word I know, but it makes situations worse. It intensifies the emotions that are already spiraling, especially if other people are involved. Feeling the emotion is one thing but having tens of thoughts screaming in your head to do stuff just adds fuel to the flame. Yesterday, I was sitting in a meeting and in the middle of it I had a panic attack. My muscles started locking up and I did my best to hide it. I excused myself and went to the bathroom. My whole body was shaking and I was just angry, sad, scared, and so many voices in my head tending to every emotion. Fear, run away. Just leave. Anger, yell at them. Tell them off. Sadness, cry it out. Just feel everything. It was too much. In that scenario it made things ten times worse.
@JollyRacher It feels like these intrusive thoughts can increase the intensity of difficult emotions during stressful situations. it is overwhelming. Would you like to share more about what happens when you try to hide these thoughts and physical sensations during situations like the meeting?
@ASilentObserver
I can't hide it, which makes it worse. It's not something I can just stop or act normal about. When I started jerking and twitching my mom would hold me down until it calmed down, but that was both painful and embarrassing for me.
People touching me while I'm like that just makes it worse. I asked a school counselor once about what to do she said I just needed to breathe. I tried breathing but I literally can't. I don't just spasm in one area, it spreads everywhere.
Usually when I'm like this I try tapping things or moving in some way to keep my body active. However, that's also difficult because the worse the spasm the more violent the movement becomes. Tapping turns into bangs and jumping my leg turns into me doing jumping jacks or something.
Which isn't always appropriate for certain settings. I'm doing my best but sometimes it just doesn't feel like enough, especially when stuff like this happens. I just want be able to do this stuff without it spiralling into something else.
Hey,
I have been hearing things for most of my life. I got labelled bipolar with psychosis. So i hear the inaudible. But sometimes it just comes outta nowhere and its so random, and confusing and sometimes really hurtful. But i also feel like this is not a mental illness, but that its a psychic sense called clairaudience = to hear the inaudible. And bcuz i havent worked at it or strengthened it im not entirely sure im receiving guidance with clarity or support.
Im also a highly ancious person and i worey alot so i tend to overthink and i have ADD so its like if im in my head the wheel just spins and spins.
I started a new med and the increase has literally made me have to face my reality of running from trauma that i left surpressed for over 20 yrs. My own fault. But i didnt know how to deal or cope with it..i still dont. So im getting alot of bk talk in my head and the pressure to just b apart of daily life is exhausting.
Im just so aick and tired of having the run around. I wish my life made sense and i wish i wuznt so afraid of it....
@sketch84 you have been experiencing a lot of difficult emotions related to hearing things that are not there, feeling anxious, and trying to cope with past traumas. It can be overwhelming and exhausting. What would you say is the most challenging part of dealing with all of this?
@ASilentObserver the worst part of it is trying to figure out how to mend that past trauma. I c a paychiatrist but idk if i should seek therapy or not cuz idk if i have the oumf (energy) or motivation to change cuz im just too depressed... thx4the reply
It can make it harder to cope. Harder to communicate to the person I need to communicate to. Harder to emotionally keep my head above water. Harder to enjoy things I love. Harder to have motivation to partake in eating, hobbies, and spending time around others. Harder to feel like myself. It's just a never ending struggle.
@ASilentObserver
Oh my goodness intrusive thoughts play a role in my life all the time. I'm constantly thinking and sometimes I have a thought and I obsess over it for days. I used to mediate all the time and there was a point in my life where I was so present but lately it's been so hard to leave those thoughts behind.
@Shyness98
Constantly thinking about and obsessing over certain thoughts can feel so overwhelming. (especially when they are relentlessly on repeat) It can be hard to leave them behind when they are strong enough to suck us out of our presence. How do you think they've impacted you the most? What's been the trickiest part in dealing with the constant thinking for you?
@boundto33
I think persistent thoughts are big factor in my life because it warps my reality and keeps me from taking risks. I think the persistent thought of "I'm afraid" has been tricky to not believe.
@Shyness98 you have had some experience with meditation in the past that has helped you feel more present. It is challenging to have intrusive thoughts show up and take your attention away from the present moment. What kinds of things tend to trigger these intrusive thoughts?
@ASilentObserver
I think what triggers my intrusive thoughts are comparison to other people. Especially when I feel that I should be a certain way and that things "shouldn't be this way".
@Shyness98 It feels like you are experiencing difficult feelings triggered by comparing yourself to others. Would you like to share more about what you mean by feeling like things "shouldn't be this way"?
@ASilentObserver
An example I would share is that I used to work at a job and I felt that I didn't belong there. I felt that I had to force myself to adapt to the working conditions instead of accepting that maybe I didn't belong there. It seemed that everyone else was able to do the job without accommodations and I couldn't so I felt that "things weren't right".
@ASilentObserver
I discoved that I have intrusive thought and anxiety recently. it's awful. I hate it but I don't know how to get ride of it.
It impacts my day for hours. Not all day. Not all the days. Not all the time. It's random.
Often about health. I saw, heard, smelled something unusual and I start being worried about basically dying. I can't stop checking whether or not it going to get worse. I can't call anyone because I know it's nothing important right now but in the same time, it may be ? Try to stop thinking about it, but can't stop thinking about it. Try to stop checking but can't stop checking. It's like an alarm that can't stop ringing but you don't know why it's for. Maybe it's a false alert ? Maybe it's not ? Uncertainty is the worse. You can't run for help. So stress and paralysed. You are stuck.
I may sleep on it. Or die on it. At the moment, I am not really sure.
Tw: death and violence
Beyond typical self deprecating and anxious thoughts rehashing daily events, I somehow get "flash forwards". They're not really flash forwards as I cant see the future. But sometimes I'll hear my partner is going on a road trip and my mind instantly pictures them driving right off the road or crashing. Or I see my dog torn apart by animals when he runs away. Or myself being stabbed when I walk out of the store. I see all the dead bodies (including my own) and the gore. The thought lasts a split second and then I just keep going about my day. I don't want these to happen and I don't ever want to see the dead bodies of any of the beings close to me, but I cant help it, it happens so fast. The visions are vivid and detailed, which is just disturbing. I hope every time that I am not seeing the future.
Has anyone else experienced this?
