Have you ever found yourself watching a television programme or listening to a lecture and then suddenly, your mind is fixated on certain details that you then appropriate into your own life? For instance, what would it be like to hurt someone intentionally like the killer in the television series you were just watching, or how would it feel to cheat on an exam so that you can get the best marks in the class and subsequently be the focal point of your favourite teacher’s adoring gaze?
While these may seem like strange thoughts (and unwelcome ones at that) you are not alone in entertaining them, albeit occasionally. However, if these thoughts persist and you find yourself pondering over them often, then this could be a sign of a deep-rooted issue such as anxiety, depression or stress, say doctors. Intrusive thoughts can take various forms such as, worrying about germs and infections (many would relate to this in the post-pandemic era), acts of violence, being immoral, sexual acts, being excessively outspoken in public and so on. Statistics show that more than 6 million Americans experience intrusive thoughts.
The human brain generates over 6,000 thoughts per day and these thoughts can be about random things. However, some thoughts can recur and then become intrusive. Psychologists say that this is nothing to be alarmed about and is something quite normal. However, they advise people to seek a doctor’s advice when these intrusive thoughts become so frequent that they interfere with one’s daily life. Psychiatrist, Dr. Lauren Edwards MD suggests seeking medical advice when intrusive thoughts “make you feel like you can’t go certain places, or do certain things, or are really sticking in your head (…) They can be treated very effectively and sometimes very quickly.”
The causes behind them
Kelly Bilodeau, the former Executive Editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch says that sometimes intrusive thoughts can be brought on by hormonal shifts, but are often triggered by stress or anxiety. For instance, the Covid-19 pandemic would have been a significant stressor for various groups of people such as those working from home and trying to strike the right work-life balance, children who were forced to learn online and could not leave their homes to meet friends during lockdowns, and those who had to deal with a difficult spouse 24 hours of the day in the face of quarantine periods.
So how do we manage them?
Dr. Kerry-Ann Williams who teaches psychiatry at Harvard Medical School says that training ourselves to carry on with life despite these thoughts (unless they are extremely intrusive), is important.
She suggests trying the following:
1. Seeing intrusive thoughts for what they are and not allowing them to take over belief in yourself and who you are
2. Making peace with these thoughts- we don’t need to battle them all the time.
3. Do not be too hard on yourself and worry that you are not ‘normal.’
However, it is imperative that we know when intrusive thoughts cross that barrier of being so intrusive that we cannot function as we normally would. If such thoughts recur frequently then this could be due to challenges posed by the pressures of work, exams and by extension, a lack of sleep. Many people who fall within these categories will find that asking for help can be the solution to a large extent. The mother of a newborn will (obviously) be deprived of sleep, especially if she is also juggling work and the home front at the same time. Then she will need to ask a spouse, relative or friend to help out. Anyone facing the pressure of exams needs to find help through study groups and also take a step back and exercise and get enough rest. Similarly, someone facing pressure at work should be able to periodically request help from a colleague or boss so that they can handle their workload. However, if it seems as though none of these actions help, then seeking the support of a therapist is nothing to be ashamed of.
Studies have found that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD can also be the trigger for some people who experience intrusive thoughts. Having been in a war situation or accident can make them fearful in everyday situations quite frequently. Furthermore, doctors also say that recurring intrusive thoughts can be warning signs of the onset of Parkinson’s disease, in some people. A traumatic brain injury too, can be a reason for such thoughts to keep resurfacing. In such cases, seeking medical advice is always best, as these are linked with mental health and because they are actively hindering the person’s mental wellbeing.
The therapies prescribed by doctors
1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy- this helps with coping mechanisms by focusing on how thoughts, emotions and behaviors impact each other.
2. Exposure and Response Prevention – This tries to resolve issues centering around phobias, PTSD, anxiety disorders, etc, by creating an exposure hierarchy that track a person’s anxiety in certain situations until the peak of such anxiety starts diminishing.
3. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy – Here, the background of psychological events is important and operates by using processes that include acknowledgement, understanding and commitment among others, to change behavior patterns.
4. Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy- This is used for dependencies, depressions and various disorders by helping a person to work through those traumatic memories.
5. Mindfulness-based approaches- These involve using techniques to focus on the now and the current, without judgment.
It is a relief to know that intrusive thoughts are not uncommon among people and that even if they become bothersome to daily life, that there are ways to treat and manage them. Thankfully, the world is now more open to discussing and addressing issues related to mental health than it did perhaps 10 or 20 years ago. And with new and timely techniques being discovered on how to deal with many forms of psychological discomfort, it is heartening that one does not have to grapple with such issues alone.
(Anouk De Silva)