With A Grateful Heart by Chris Gil

What do you do when a thought shows up out of nowhere; sharp, disturbing, and completely unwanted? Why does your mind sometimes drop catastrophic, negative, or embarrassing thoughts into your head like an uninvited guest? And if it makes you feel anxious, ashamed, or worried, why does trying harder to push it away somehow make it stick even more?

Intrusive thoughts are surprisingly common and affect millions of people. While they can be linked to conditions like OCD or PTSD, many people experience them without having a mental health disorder. Stress, anxiety, major life changes, and even hormonal shifts can make these unwanted thoughts pop up more often.

The good news? Having an intrusive thought doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. It simply means you’re human.

Here are three of my favorite approaches for learning how to normalize the experience.

No, you’re not broken, crazy, or dangerous.

You are not the problem. The problem is the problem.

Read that again👆… Maybe even say it out loud.

1. Narrative Therapy: Externalizing

When an intrusive thought shows up, don’t argue with it or try to push it away. First, create a little distance:

Instead of:
“I’m having intrusive thoughts”

Try:

• “My mind is producing noise again.”
• “This is just a thought pattern, not a message.”
• “That fear story is showing up.”

Then shift how you respond:

• “I notice this thought is here.”
• “I don’t need to solve this right now.”
• “I’m going back to what I was doing.”

That’s it; no debate, no analysis. Label and redirect.

The goal isn’t to fight the thought, but to stop feeding it. Over time, your brain learns: this is just mental activity, not an emergency or a command I need to follow.

2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Catch It, Check It, Change It

A simple CBT technique is called Catch It, Check It, Change It.

Catch It

Notice the thought:

“I’m having the thought that something bad will happen.”

Check It

Ask yourself:

“Is this 100% true? What’s the actual evidence?”

Change It

Replace it with something more balanced:

“Nothing is actually happening right now. This is anxiety talking, not a fact.”

Think of it as training your brain to stop treating every thought like a breaking-news headline.

3. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

MBCT is all about noticing your thoughts without getting pulled into them.

When an intrusive thought shows up, don’t fight it and don’t try to fix it. Simply acknowledge it:

“Here’s a thought.”

Then gently remind yourself:

• “It’s just a mental event.”
• “It will pass like a cloud.”

Next, bring your attention back to something real in the present moment; your breathing, your feet on the floor, or whatever you’re doing right now.

The key idea is simple:

Thoughts are not facts. They’re just passing mental noise. You don’t have to engage with every one of them.

If this resonated with you, feel free to like, comment, or share it with someone who might need it. Sometimes just knowing you’re not alone makes a big difference.💛