Do you ever get very intrusive thoughts while working, or walking your dog, or doing anything at all? Do these thoughts come completely unprovoked and seemingly from thin air?

For all you know you could be working on your next big project, or planning your partner’s birthday, or even attending to a patient when—suddenly—quite out of nowhere, your brain starts focusing on something completely crazy and bizarre; leaving you incapable of focusing on anything.

This new thought could range from being slightly uncomfortable to outright terrifying. That being said, whatever mental images you’ve got brewing in that head of yours, you’re not alone. A lot of people with OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder experience this.

So, What Even Are Intrusive Thoughts

Unlike other normal thoughts, intrusive thoughts enter your mental space unprovoked and without warning. These thoughts usually consist of images and scenes that could trigger fear and discomfort and can range from being alarming and disturbing, to simply horrible and graphic.

While most of us are familiar with these images and have had them at some point, people with OCD actually get these thoughts ‘stuck’ in their minds—triggering other negative emotions for example depression, constant anxiety and stress.

Intrusive Thoughts And Other Mental Issues

Even though getting intrusive thoughts occasionally are completely normal, being constantly obsessed with them may indicate an underlying mental health issue. While the most common issue these kinds of thoughts are associated with is OCD, and virtually all people with OCD experience them—there are five other disorders that the thoughts might indicate too.

These are anxiety, depression, PTSD, Bipolar Disorder and ADHD.

How To Get Rid Of Them

Living with intrusive thoughts could be a challenge, especially when they are graphic, violent and cause increased and prolonged distress. The mental disturbance could lead to other mental and physical health issues and might even send people down a negative spiral.

However, there are effective ways to deal with such thoughts. One such way is hypnosis. If you’re interested into looking into hypnosis to help with your intrusive thoughts, our expert hypnotist, Rekha Shrivastava specializes in helping people deal with mental health issues like ADHD, anxiety and healing the subconscious. For more information, get in touch with us today.

You can also book a free consultation at our office in Pittsford to learn more. For those who live outside of Rochester, Rekha is also available for Skype sessions.