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Ultimately, every thought is intrusive (lemmy.zip)
submitted 3 days ago by silosong@lemmy.zip to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
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[-] Arcanoloth@lemmy.ml 18 points 3 days ago

As someone with mental health issues including intrusive thoughts: Nope, you probably haven't experienced one if you truly think that. Normal thoughts come and go, and, sure, they may interrupt each other, but an intrusive thought comes into your brain like a fucking tank, crushing and maiming everything in its path, not even considering to leave, and shooting down every attempt to get rid of it violently. You absolutely know it is one...

[-] silosong@lemmy.zip 6 points 3 days ago

Sure, clinically speaking. But generally speaking, every thought came unbidden.

[-] Arcanoloth@lemmy.ml 8 points 3 days ago

To me "unbidden" ≠ "intrusive"; in a venn diagram "intrusive" would be a small circle fully contained within a much larger "unbidden" one. Though we go deeply into the question of free will when considering every thought "unbidden", so I really woupdn't go that deep ;-)

[-] silosong@lemmy.zip 4 points 3 days ago

Well i am kinda alluding the the free will thing in the OP actually.

[-] Arcanoloth@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 days ago

Fair :-)

[-] daggermoon@piefed.world 4 points 3 days ago

I have OCD. It's legit hard to function at times.

[-] Flagstaff@programming.dev 3 points 3 days ago

I think it's more about a combination of the rarity + emotional disruption of the thought.

[-] silosong@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

If speaking clinically, persistence and emotional disruption. But the way most people these days use the phrase it's basically just people noticing that we don't actually have control over our thoughts.

[-] Flagstaff@programming.dev 2 points 3 days ago

True, persistent as an unwanted thought! But yeah... maybe they should be renamed as "unwanted thoughts."

[-] silosong@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 days ago

How do you know if a thought is wanted or unwanted before it happens though?

[-] Flagstaff@programming.dev 1 points 3 days ago

Again, it's based on how disruptive it is. If it's causing you emotional pain, like the recollection of a loved one in pain or something... that's probably unwanted!

[-] morto@piefed.social 2 points 3 days ago

I don't think so. That's just a showerthought that intruded you mind

[-] CombatWombat@feddit.online 2 points 3 days ago

Thoughts think themselves

[-] Iconoclast@feddit.uk 2 points 3 days ago

It's almost like it doesn't even matter what one posts here about, everyone seems to immediately make it their mission to start poking holes in it.

[-] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

"gee I want grapes" - not intrusive, even if unexpected.

"Gee I should swerve into incoming traffic" - intrusive

[-] antlion@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 days ago

Wanting grapes is an intrusive thought. Your body and the gut biomes are creating that thought (with the threat of discomfort), and putting it in your brain. Your thoughts are not you. You react to them.

[-] silosong@lemmy.zip 4 points 3 days ago

No, the latter is not any more or less intrusive than the first.

If you want to talk about clinically intrusive thoughts, they're persistent, reoccurring and relentless, not just a random spooky thought that pops into your head - everyone has those, and most people move on from them.

[-] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago

"Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, involuntary, and often disturbing images, urges, or ideas that pop into the mind unexpectedly. They are generally unsettling, violent, sexual, or taboo, yet they do not reflect a person’s actual desires, character, or intentions. While often harmless, they can cause distress or indicate anxiety, OCD, or trauma."

[-] silosong@lemmy.zip 2 points 3 days ago

https://nesslabs.com/pink-elephant-paradox

Everyone has those. Again, clinically speaking intrusive thoughts need to be persistent.

[-] Dionysus@leminal.space 1 points 3 days ago

OP, congrats on such a controversial shower thought!

I agree with the linguistic usage, every thought is intrusive, as without them being so there would be no active consciousness, it would all be reactionary stimuli. ^ok that's an entire other debate...^

The way we use the term in general colloquialism implies a much much more serious level of intrusiveness.

For example, the fucker in the left lane going slower than the middle lane, the thought that... I could just cut him off at that bridge, he'd fly off, crush himself... He's a selfish cunt, net benefit to the world would be this asshole going up inflames

That's an intrusive thought.

[-] sad_detective_man@sopuli.xyz 1 points 3 days ago

naw dawg. if you haven't had the ones that kind of hurt and that you REALLY don't identify with, you haven't had them.

"I should say a mean thing" or "what if I jumped" aren't examples

this post was submitted on 13 Apr 2026
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