How to Stop Intrusive Thoughts?

Intrusive thoughts are thoughts that regularly enter your mind against your will. A lot of the time, it is possible to resist or ignore these intrusive thoughts. But for some, it can cause a lot of distress and anxiety.

The first step to dealing with intrusive thoughts is to realise that they are merely temporary, however powerful they might seem in the moment. It is important to identify that it is indeed an intrusive thought but understand that it will soon disappear once it has run its course.

Common Examples of Intrusive Thoughts:

Below are some examples of what our clients have felt when they discuss what they are experiencing. These intrusive thoughts can be embarrassing or controlling, but please know that we can help you:

• Fear of being killed or killing someone else
• Concerns that others are gossiping about them
• A mother worrying about something terrible happening to her child
• Fear of being made fun of or laughed at
• Fear of doing something profoundly shameful or embarrassing
• Irrational negative thoughts regarding self-worth or failing within themselves
• Violent sexual fantasies
• Particularly violent thoughts
• General negative thoughts about your life and experiences
• Fear-based thought that you’ve got a disease with no basis to support it
• Flashback to unpleasant things from your past. (Ex. intrusive memories PSTD)
• Intrusive fear of loss in the family

Intrusive thoughts and OCD are commonly connected but it’s not always the case. In fact, the large percentage of people experience intrusive thoughts on a daily basis.

In the event that intrusive thoughts become increasingly repetitive, overwhelming or cause difficulty functioning in daily life, help is available. A myriad of medical conditions, including anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder can bring about and intensify intrusive thoughts.

At the Hypnosis and Therapy Centre, we use Hypnosis and a unique multi-therapy approach to help and eliminate a vast range of issues, including intrusive thoughts. Our techniques are extremely effective and can have an instant impact after the very first session!

Reaching out for a Free Phone Consultation with us, or your GP is the first step towards overcoming debilitating intrusive thoughts.

What Causes Intrusive Thoughts?

Intrusive thoughts can happen randomly. Some thoughts wander into your brain but leave just as quickly leaving no lasting impression. But it is the intrusive thoughts that last longer and often return.

Obsessive Thoughts vs. Intrusive Thoughts

Obsessive thoughts and intrusive thoughts have a lot of similarities, although have distinct differences.

Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive thoughts, or invasive thoughts often come into your mind seemingly out of nowhere. There is no definitive reason to what causes intrusive thoughts. Some researchers link these unwanted and invasive thoughts to an imbalance of a brain chemical known as GABA, responsible for inhibiting activity of certain cells in the mind.

It is important to understand that although these thoughts can be worrying to you, it is not necessarily a sign of an underlying disorder unless. That being said, if they are severe or persistent, it may be worth investigating further with your GP or therapist. Intrusive thoughts can affect anyone, but they are often linked to underlying mental health issues. This is nothing to be ashamed of, and it is getting more and more accepted to be able to speak out about mental health issues which is helping the world move in a positive direction.

Obsessive Thoughts

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) occurs when intrusive thoughts become uncontrollable. This can cause people to become compulsive about repeating some behaviours in an effort to end and prevent these compulsive thoughts.

Common examples that are less severe include worrying about locking doors, turning off appliances, the fear of bacteria and turning on and off lights a number of times before entering or leaving a room. This can be an unhealthy result that interferes with a person’s quality of life.

Another common symptom of people suffering from OCD is that when they are experiencing and intrusive thought, they can overreact. At a chemical level, the brain sends signals that something is wrong and it needs to reacted to immediately. While it may be obvious to others that these fears and obsessive thoughts are illogical, to the person experiencing them, the reaction and fear are indeed very real.

For a person who has non-clinical OCD, intrusive thoughts affect them much less. The severity of emotional distress resulting from these thoughts is a good reflection of the diagnosis for OCD.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Traumatic events can often be connected intrusive thoughts and people living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

These thoughts may trigger some of the physical symptoms of PTSD, such as increased heart rate and sweating.

When at its worst, these thoughts can be so severe that flashbacks occur leading to intense psychological distress.

Stress in general is something that Hypnosis and our unique approach is used to resolve from the core.

Clients are amazed the difference they feel after just on session with Caitríona or Fiachra.

Eating disorders

Intrusive thoughts can also develop and intensify eating disorders.

These are extremely harmful to their mental health. So much so, that the thoughts can eventually have a negative impact on their physical health.

The reason people with an eating disorder can be impacted by intrusive thoughts is that they can worry about the physical impact food will have on their body, which in turn leads to a halt in eating.

It may be difficult to understand this, but such behaviours are more common than you think.

Eating disorders are often linked to an unhealthy weight-loss, but they can also be associated with weight gain.

Weight management is another service we provide which focusses on resolving the inner issue that is causing the unwanted behaviour.

How Do I Stop Instrusive Thoughts?

If you are fed up with intrusive or obsessive thoughts taking over you’re life, it is simpler than you think to take the first step, and take back control.

Some therapies will focus on certain aspects of these negative thoughts. For example, some therapists use cognitigve-behavioural therapy (CBT) which can help with overcoming overwhelming fears and obsessions. This is used to force patients to rationally focus on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and observe how they relate to each other.

At the Hypnosis and Therapy Centre, we use a unique, multi-therapy approach which involves Hypnosis and CBT along with a range of different therapies depending on the client. We have helped countless people suffering from OCD, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, panic attacks, confidence issues, eating disorders, depression and many more issues. You can see our reviews on Google and Trustpilot!

The first step is to organise a Free Phone Consultation or Complimentary Breakthrough Session via the form below. Caitríona and Fiachra are extremely caring and genuine people who love the work they do.

Alternative Ways to Help with Intrusive Thoughts

There is no simple cure for this, and it will vary on each person. Try the steps below that will contribute to being able to manage these thoughts until you feel the need to get in contact:

• Surround yourself with great friends – Surrounding yourself with great friends will remind you that you are not alone. They should be understanding and kind. You will need people by your side to help you through the tougher times. You also respect and understand that they may need some help to understand your situation. We all have issues! But we don’t all talk about them. By surrounding yourself with people you trust and love, you can get through anything! It does take a lucky person to have those type of friends, professional help such as Caitríona or Fiachra at our centre are always there to act as a relief and to help you through these times
• Take care of yourself and your mental health – Recognise that these thoughts are just thoughts and that they WILL pass. Making small changes to your routine will help you manage your mental health. Try meditation, yoga, walks or other gentle activities! These can distract and relax your mind which will improve your overall mental state and indeed help with intrusive thoughts. You cannot expect change to just happen, you must take steps to make this positive change!

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I went to the to the Hypnosis and Therapy Centre because I was anxious about giving a speech at a wedding The therapist, Caitríona, was warm and welcoming. She spoke with great positivity and certainty. She assured me that the anxiety around public speaking would be addressed and managed. This would give me the freedom to deliver my speech in the way i wanted to. In total i had three consultations with Caitríona. After each session I felt incrementally more empowered and calm. This allowed me to focus on the content and emotions i wanted to relay. Caitríona also gave me a range strategies to employ if I felt my anxiety begin to re-emerge. We practised these together and they were a great source of comfort particularly as i got closer to the date of the wedding. The wedding was a wonderful occasion. During my speech I felt confident and was able to embrace the whole experience. I could not have done this without the support of the Hypnosis and Therapy Centre.

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I really recommend working with Fiachra. Right from the start, his dedication and genuine willingness to help were amazing. He’s incredibly attentive, and I always felt really listened to during our sessions. He helped me see that there are different ways to think, look at things and process the world, which was huge for me—I don't feel so stuck anymore. On top of that, he helped me make progress pretty much straight away.

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Went to Hypnosis and Therapy Centre as I was suffering bad with social anxiety and was feeling very low because of it. Had my sessions with Catríona who was lovely and made me feel very comfortable. I will have to be honest and say that after the first session I thought there is no way this is going to work for me,but I was proven wrong. By my third session I felt more positive, more confident and happier in myself. Thanks for that Catríona. It is also comforting to know I could call her in between sessions if I needed a bit of extra support. My husband has even noticed a difference in me. I,m so glad I went and would definitely recommend Hypnosis and Therapy Centre

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AW I got in touch because I was struggling with severe anxiety, which was presenting as physical symptoms (NES). I had a lot of anxiety and nervousness about doing things independently for fear of triggering an episode. Fiachra helped relieve that anxiety, and gave me lots of techniques to feel calm and more in control. I have now regained my confidence and independence, and can finally lead a typical life of a 19 year old! I still have episodes, but I deal with them in a much calmer way, and I don’t dread them happening because I know that I can deal with them. For this reason, I would strongly recommend The Hypnosis and Therapy Centre.

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Ireland’s Mental Health Condition

According to the OECD report, mental health problems have cost the Irish economy over € 8.2 billion annually. It has one of the highest rates of mental illness in Europe, ranking third out of 36 countries surveyed in the annual Health at a Glance report. It was also recorded that 18.5 percent of the Irish population was recorded as having a mental health disorder, such as bipolar, anxiety, depression or alcohol and drug abuse. Depression rates were also well above the European average for both men and women.

These reports tell us that mental health should be given a greater priority. The most significant question we need to ask of ourselves is whether or not these thoughts happen significantly enough and cause enough distress to be considered a problem. If that is the case, we need to seek professional help.

Hypnosis and Therapy Centre: Mental Health and Intrusive Thoughts

We have helped thousands of people since 2004, and as a small, Irish, family-run business we will continue to help people regain control in their lives!

We offer a Free Phone Consultation or Complimentary Breakthrough Session to discuss the process and answer your questions so get in touch to get back in control of YOUR life.