June 14, 2021

Obsessive Thinking – Examples & Steps to Overcome

Obsessive thinking has to do with constant unhealthy worries. You find yourself helpless against it, you do not have power or control over how frequently or time these worries consume you.

These obsessive thinking are repetitive and tormenting. You have these impulses and images stuck in your head. Mostly, we have the obsessive thought to be negative. Studies have shown that many types of anxiety can lead to obsessive thoughts.

Events occurring days or moments ago can get stuck in our mind, perhaps in high school, you were all admired by everyone at prom. This admiration can keep on repeating itself because you feel great about the way everyone at prom was amazed. This becomes obsessive thinking, however without an anxiety disorder.

On contrary, you only begin to experience distress or anxiety disorder, if these obsessive thoughts are negative. It further brings about anxiety disorder which now appears to be in control over you.

Do you know obsessive thoughts vary? Yes, they do. They come in various types, mainly – Aggressive, Sexual and Religious, or Blasphemous obsessive thoughts.

Examples for Obsessive Thoughts

Popular examples of thought that usually become obsessive are –
– Thinking about hurting a child, spouse, parent, or loved ones.
– Urge to say words or act in a blasphemous way.
– Fear of getting ill.
– Fear of stepping on cross-like images because to feel God will be offended.
– Being worried about minute things – is the car locked? Did I put off the light? Did I drop the car keys? And many others.

From the above examples, you and I can come to the conclusion that the level of negativity differs. Some thought regarding rape, murder, and violence differs from others who mainly worry over things like are the lights off? However, it an undeniable fact that all negative obsessive thoughts cause fear, distress, and anxiety.

Furthermore, when these obsessive thoughts begin, we try to find a way out of them, called compulsion. They are acts we do so as to have the sticking thoughts in our mind reduced. For example, my dad fears germs a lot, so he makes sure he sanitizes his hand by washing frequently and many other acts.

Steps to overcome Obsessive thoughts

NOTE: A lot of people try really hard not to think about it, they try suppressing these thoughts. It sometimes appears to them like it working. But in reality, it would only make it worse.

ACCEPTANCE

First, you have to accept these thoughts, they are part of you, though they do not define you. These thoughts are the results of your own anxiety.

Beware, you can’t control these thoughts, the only way to win is to accept them. It’s easier to get your life back this way than fighting them.

SPEAK OUT LOUD

Sounds funny, right? Yes, you have commune these thoughts out either to someone or your listening diary. Some thoughts are not obsessive but only persistent, however, the moment you begin to worry about these persistent thoughts it becomes obsessive.

So write it or discuss it with someone. Sharing your thought reduces the frequency of which they come back. It helps removes the worry which mostly leads to obsession.

CREATE YOUR ANXIETY

This should only be done if advised by your therapist, this method has requires you to be assisted by your therapist, as it does not a generally acceptable method. Creating your anxiety is intentionally doing things to raise your anxiety and getting used to it. This might require you to disorganize your room, touch or play with dirt, leave the lights on, etc. These helps train your mind that your obsessive thoughts have power over you either can it harm you.

Summary