
#Dark thoughts how to
The thought will be so shocking to that person (who already struggles with anxiety) that, in order to prevent any similar thoughts arising, the person will start to ruminate and try to figure out how to stop having them. But someone with OCD tendencies will have trouble letting the thought go. Most people who have an unwanted thought ignore it and don’t take it seriously. OCD is connected to intrusive thoughts – and in fact, fixating on thoughts is one of the main symptoms of OCD. The essence of it is fear, fixation, and obsession and the desire to regain control and a sense of calm through compulsive behavior.
#Dark thoughts full
We feel terrified that there’s something deeply, horribly wrong with us at a core level (anxiety) and it makes us feel worthless and full of grief (depression).īut what about OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)?Īs someone who has suffered with OCD I know what it’s like. What is the result of fearing and fixating on our unwanted thoughts? Often, the consequence is increased anxiety and depression. This phenomenon is directly connected to intrusive thoughts: the more we try not to think about something, the more we think about it.

Kind of ironic isn’t it?īut this game, in essence, is the premise for a psychological phenomenon known as the “ Ironic Process Theory” that states that the more you suppress a thought or thoughts, the more they will appear. Have you ever played the “Pink Elephant” game before? The funny thing about this game is that the more you try to avoid thinking about a pink elephant, the more likely the thought is to arise in your mind. And the more we fear/fixate, the more power and energy we give such thoughts so that they keep returning. Unwanted thoughts become intrusive thoughts when we fear and fixate on them. When Unwanted Thoughts Become Intrusive Thoughts Such a toxic core belief is at the root of a lot of our fearful behavior and it’s what drives us to fear and fixate in the first place. Why? The answer is that our ego (or sense of self) is trying to reinforce that self-image (because even though such an idea harms us, it makes us feel safe and solid). the culture we were brought up in (especially if it was repressive)Įssentially, if we have been sent the message (or have come to believe) that there’s something “inherently wrong with us” we will be more prone to neurotic fixation.There are a number of reasons why we might be more prone to neurotic fixation (as opposed to the average person who just ignores the thought and lets it go by): The answer is that we fear them, fixate on them, and believe they mean something about us. Why do unwanted thoughts cause us to suffer so much? Fear and Neurotic Fixation = The Cause of Suffering They are the howlings of the monkey mind and have no more importance than the temporary clouds in the sky.ĭepending on what lens you choose to look through, unwanted thoughts aren’t ultimately your fault. Anything taboo or graphic is cast into this darker half of us – and all of this rejected content is buried within the unconscious mind.įrom a spiritual standpoint, dark thoughts are just thoughts that have no real meaning. We aren’t our Shadows, but our Shadow is a repressed part of us. But why the dark thoughts?įrom a psychological standpoint, dark thoughts are connected to the Shadow Self (the dark side of our nature). We could equally ask the question, “Why do we think?” Well, from an evolutionary standpoint, the neocortex (thinking brain) helped us to evolve and survive. You’re just a human being, like the rest of us. You’re one of the many billions of people out there who have bizarre, uncalled for thoughts – just ask any therapist, psychologist, or counselor.Īs a spiritual counselor myself, I have come across many people who have strange dark thoughts that haunt them. The shame that naturally surrounds having these thoughts can make you feel alone and like you’re some kind of freak. I send love and support to you <3) Is it Normal to Have Dark Unwanted Thoughts?

(By the way, if you’re having suicidal/homicidal thoughts and are seriously considering causing harm, please contact a helpline immediately. This is not an exhaustive list, but it includes the most common unwanted thoughts out there.

mentally/emotionally sabotaging someone.Examples of unwanted thoughts might include: Typically, unwanted thoughts are taboo or of a graphic nature. Unwanted thoughts are the spontaneous thoughts we sometimes have that disturb us. How to Stop Bad, Weird, Unwanted Thoughts.Fear and Neurotic Fixation = The Cause of Suffering.Is it Normal to Have Dark Unwanted Thoughts?.
