Intrusive Thoughts

I find this happening when I'm sitting down as well. I think it's because we are calm and since we're not doing much, our brains aren't as active and they are able to think a lot more about other things that we know about. It can even be really stupid stuff sometimes.

This happens alot to me I will just be sitting down and all of a sudden I get a flash back

It's so frustrating isn't it? Even if I keep pushing myself to get back on task I fall back into the imagery and it seems to have a time course of its own. Really open to anything that's worked for others.

@Nosleeptilbrooklyn

It really is, it can be hard to control at times as well.

@Nosleeptilbrooklyn I find it helpful to think of the small things that I'm in control of. When I was about to have an anxiety attack today, I kept thinking about the work I was doing, and how well I was doing it, and how it was something I could control - while what I was having anxiety over, was not something I could control at that moment in time. You can also be in control of something small, like your breathing. It makes me feel good when I'm managing without asking anyone for help (although, don't become like me and be afraid to ask for help, or feel ashamed when you do have to ask). Being helped and open to receiving help is a wonderful thing, of course. <3

@CompassionateGirl90 Thanks for your feedback!

Anyone have ANY luck on a good medicine for intrusive thoughts? I have the nasty violent ones. They make me feel so guilty and disgusting I could die. I'd do anything for them to stop. Has anyone found a good med to help combat them? I'm SO AFRAID.

@Kaela123 The effects of medication vary so widely from person to person. It's best to consult a physician on this as they will monitor all effects properly.

This happens to me a lot. I'm not sure how helpful this is, but I try to make the interaction insignificant. In 100 years we'll all by dead, no one is going to remember a social faux pas, or that person has a family and a life, they won't remember me forgetting to say thank you or that I fell on my face that one time. I try to put it in the context of everything else going on in that person's life, people lead exceedingly complex lives, a small mishap here or there isn't even important enough to form a memory for them.

Usually I have to repeat this mantra several times before the intrusive thoughts stop, but I've found it's faster than allowing the thoughts to run their course.

@JustKeepTrying I often forget that my selection of events aren't always the same memories saved by others. I can't remember anyone doing the embarrassing things I have, but the truth is likely that I have witnessed it and it didn't matter. Thank you, I think this will help me.

@Nosleeptilbrooklyn

I so glad I could be of help. ^_^

I get intrusive thoughts often, sometimes like you described where I revisit social interactions that I feel I failed, and sometimes it's the violent kind (walk into the traffic, smash your phone against the wall, etc etc). I try to close my eyes and think of something else, anything else but if possible something happy... like my cat or my niece and nephew or my favorite cartoons, whatever. I try to tell myself that people mostly are busy paying attention to themselves to notice what I do. Sometimes it works, but sometimes they're harder to get rid of.

This happens to me almost every day. Oddly, these thoughts like to pop up most when I'm having dinner. I have no idea why that is. I'd be eating my potatoes and a sudden cringe-worthy flashback would pop into my head. My mind is strange! I have a tendency to say incredibly stupid things, and the memories haunt me.

I can't offer much advice, all I try to do is tell the thought "Go away! I'm eating here!" Swat those thoughts like a fly! And remind myself that my friends rarely, if ever, sit and think about that silly and awkward thing I said two years ago. ....I hope!