31 Examples & Scenarios of Intrusive Thoughts

Ever have a thought pop into your head that makes you cringe or gasp? Intrusive thoughts are those unexpected, unwanted visitors that can leave you feeling shaken and upset. 

They might involve violent images, disturbing urges, or worries about things you'd never dream of doing in real life.

The good news? Intrusive thoughts are actually quite common. They happen to most people at some point, and they don't necessarily mean there's something wrong with you. 

But let's face it: they can be incredibly distressing and alarming. This article will delve into the different types of intrusive thoughts, why they occur, and most importantly, how to manage them effectively.

Intrusive thoughts examples

Violent Intrusive Thoughts

These can take the form of thoughts about being violent toward yourself or others.

• Harming a Loved One
  • Explanation: Intrusive thoughts about hurting someone you care about can be very disturbing. They often pop up unexpectedly and can cause significant anxiety.
  • Scenario: You're holding your baby and a sudden, horrifying image flashes in your mind of dropping them. This is a very common intrusive thought for new parents and doesn't reflect any actual desire to harm the baby.
• Losing Control and Lashing Out
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve fearing you might act violently in a situation that doesn't warrant it.
  • Scenario: You're stuck in a crowded elevator and feel a surge of claustrophobia. An intrusive thought flashes through your mind of punching someone to make them move, despite knowing it wouldn't help.
• Violent Images
  • Explanation: Sometimes intrusive thoughts come as graphic images of violence, not necessarily directed at anyone specific.
  • Scenario: You're chopping vegetables and have a sudden image of yourself slamming your hand down with the knife. This is a disturbing thought, but doesn't mean you actually want to hurt yourself.
• Road Rage
  • Explanation: Intrusive thoughts can manifest during stressful situations like driving.
  • Scenario: You're stuck in heavy traffic and someone cuts you off. An intrusive thought flashes through your mind of ramming their car, even though you know it's dangerous and irrational.
• Self-Harm
  • Explanation: While these thoughts can feel intense and concerning, it's important to remember they are often intrusive thoughts, not desires.
  • Scenario: You're feeling overwhelmed and an intrusive thought pops up about hurting yourself with a nearby object. This is a sign to take a step back and calm down, perhaps by using relaxation techniques.

If you are having frequent or intense thoughts of self-harm, please reach out to a crisis hotline or mental health professional immediately. There is help available, and you don't have to go through this alone. Here are some resources that can help:

• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988

Connect with a vetted therapist today.

Sexual intrusive thoughts

Similarly, these can include distressing thoughts about both yourself and others.

• Unwanted Sexual Thoughts About Yourself
  • Explanation: These thoughts can involve negative self-image or insecurities about your body or sexual performance.
  • Scenario: You're getting ready for a date and intrusive thoughts pop up about your body not being attractive enough. This doesn't reflect reality and can cause anxiety about intimacy.
• Unwanted Sexual Thoughts About Others
  • Explanation: These thoughts can involve sexual urges or fantasies directed at someone you wouldn't normally be attracted to, or in an inappropriate situation.
  • Scenario: You're on a crowded bus and an intrusive thought flashes through your mind about someone you barely know. It's important to remember these are just fleeting thoughts and don't reflect your true desires.
• Fear of Acting Inappropriately
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve worrying you might say or do something sexual that's out of character or embarrassing.
  • Scenario: You're giving a presentation at work and have an intrusive thought about blurting out something inappropriate. This anxiety can make it difficult to focus on the task at hand.
• Intrusive Sexual Images
  • Explanation: Similar to violent intrusive thoughts, these can be disturbing graphic images that pop into your mind unexpectedly.
  • Scenario: You're reading a book and suddenly have an unwelcome, intrusive image of a sexual act. This is a thought, not a reflection of your actual desires, and can be dismissed with mindfulness techniques.
• Intrusive Thoughts About Past Sexual Experiences (Positive or Negative)
  • Explanation: Intrusive thoughts can replay past sexual experiences, either positive or negative, in an unwanted and repetitive way.
  • Scenario: You're trying to sleep and a vivid memory of a past sexual encounter keeps replaying in your mind, causing emotional distress.

Important Note: If sexual intrusive thoughts are causing significant distress or interfering with your daily life, it's important to seek help from a mental health professional. They can help you understand the root cause of these thoughts and develop coping mechanisms to manage them effectively.

Connect with a vetted therapist today.

Examples of Relationship/Social Intrusive Thoughts

These thoughts often focus on fear of rejection or social blunders.

• Fear of Saying Something Embarrassing or Offensive
  • Explanation: These thoughts center around worrying you might blurt something out that makes others dislike you.
  • Scenario: You're on a first date and have an intrusive thought about making an awkward joke that silences the conversation. This anxiety can make it difficult to relax and be yourself.
• Intrusive Thoughts About Infidelity (Yours or Your Partner's)
  • Explanation: These unwanted thoughts can involve suspicion or jealousy, even without any real evidence.
  • Scenario: You see your partner talking to someone attractive and a sudden thought pops up about them being interested in that person. It's important to remember these are fleeting anxieties and to communicate openly with your partner.
• Excessive Worry About Social Approval
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve being overly concerned about what others think about you, leading to social anxiety.
  • Scenario: You're at a party and have an intrusive thought about everyone judging your outfit or conversation skills. This can make it difficult to enjoy social interactions.
• Fear of Being Excluded or Ostracized
  • Explanation: These thoughts center around being left out or rejected by friends or colleagues.
  • Scenario: You see your friend group making plans and an intrusive thought pops up about them not inviting you. Social media can also exacerbate these anxieties.
• Reliving Past Social Awkwardness
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve ruminating on past social blunders or embarrassing moments.
  • Scenario: You're giving a presentation and have a flashback to a time you forgot your lines during a school play. Mindfulness techniques can help you detach from these negative thoughts.

Connect with a vetted therapist today.

Examples of Religious/Moral Intrusive Thoughts

These thoughts often center around doubts about faith or fear of punishment.

• Doubting Your Beliefs or Having Blasphemous Thoughts
  • Explanation: These intrusive thoughts involve questioning your religious beliefs or having disrespectful thoughts about religious figures.
  • Scenario: You're praying and all of a sudden, an intrusive thought pops up that mocks the prayer itself. It's important to remember these are just thoughts and don't necessarily reflect your true faith.
• Fearing Punishment for Past Actions
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve intrusive worries about being condemned for past mistakes or transgressions, even minor ones.
  • Scenario: You accidentally walk on a spider and an intrusive thought pops up about being punished for taking a life. Religious teachings often emphasize forgiveness, and focusing on that can be helpful.
• Excessive Moral Scrutiny
  • Explanation: These thoughts center on constantly questioning your actions and motives, fearing you haven't been good enough.
  • Scenario: You donate money to charity but have an intrusive thought that you didn't donate enough. Finding a balance between generosity and self-care is important.
• Fear of Ritualistic Mistakes
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve intrusive worries about messing up religious rituals or prayers, causing them to be invalid.
  • Scenario: You're participating in a religious ceremony and have an intrusive thought about forgetting the correct order of steps. Most religious communities are understanding of minor mistakes.
• Intrusive Images of Hell or Damnation
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve disturbing images of punishment for not being faithful enough.
  • Scenario: You're reading a religious text about the afterlife and have a sudden intrusive image of being in hell. Focusing on the positive aspects of your faith, such as love and compassion, can be helpful.

Important Note: If religious intrusive thoughts are causing significant distress or interfering with your ability to practice your faith, it's important to seek help from a mental health professional or religious leader. They can help you understand the root cause of these thoughts and develop coping mechanisms to manage them without compromising your faith.

Religion can be an effective coping mechanism for mental health, but excessive intrusive thoughts may be a signal to reevaluate how you are practicing and relating to your religion.

Connect with a vetted therapist today.

Examples of Contamination or Harm Intrusive Thoughts

These intrusive thoughts often center around a fear of germs, getting sick, or causing harm to yourself or others.

• Fear of Germs and Contamination
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve an excessive worry about germs being everywhere and making you sick.
  • Scenario: You're on the subway and have an intrusive thought about germs lingering on the handrail, causing you to avoid touching it altogether. This can make it difficult to navigate public spaces.
• Excessive Worry About Personal Hygiene
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve intrusive anxieties about not being clean enough, even after washing repeatedly.
  • Scenario: You wash your hands and have an intrusive thought that they're still dirty, leading you to wash them again even though they're dry and irritated.
• Fear of Accidentally Harming Others
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve intrusive worries about accidentally injuring someone through carelessness.
  • Scenario: You're driving and have an intrusive thought about accidentally swerving and hitting a pedestrian. This anxiety can make driving stressful.
• Fear of Accidental Self-Harm
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve intrusive worries about harming yourself through everyday actions, even though you wouldn't intentionally do so.
  • Scenario: You're cutting vegetables and have an intrusive thought about accidentally cutting yourself badly. Taking slow, deliberate breaths can help manage this anxiety.
• Intrusive Images of Accidents or Disasters
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve disturbing images of accidents or disasters happening to yourself or loved ones.
  • Scenario: You're reading the news about a plane crash and have an intrusive image of a plane you're about to board experiencing the same fate. Limiting news consumption and focusing on safety protocols can be helpful.

Important Note: If contamination or harm intrusive thoughts are causing significant distress or interfering with your daily life, it's important to seek help from a mental health professional. They can help you understand the root cause of these thoughts and develop coping mechanisms such as exposure therapy to manage them effectively.

Connect with a vetted therapist today.

Examples of Other Intrusive Thoughts

These can be random, repetitive thoughts that can be frustrating and distracting.

• Repetitive Thoughts About Random Things
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve getting stuck on a word, phrase, or image that keeps replaying in your mind.
  • Scenario: You hear a catchy song on the radio and have that melody stuck in your head for hours, even interrupting your concentration on other tasks.
• Unwanted Urges to Shout or Blurt Things Out
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve intrusive urges to say something inappropriate or nonsensical in public.
  • Scenario: You're in a meeting and have an intrusive thought to blurt out a random word that doesn't make sense in the context of the conversation.
• Fear of Forgetting Something Important
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve intrusive worries about forgetting something crucial, like turning off the stove or locking the door.
  • Scenario: You leave the house and have an intrusive thought that you forgot to turn off the iron, leading you to rush back home to check, even though you vaguely remember doing so.
• Intrusive Memories
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve unwanted and often unpleasant memories that keep replaying in your mind.
  • Scenario: You're trying to sleep and a vivid memory of an embarrassing moment from your past pops up, causing you anxiety and making it difficult to fall asleep.
• Intrusive Worries About the Future
  • Explanation: These thoughts involve excessive and often unrealistic worries about what might go wrong in the future.
  • Scenario: You're planning a vacation and have an intrusive thought about the plane crashing, even though you know the likelihood is extremely low. Focusing on positive aspects of the trip and relaxation techniques can help manage this anxiety.

Connect with a vetted therapist today.

Important points to remember

Intrusive thoughts might feel scary or overwhelming, but it's important to remember they're just that – thoughts, not actions. 

Our brains are like strange suggestion boxes sometimes, throwing out ideas that can be downright disturbing or just weird. But the important thing to realize is that we have the final say in what we do.  

Having these thoughts doesn't define you or make you a bad person. They're a common experience, and they don't reflect your true values or desires. 

The key lies in how you react to them. Don't waste energy fighting the thoughts or judging yourself for having them. 

Acknowledge them, then let them go like a leaf floating down a stream. Trying to bottle them up can actually make them stronger. So, take a deep breath, and remember, you're not alone in this.

When to Seek Help from a Professional

While intrusive thoughts are common, there are times when seeking help from a mental health professional is important. This is especially true if:

• Intrusive thoughts are causing significant distress or interfering with your daily life. They shouldn't prevent you from enjoying activities, socializing, or working effectively.
• The thoughts are accompanied by compulsive behaviors. This could be a sign of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), where repetitive actions or rituals are used to try and neutralize the anxiety caused by the intrusive thoughts.
• You are having thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Intrusive thoughts can sometimes be a symptom of a deeper mental health issue. If you're struggling with these thoughts, please reach out for help. You are not alone, and there is support available.

Connect with a vetted therapist today.

Tips that could help manage intrusive thoughts

Intrusive thoughts can be frustrating, but there are steps you can take to manage them and regain control of your mental well-being. Here are a few techniques to try:

• Mindfulness: Mindfulness exercises help you become aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment. By observing the intrusive thought without getting caught up in it, you can detach from its power. Techniques like meditation and deep breathing can be helpful.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT can help you identify and challenge the negative thought patterns that fuel intrusive thoughts. A therapist can teach you techniques for restructuring your thinking and developing more realistic and positive thought processes.
• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP): This therapy technique, often used for OCD, involves gradually exposing yourself to situations that trigger your intrusive thoughts while learning to resist compulsive behaviors.
• Relaxation Techniques: Techniques like progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing can help reduce anxiety and create a sense of calm, making intrusive thoughts less overwhelming.
• Journaling: Writing down your intrusive thoughts can help you gain perspective on them and identify any patterns or triggers.
• Seek Support: Talking to a trusted friend, family member, or therapist can help you feel less alone and develop coping mechanisms.

Remember, managing intrusive thoughts takes time and effort. Be patient with yourself and celebrate your progress. 

If these techniques don't seem to be helping, or if your intrusive thoughts are causing significant distress, don't hesitate to seek professional help from a therapist or counselor.

Final thoughts

Intrusive thoughts might feel like unwelcome visitors taking up space in your head, but remember, they're just that – visitors. They don't define who you are, and they certainly don't mean you're going crazy. 

The good news is, with a little understanding and some helpful tools, you can learn to manage these thoughts and reclaim control of your mental well-being.

This article explores the different types of intrusive thoughts, why they occur, and most importantly, how to deal with them effectively. 

Remember, the key lies not in fighting the thoughts, but in acknowledging them and letting them go. There's no shame in seeking help from a mental health professional if these thoughts become overwhelming. 

They're trained to equip you with tools like mindfulness and CBT to navigate these mental roadblocks. 

There are also many online resources and support groups available. You are not alone in this journey. Be kind to yourself, and remember, a little effort can go a long way in quieting the storm of intrusive thoughts.