How to Handle Intrusive Thoughts (Try this)
Summary
TLDRIn this insightful video, therapist Natasha Daniels addresses the common struggle with intrusive thoughts, particularly in the context of OCD. She explains that while everyone experiences these thoughts, individuals with OCD have difficulty dismissing them, leading to compulsive behaviors that exacerbate the condition. Daniels illustrates the concept using Chinese handcuffs as a metaphor for the trap of intrusive thoughts and suggests acceptance and resistance as strategies to break free. The video offers practical advice on managing anxiety and OCD, encouraging viewers to find their own methods of coping and to subscribe for more helpful content.
Takeaways
- 😣 Intrusive thoughts are a common issue, often central to many cases of OCD.
- 🧠 Everyone experiences intrusive thoughts, but those with OCD struggle to dismiss them easily.
- 🔄 The difference for individuals with OCD is the inability to filter out disturbing thoughts, leading to a cycle of distress and compulsion.
- 🎣 The analogy of fishing is used to illustrate the concept of 'taking the bait' of intrusive thoughts, which fuels OCD.
- 🚫 The key to managing intrusive thoughts is controlling the panic and subsequent behavior, not the thoughts themselves.
- 🤔 The video suggests that intrusive thoughts are upsetting and can lead to a sense of danger or self-doubt.
- 🤲 The 'Chinese handcuffs' analogy is used to demonstrate how resistance to intrusive thoughts can paradoxically increase their grip.
- 💭 Acceptance of intrusive thoughts is presented as a method to loosen their hold, by not giving them power or attention.
- 🤹♂️ Pushing back against OCD, including mocking or being sarcastic, can help to disarm its power.
- 🔄 The process of accepting and then dismissing intrusive thoughts can be challenging but is a part of overcoming OCD.
- 📚 The speaker offers further resources, including playlists on anxiety and OCD, for those seeking more information.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video by Natasha Daniels?
-The main topic of the video is intrusive thoughts, particularly how they relate to anxiety and OCD.
Who is Natasha Daniels in the context of the video?
-Natasha Daniels is a therapist who creates videos to help people dealing with anxiety or OCD.
What does Natasha Daniels suggest is the number one topic in her practice?
-Natasha Daniels suggests that intrusive thoughts are the number one topic in her practice.
What is the difference between most people and those with OCD when it comes to intrusive thoughts?
-Most people can dismiss intrusive thoughts quickly, whereas individuals with OCD struggle to do so, often leading to compulsive behaviors.
What does Natasha Daniels use to illustrate the concept of intrusive thoughts and OCD in her video?
-Natasha Daniels uses the analogy of fishing, where intrusive thoughts are the bait and compulsions are the stake that grows OCD.
What is the key to dealing with intrusive thoughts according to Natasha Daniels?
-The key to dealing with intrusive thoughts is controlling the panic that comes with them, as it's the behavior after the thought that grows OCD.
What does Natasha Daniels compare intrusive thoughts to in her office?
-Natasha Daniels compares intrusive thoughts to Chinese handcuffs, which tighten the more one struggles against them.
What is the suggested method to break free from the grip of intrusive thoughts and OCD?
-The suggested method is to accept the intrusive thoughts, not resist them, and to push back against OCD by mocking or agreeing with it sarcastically.
What does Natasha Daniels recommend doing with intrusive thoughts to reduce their power?
-Natasha Daniels recommends accepting the thoughts, mocking them, and not giving them more time or attention, thus reducing their power.
How often does Natasha Daniels release new videos on her channel?
-Natasha Daniels releases new videos every Thursday.
What is the final piece of advice Natasha Daniels gives to her viewers in the video?
-Natasha Daniels advises viewers to find the sparkle in everything they do and to look forward to her next video.
Outlines
🤔 Understanding Intrusive Thoughts and OCD
In this segment, Natasha Daniels, a therapist, introduces the topic of intrusive thoughts and their connection to anxiety and OCD. She explains that intrusive thoughts are common but can be particularly distressing for those with OCD, as they struggle to dismiss them. The video aims to address how intrusive thoughts can make individuals question their character or safety and how different people experience different 'flavors' of these thoughts. Daniels uses the analogy of fishing to describe the bait-and-hook nature of intrusive thoughts and compulsions in OCD, emphasizing the importance of not taking the bait of intrusive thoughts to prevent the growth of OCD. She also introduces a physical demonstration using Chinese handcuffs to illustrate the trap of intrusive thoughts and the need to accept them rather than resist, which can tighten the grip of OCD.
🔄 Overcoming Intrusive Thoughts by Challenging OCD
The second paragraph continues the discussion on intrusive thoughts, focusing on strategies to overcome them. Daniels suggests that the key to dealing with these thoughts is controlling the panic they induce, as it is the subsequent behavior, not the thought itself, that exacerbates OCD. She encourages viewers to accept intrusive thoughts and not to resist them, using humor and sarcasm as tools to disarm their power. By flipping the script and putting OCD on the defensive, individuals can take control and reduce the anxiety associated with intrusive thoughts. Daniels wraps up by inviting viewers to explore more of her content on anxiety and OCD, reminding them to subscribe and turn on notifications for new video releases every Thursday.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Intrusive thoughts
💡OCD
💡Therapist
💡Teletherapy
💡Compulsions
💡Bait
💡Panic
💡Acceptance
💡Chinese handcuffs
💡Sarcasm
💡Flipping the script
Highlights
Intrusive thoughts are a common struggle, particularly in anxiety and OCD.
OCD often revolves around intrusive thoughts, images, and feelings.
Most people experience intrusive thoughts but can easily dismiss them.
Individuals with OCD struggle to dismiss intrusive thoughts, leading to distress.
Compulsions in response to intrusive thoughts can fuel and worsen OCD.
The key to managing intrusive thoughts is controlling the panic they induce.
Chinese handcuffs serve as a physical metaphor for the trap of intrusive thoughts.
Accepting intrusive thoughts can help release their grip on individuals.
Pushing back on OCD by accepting and mocking intrusive thoughts can disarm their power.
The video provides practical advice on how to deal with intrusive thoughts in the context of OCD.
Different people have different 'flavors' of intrusive thoughts, but the approach to managing them is similar.
The video emphasizes the importance of not giving intrusive thoughts more time or attention than they deserve.
The presenter, Natasha Daniels, is a therapist who specializes in anxiety and OCD.
The episode is sponsored by 'no cd', a teletherapy service available nationwide.
The video is part of a series on anxiety and OCD, with new videos released every Thursday.
Viewers are encouraged to subscribe and turn on notifications for new content.
The video concludes with a reminder to find the sparkle in everything and a promise to talk next week.
Transcripts
do you struggle with really annoying and
upsetting intrusive thoughts we're going
to talk all about it stay tuned that's
what's up next hi my name is Natasha
Daniels I'm a therapist to make videos
for people with anxiety or OCD and this
episode is brought to you by no cd
providing teletherapy across the country
i want to talk to you about intrusive
thoughts because so many people struggle
with intrusive thoughts it's probably
the number one topic in my practice it's
really what drives most of OCD
there's also intrusive images intrusive
feelings but I want to talk to you about
those intrusive thoughts those thoughts
that make you feel like a bad person or
make you question your safety it will be
different for each person
because OCD has a zillion different
flavors and everyone's flavor can be
different so one person might worry that
they're a bad person another person
might worry about their safety another
person might worried they're gonna harm
other people everyone's gonna be
different but flavors of ice cream are
still ice cream and intrusive thoughts
are still intrusive thoughts in fact the
majority of everybody in this world has
intrusive thoughts but the difference is
those people are able to dismiss them
they're able to have a thought that was
disturbing and released the thought
within a few seconds sometimes not even
being aware that they're having those
thoughts but when you have OCD you have
a thought ooh that's disturbing the
filter is not working that is disturbing
what's that thought oh my gosh let me
take it over here let me look at it
whoa that's really upsetting let's talk
about this thought am i that person or
is it that bad or is it dangerous what
can I do to prevent this all those
intrusive thoughts right and then it's
like oh I have an idea how about a
little bit compulsion how about you
check or how about you debate or how
about you think about this those are all
the things that fuel your OCD and make
it bigger the compulsion is the stake it
grows your OCD the intrusive thought is
the bait so don't take the bait think
about fishing right it's out there it's
got a little worm on it intrusive
thought now do you want to take the bait
or do you want to leave the bait so
everybody has those thoughts but they
are able to dismiss them
and so the key to dealing with intrusive
thoughts is controlling the panic that
comes with it
because it's not the thought it's the
behavior that comes after the thought
that really grows the OCD now easier
said than done I totally get that those
intrusive thoughts are upsetting you're
like etosha but they're so upsetting
that's not my thought that's not me or I
could get hurt or I could hurt somebody
else right different for each person but
similar so I want to show you that Oh
CDs favourite weapon it's like Chinese
handcuffs did you ever play with these
we used to when we were little and they
kind of freaked people out in my office
because they can't get their fingers out
and they really start to panic so these
are not really good for my office but I
have them in my office because they
really are a good way to show you
physically what an intrusive thought
does so here's a thought here's OCD
hello touch me right I mean so CDs like
oh my gosh you are such a bad person I'm
just gonna use that as an example
it'll be different for you you're like
me doing this it might be oh my gosh
that's so bad or that's so dirty or
that's so uneven or it might be an
intrusive thought that says oh my gosh
you're gonna hurt someone it will be
different right but it doesn't matter
because it's still an intrusive thought
that's tempting you come on
fight with me fight with me right and
this is what we do I'm not that or it's
not dangerous or it's not gonna harm my
family and now we're pulling and we're
fighting and we're resisting have you
ever had these strange handcuffs what
happens is the more I pull these are
have seen better days but the more I
pull the tighter the grip the tighter
the OCD has on me and so the way to get
out of this trap is to accept those
intrusive thoughts because the thought
is just a thought I thought doesn't make
you right and doubt and uncertainty are
part of our life we have to accept it
and so we say yeah I'm a horrible person
I'm gonna totally do that in fact I'm
gonna do it tomorrow I'm gonna do it
today
uh-uh what's happening here I'm pushing
in I'm not resisting I'm actually
agreeing with my OCD and it's releasing
me because it's a trap same thing
oh it's dirty oh yeah it's so dirty I'm
gonna get like all these diseases my
life is over right
my fingers released it's easier said
than done I totally get that but when
you can push back on OCD except that
it's an OCD thought and I like even
better to kind of push it back now that
takes some time some people might just
be in the acceptance phase if you know I
accept that I'm having this thought I'm
gonna go do something else that I enjoy
and I'm not gonna give this thought any
more of my time or attention because I
value doing this instead and that's a
great approach I'm also kind of a push
it back kind of person and I want to
push like I want to push my anxiety back
and I'm sure you want to push your OCD
back and so sometimes just mocking it
agreeing with it being sarcastic with it
your OCD doesn't know what to do with
that it's like whoa I'm the one on the
attack here not you you're on the
defense I'm on the offense why are we
flipping this around and you want to do
that you want to flip OCD on its head
and be like whoa we don't want that to
happen why are you saying that and then
the thought loses all of its power
because you're agreeing with it you're
mocking it and then you can get out of
the trap that it wants you to partake in
so I hope you find this video helpful
I have tons more of anxiety and OCD
videos to check out I have playlists on
anxiety and on OCD don't forget to hit
subscribe and hit notifications so that
you get notified as soon as I make a new
video I make new videos every Thursday
don't forget to find the sparkle and
everything to do and I'll talk to you
again next week
take care
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