Forbidden thoughts are a central symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder. They express themselves in the form of intrusive ideas, scary ideas or aggressive impulses. The obsessional thoughts create anxiety and restlessness. In the course of the disease they appear more frequently and more intensively. Those affected suffer from the thoughts and the fact that they can not control them. Read here how obsessive thoughts express themselves and how they can be mastered.
What are obsessive thoughts?
Compulsive thoughts are one of the main symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder in addition to compulsions.
Compulsive thoughts are unpleasant, often perceived as threatening thoughts that impose themselves on the people again and again. Often they have frightening, offensive or aggressive content. Sometimes the thoughts also revolve endlessly around situations that are not solved. Experts then speak of a compelling reason.
A compulsion to think often occurs when people are unable to make decisions. However, the compulsion to think can also be part of a depression. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is not diagnosed when compulsive pondering occurs during a depressive episode.
Compulsive thoughts create fear and the urge to do something about it. These compulsions often lead to compulsive acts. The practice of certain actions or the attempt to conjure up other thoughts, which are to lift the obsessive thoughts, are also referred to by experts as neutralizing.
Content of obsessive thoughts
Compulsive thoughts do not necessarily differ in content from normal, everyday fears. The intensity, however, is much stronger. Typical obsessive thoughts include the fear of getting infected with a disease, being poisoned. Sexual or religious obsessions are also common. Particularly common are aggressive obsessions. For example, a patient may be suffering from the obsessions that he or she might intentionally hurt other people when the opportunity arises. Out of the fear of not being in control of himself, he avoids contact with other people. Others try to distract themselves from unpleasant situations by starting to count books, pens, cars or other items. Count compulsion is also an attempt to gain control over the obsessions. The affected hopes by counting on a particular system to be able to defeat the obsessions.
How obsessive thoughts arise
Every person experiences from time to time that unpleasant thoughts impose themselves on him. Such thoughts occur suddenly and can be scary, frightening or disgusting. However, most people do not attach much importance to this idea and their ideas disappear again.
However, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder interpret their thoughts as threatening and actively try to neutralize them through actions or other thoughts. They overestimate the danger emanating from the thoughts. In addition, they believe that they have to stop or control the obsessive thoughts, because otherwise they might actually become reality. The more importance attributed to obsessive thoughts, the more space they take in the lives of those affected. Although the sufferers want to get rid of their obsessions, they remain in their consciousness by fixing on them.
Compulsive thoughts – what helps
Those who suffer from obsessive thoughts should seek professional help. The treatment can increase the quality of life enormously. Forced thoughts are hard to handle on their own.
Forced thoughts: Psychotherapy
The main problem with compulsive thoughts is the importance given to them by patients. They often see the thoughts as an announcement of a misfortune. In cognitive behavioral therapy, the therapist teaches the patient to evaluate the thoughts more objectively and to see the difference between thoughts and actions. The thought of killing someone is not murder. Even if the obsessions do not disappear, they can be seen for what they are: a pure mentality.
Another problem is that people with obsessive-compulsive disorder often try to suppress the obsessive thoughts or to turn their attention to other thoughts. However, this only helps in the short term and makes obsessive thoughts even more frequent in the long term. Only if the patient allows the thoughts and thereby reduces their threat, he can get rid of his obsessive thoughts. The therapist sometimes instructs the patient to purposely conjure up the unpleasant thoughts. In this way, the obsessive thoughts lose their power.
Forced thoughts: medicines
Forced thoughts can also be treated with the help of medication. Doctors prescribe anti-depressants, so-called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as fluoxetine. However, the effect begins only after a few weeks and with the discontinuation of the drugs come back the problems. Alone with medication you can not cure obsessions. The experts therefore recommend a combination of therapy and medication to improve the symptoms in the long term. Even with long-term use, antidepressants do not make you dependent.
Compulsive thoughts: self-help
There are some principles that you should be aware of when dealing with them. For one thing, it does not make sense to suppress your thoughts. Forbidden thoughts are all the more urgent. Even though it is difficult, the best strategy is not to fight back your thoughts. Let the thoughts pass by, like a cloud in the sky.
On the other hand, you should realize that thoughts are not the basic precursors of actions. No matter how aggressive, offensive or threatening your thoughts are, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder do not put their problematic thoughts into action. Trust in your character. This is not influenced by the obsessive thoughts.
Seek help as fast as possible
Once compulsive thoughts have settled, it is difficult to get rid of them. The longer they keep you busy, the harder it gets. Therefore, seek professional help as quickly as possible. With the collapse of a therapist, you can learn to cope better with them and the obsessions to rate what they really are: namely, just thoughts.