Intrusive Thoughts

[Kasper]

I was diagnosed with c-ptsd in the past year and I’m finding new things out every day (this site has been a great starting tool, thx). A couple months ago I was introduced to “intrusive thoughts” during a session with my doc. These thoughts still take up more than 40% of my day and they range from funny to weird and more. Can anyone tell me more about this? Exercises that might help to get rid of them…

Thanks again for all the support here.....

 

[maria]

Hi Kasper,

I have intrusive thoughts, but they don't vary much. Either I'm thinking about things I've done 'wrong' in the past, or I'm trying to ward off the anxiety of a difficult present situation by obsessively thinking about what I should do and say.

I've developed a trick to deal with these. When I catch myself having these thoughts, I tell myself, "No! You aren't to think about that." The best solution, however, is Prazosin although in really tough situations, I find myself overwhelmed in spite of the medication.

maria

 

[seaworthy]

I'm dealing with mine by reminding myself that they are just symptoms or effects of the Trauma I've experienced and to try to become aware of what the thoughts are. It is intense and feels overwhelming to me to feel it's all tumbling in on me.

seaworthy

 

[Kasper]

The doctors tell me that I've dealt with chronic adversity most of my life, so I'm always creating situations in my mind so I can figure a way to solve the situation. Problem is, is that I feel all the emotions that go along with these thoughts. And they do become overwhelming. Since I was diagnosed, I’ve tried to be much more aware of these kinds of things. I like what you said Maria about tell yourself you’re not going to think about this now. I try this method a lot.

Thanks again folks, there really aren’t too many people that I can’t talk with that understand these thoughts.

 

[Gloria]

Hi Kasper,

I am new to this site also and I have been struggling with intrusive thought and flashbacks. I did a search on this site and found a posting that outlined 13 ways to deal with a flashback and I printed it out and have it on my wall. I can relate to what you are experiencing. Only lately have I gotten better at this but my mind has this multitude of unresolved anger, fear and anxiety that would keep going and going around in my head. As a feeling or thought came over me, I wrote everything down in a thought log and I kept it with me so the next time the thought came to my head, I would just refer to the thought log and think "Been there, done that, already resolved this one now let it rest." I hope this helps. Best of luck to you and welcome to the forum! I know you will find a wonderful healing place here!

Gloria

 

[Clydiechick]

Hi

I try to meditate, it's really hard because the thoughts just keep coming, it takes lots of concentration, but it works. I also have a book called "The Happiness Trap" by Russ Harris, you can get it on line, he also does meditation CDs. He looks at methods to deal with the thoughts. And similar to what Maria said, you recognise you are having the thought, and say to yourself, "Here's the "???" thought, it's only a thought, thanks mind for giving me that thought" It sounds stupid but it works, you just do it over and over again, and it 'defuses'. The book calls it defusing techniques and you can use it for images that come into your head to.

Hope this helps. It's tough. Take care

Clydie

 

[NativeRose]

Intrusive thoughts are very disconcerting for me, because I never know when they are coming. I could be cruising across campus and have to stop my wheelchair because I suddenly experienced some kind of memory, a quote, etc. related to my trauma. I try to compartmentalize by mentally saying, "I can't handle this right now, but I will later." That doesn't deny the thought; it just means that I will deal with it when I'm safely in my dorm room and not on my way to class or something! That is not the time to think about such things. Sometimes it doesn't work, and then I have to focus on reducing my anxiety with deep breathing, reminders that I am safe and in control and intense focus on my immediate environment. Sometimes, if I'm in a place that's optional, such as the cafeteria, it can be too much stimulation and then I find a quiet place until I feel I can face the world again as a functional person. Gloria, I really like the idea of the thought log. I think I will try that!

NativeRose

 

[onebravegirl]

My entire approach to CPTSD was been to learn to go with the flow of the symptoms. It is egsausting to try and fight what the mind wants to sort out.
So I kinda thought of it like trippin' out. So I would just let it flow through me like I was high.
For me, This REALLY helped. The harder I faught, the more it happened. But when I would let them happen and just remind myself over and over again that they were just thoughts. They had no power unless I gave in and gave it too them.
It is part of the process/journey.
O

 

[Kasper]

Thanks everyone for your post... They've all been helpful

 

[Lionheart]

I have had to literally tell my mind to shut up (sometimes out loud), to combat the intrusive and usually negative thoughts that I have had and continue to have to some degree. It helps me to do this because it puts me back in control of my own thoughts, although I don't say these things out loud anymore I did for a while tell myself that my thinking was wrong, without much thought for how others might view me. This mainly comes from my view that I am fighting for my life/sanity and others opinion of me had to take a back seat to that. I laugh about it now but it really did help to do this when I was first dealing with lots of intrusive thoughts.