Why do I keep having intrusive thoughts?

You might have noticed certain thoughts showing up again and again.

They can feel intrusive, uncomfortable, or even disturbing – and often don’t reflect who you are at all.

And yet, they stick.

You might find yourself thinking:

“Why am I having this thought?”“What if it means something about me?”“Why can’t I just let it go?”

It can feel confusing and, at times, quite isolating.

The problem isn’t the thought itself

One of the most unsettling things about intrusive thoughts is how convincing they can feel.

Even when part of you knows:

This isn't me

Another part keeps questioning it.

But intrusive thoughts are actually something most people experience.

The difference isn’t whether you have them — it’s how your mind responds to them.

When thoughts turn into loops

Often, what keeps intrusive thoughts going isn’t the thought itself, but what happens next.

You might notice yourself:

• trying to work the thought out

• analysing what it means

• checking your feelings or reactions

• going over it again and again

  
  

It can feel like you’re trying to get clarity or certainty.

But instead, it creates a loop.

The more attention you give the thought, the more it seems to stick around.

Why it feels so hard to stop

These patterns tend to run quite quickly and automatically.

A thought appears → it feels important → you engage with it → it comes back.

Even if you understand what’s happening, it can still feel very difficult to step out of it.

That’s often the most frustrating part:

“I can see what I’m doing… but I can’t seem to stop.”

It doesn’t say anything about you

Intrusive thoughts can feel very personal.

But they don’t define you, and they don’t say anything meaningful about your character, intentions, or identity.

In fact, the more a thought goes against who you are, the more likely it is to feel distressing.

A different way of approaching it

Trying to get rid of intrusive thoughts usually doesn’t work.

In fact, it can make them stronger.

A different approach is to begin noticing:

• how the pattern works

• when you’re getting pulled into it

• what happens when you don’t engage in the same way

This takes time — and often support — but it can gradually loosen the hold these thoughts have.

When it starts to feel like OCD

For some people, intrusive thoughts become part of a pattern often referred to as OCD — including forms that are more internal, sometimes called Pure O.

This is where the struggle happens mostly in your thoughts, rather than through visible behaviours.

If this feels familiar, you can read more about how I work with OCD and intrusive thoughts here:

Read More

If this resonates

You’re not alone in this, even if it feels that way.

Intrusive thoughts can be deeply unsettling — but they’re also something that can be understood, worked with, and gradually changed.

Contact Me