The Intrusive Thought Trap
If you’ve ever had an intrusive thought, you know how jarring it can be. Maybe it was an unwanted image of hurting your partner, a sudden impulse to let go of the steering wheel, or a “what if” that your best friend of 10 years has secretly hated you all along. Your first instinct is probably to label it as “bad,” “scary,” or “spooky.”
This negative association makes sense - we often do feel bad, scared or spooked after having these thoughts occur. However, this tendency may actually entrap you further into the intrusive thought. Why? Because the negative label is inadvertently causing us to:
Confuse our feelings with the facts
When we label any thought based on how we feel about the thought, we are applying our felt state of being with our perception of reality. I feel bad because this is bad. When we do this, our brain reinforces the belief that the more negative thoughts which in turn elicit more difficult feelings in the body. The truth is that believing something scary is happening is a valid feeling in the body but is NOT the same thing as facing an actual threat. When we confuse those two things, we start living a life of future suffering that does not yet exist (and likely will never).Assigning negative meaning to the thought, reinforcing the fear
Whether or not we feel the fear in our body, labeling the intrusive thought with any label associated with difficulty and negative reinforces the belief that the thought means something and is to be feared. Every time you tag an intrusive thought with a high-alert label like "bad" or "scary," you send a signal to your brain’s alarm system saying: "Hey! Pay attention to this! This is dangerous!" Your brain makes note of this experience and may decide it needs to worry about it more. The thought gains weight, power, and frequency.
Exiting from the Trap
Our brains are persistent about keeping us safe, even when that gets in the way of living well. The good news is that you don’t have to win a fight with your thoughts. The goal is to change how you respond to them. Here is how you can start:
Notice what is actually happening.
We think of all sorts of random things throughout the day with very little of that alerting us to assign meaning. Intrusive thoughts are no different! They do not feel powerful because they actually mean something more than any other thought. They feel powerful because they are mis-aligned with your values, desires or intent. Thoughts are not facts and they do not carry any inherent meaning or threat.Label the thought neutrally and accurately
Once you can notice what is actually happening try replacing “scary” and “bad” with a label that matches the situation such as:That was a random thought
That was an intrusive thought
That was my OCD (If you have OCD)
It may seem too simple to work but neutral language has many benefits. It grounds you in reality, signals that being uncomfortable is not an emergency, and it creates some observation distance from you and what you experience.
A Quick Practice to Try Today
When an intrusive thought, image or phrase pops up in your mind:
1. Notice what is happening
2. Label it neutrally and accurately
3. Accept the presence of the thought and let it be while you return your attention to whatever it was you were doing.
If this is a brand-new practice for you, you may find it very difficult to do in-the-moment. That is okay! As soon as you realize you were gripped by an intrusive thought, take a moment to pause and reflect on that experience in this more objective way.
If you have OCD, this exercise isn’t a replacement for treatment. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is the most well-supported therapy for OCD, and a therapist trained in it can help you tailor an approach that fits you. To find a provider who can provide a mental health diagnosis or treatment, please check out the resources page.
Article Resources
Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS)
Dr. Russ Harris & ACT Mindfully
If you are ever in crisis in the U.S. reach out to:
Suicide Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7)
Call or text 988,
Chat at 988lifeline.org
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room
This post is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment.
