What are Intrusive Thoughts?

On a purely observational level intrusive thoughts are: ideas, urges, and images which are contrary to a person’s true character. Intrusive thoughts are a common attribute of OCD, but have been known to accompany other mental disorders. The three archetypes include: inappropriate aggressive thoughts, inappropriate sexual thoughts, and blasphemous religious thoughts.

More intraspectively: Intrusive thoughts are detrimental ideas and obsessions put forth by a chaotic agent within the mind, whose objective is to create mental anguish. This chaotic agent brings about psychological torment by forcing individuals to contemplate adverse ideas and obsessions which contradict their strongest convictions. By understanding that these thoughts come from a chaotic agent within the mind we are able to understand that they are purely: thought provoking, arbitrary, subjective and meaningless.

What are the typical types of Intrusive Thoughts?

Inappropriate aggressive thoughts are intrusive thoughts that may involve violent obsessions about hurting yourself or others. And may include, but not limited to the following examples:

Imagining or wishing harm upon the elderly;

Imagining or wishing harm upon loved ones or friends;

Impulses to violently attack or kill a human or animal;

Impulses to violently punish someone;

Impulses to jump off a bridge, mountain, or building;

Impulses to jump in front of a moving train or automobile; or

Impulses to push someone in front of a moving train or automobile.

Inappropriate sexual thoughts are intrusive thoughts that may involve sexual obsessions about partaking in improper sexual acts. And may include, but not limited to the following examples:

Thoughts and images involving violent and unconventional sexual acts;

Thoughts and images involving indecent sexual actions with: strangers, acquaintances, friends, family members, children or religious figures; or

Sexual thoughts and images that deviate from a person’s sexual identity.

Blasphemous religious thoughts are intrusive thoughts that may involve obscene obsessions relating to religion. And may include, but no limited to the following examples:

Thoughts and images involving sexual thoughts about God and religious figures;

Negative invasive thoughts accompanying prayer;

Thoughts and images of becoming possessed;

Fears of sinning and incorrectly performing religious rituals;

Constant reoccurring blasphemous thoughts; or

Urges to perform blasphemous actions.

What causes Intrusive Thoughts?

This is a topic of unfortunately very little debate and inquiry. Psychologists seem to know nothing about the origin of mental illnesses, but can ramble on for hours about their attributes. Luckily for us Sigmund Freud’s “death drive/instinct” theory seems to be the root cause for almost every psychiatric disorder.

Before we delve into Freud’s death instinct theory we must first develop a fundamental understanding of psychoanalysis, which I laid out for you in structural order below. To put it briefly our beliefs and actions are based upon two mental processes: the conscious and the unconscious. We are cognitively aware of our conscious, but completely unaware of the unconscious. The conscious represents the logical part of our mind, whereas the unconscious represents the irrational and instinctual side of our brain. The unconscious is made up of the: Id, Ego, and Super Ego.

At the very bottom of our minds lies the Id and it represents all our instinctual desires. Within the Id lies the death and life force. Above the Id lies the Super Ego which represents our conscience and filters out all negative impulses released by the Id. Overhead the Super Ego exists the Ego which is simply the morally filtered and modified impulses of the Id. On top of the Ego sits our consciousness. And our conscious includes all our current and potential thoughts.

Freud believed that mental life was regulated by two forces: the life force and the death force. The life force includes all positive human survival instincts. In opposition, the death force includes all negative human destructive instincts. During a child’s development the life force overpowers and suppresses the death force. Both forces give a human being libidinal satisfaction, however we are only consciously aware of the sexual pleasure radiated to us by the life force.

How does Freud’s death instinct theory play a role in psychiatric disorders, including intrusive thoughts? Simple, intrusive thoughts are a derivative of the dormant death force. Think about it like this: the death force is an agent for both mental and physical destruction. The goal of the death force as stated in Freud’s own words “is to lead organic life back into the inanimate state”. The death force does this by leading the body into both mental and physical anguish, with the end goal being internal and external death.

Below I laid out an image which explains my theory of an existent Chaotic Agent located within the death force of the Id. As I stated earlier the life force is supposed to suppress the death force and the Super Ego is supposed to blockade any harmful impulses coming from the Id. However, such processes and defenses are not always so robust and occasionally some negative impulses from the Id find their way into consciousness, even those originating from the death force.

One can think of the Chaotic Agent as a tunnel which stems from the bottom of the Id and continues forward all the way to consciousness. The width of the chaotic agent depends on one’s reaction to it. If a person pays absolutely no attention to the chaotic agent it will either shrink in width or completely disappear. However, if you react to the agent it will increase in width and proportionally so will the potency and supply of intrusive thoughts.

How do you end Intrusive Thoughts?

Now that we understand that intrusive thoughts are nothing more than spillage from the death instinct, what can one do to stop it? Firstly, we need to understand that these thoughts are coming from a chaotic agent within the brain. And this chaotic agent brings personal unwanted thoughts to the forefront of an individual’s mind. For example: let’s say you have the self-belief that bananas are immoral, the chaotic agent will then start presenting your mind with thoughts about bananas.

Understanding that intrusive thoughts only exist to induce distress is the first step in coping and resolving the problem. Secondly, we need to understand that these thoughts only exist if an individual allows them to exist. How exactly does one allow them to exist? A person allows them to exist by acknowledging their existence. Reacting to these thoughts only solidifies their existence and makes them become more powerful. Furthermore, responding to these ideas and obsessions only strengthens the chaotic agent. The best way to end intrusive thoughts is to be unresponsive towards them.

Another way to close the chaotic agent portal is to keep your mind preoccupied. If your brain is always busy then you are in essence evading the intrusive thoughts and your chaotic agent tunnel would surely lessen or dissipate. As the old adage goes, “An idle mind is the devils playground”.

Final Notes

The first time you behave nonreactive towards your intrusive thoughts they are going increase in frequency and severity. Luckily, this phase is very brief and helps you develop the automatic skill-set of fazing them out. The next time you react unresponsive towards your intrusive thoughts they will be decrease tremendously in occurrence and cogency. Continued use of this technique will close the chaotic agent tunnel.

It’s important to know that everyone experiences intrusive thoughts. And once your chaotic tunnel is closed new intrusive thoughts might surface to your consciousness. So it’s best you just not pay them any attention, otherwise your reaction towards them is going to open up another chaotic tunnel. Here’s one final tip. Don’t try blocking these thoughts out of your head, because you’ll be reacting to them, and that’s only going to strengthen the chaotic tunnel.

The techniques I presented in this article can be used to remedy almost any psychiatric disorder. I believe that most mental disorders manifest from a Chaotic Agent and more complex ones can spurt from trivial Chaotic Agents like the ones which cause intrusive thoughts. So, if this is an issue for you try to resolve it before it evolves into an even greater problem.

Good Luck! Feel free to e-mail me any questions or success stories. My e-mail is: dibster01@gmail.com.



