We often get stuck in a worry spiral, thinking of the worst-case scenario in order to protect ourselves. The bottom line: these thoughts can feel impossible to rid away. It leads to rumination and distracts from daily life-not to mention is incredibly uncomfortable. Instead of thinking, “this thought is bad,” people think, “I am bad,” Vasan says. People blame themselves for having thoughts that feel embarrassing to say out loud. “And so as a result, they end up feeling a lot of fear or shame.” “The reason why it’s distressing is because these thoughts usually are not in line with that person’s regular way of acting or thinking,” Vasan says. Stress and anxiety, along with PTSD, can also put people at risk for these kinds of thoughts, Vasan says, and anything from a dream to an overwhelming interaction at work can set them off. Having obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can trigger these thoughts. While anyone can experience this phenomenon, it’s more commonly associated with mental health conditions. Other times, people face negative, degrading thoughts about themselves or feelings of paranoia about making mistakes or experiencing an accident. IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS PLEASE CONTACT YOUR GP, HEALTH VISITOR OR OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONAL WHO WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU FURTHER ADVICE.Thoughts may pop into someone’s head related to violence, sex, or something terrible happening to someone they love. All of these conditions are treatable and respond well to a combination of medication and/or psychological therapy, so if you are concerned it is essential to seek professional help as soon as possible. In such situations the thoughts experienced tend to occur more frequently, often many times per day, cause intense distress and on occasion interfere with their ability to look after the baby. Buy a ticket - Did you win the jackpot? I doubt itĪlthough the majority of new parents experience fleeting, intrusive thoughts which tend to disappear naturally over time sometimes such thoughts are associated with mental health problems which need Think repeatedly about winning the lottery jackpot. Having thoughts does not increase the chances of something happening. Remember having thoughts is not the same as doing something, try not to confuse thoughts with actions See, the moment you try not to think about something the more you do! If you pay too much attention to them they tend to occur more oftenĪlso if you deliberately try to push them out of your mind they will also occur more frequently-try not to think about a pink elephant in a tutu. Try not to pay too much attention to them, they are meaningless Try not to worry about the thoughts that pop into your mind, almost everyone has upsetting, senseless thoughts at some point in their life Remember no-one can control their thoughts These thoughts were the ones that were most worrying for new mumsĪlthough such thoughts tend to decrease naturally over time they tend to be more common when new parents are under stress and have little support. Sometimes they involve thoughts about harm coming to the baby and these cause intense distress and often make parents question their ability to be a good parent.Ī recent study of new mothers showed that 100% of new mums had worrying thoughts about their baby being harmed accidentally and 50% had worrying thoughts about harming their baby in some way. Pregnant women and new parents tend to have distressing ITs which concern the unborn or new baby. Single people tend to have thoughts about their jobs, their families and their relationships. Research has shown that the majority of people experience intrusive thoughts (ITs) usually about the things that are important to them. Thoughts: ‘The kitchen surfaces must be disinfected before I cook’, ‘The baby’s milk is contaminated’, ‘Everything must be in the right place before I leave the house.’ ![]() Impulses: Urge to crash into the car in front of you, urge to plump up cushions every time you go into the lounge, urge to slap baby across the cheek when she won’t stop crying. Images: The image of the house burning down because the hair straighteners were not switched off They can be very varied but usually take the form of:ĭoubts: ‘What if my baby stopped breathing?’ ‘What if I molested my baby?’ ‘What if I shook the baby?’ They are the distressing, senseless, unwanted thoughts, images or urges that suddenly pop into your mind. Intrusive thoughts (ITs) are something that virtually everyone experiences at some point in their life. Birmingham and Solihull Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Service. ![]() Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (FCAMHS).Community Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Service.Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.Clinical health and neuropsychology service.
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