Though intrusive thoughts can make one wonder what they mean or whether they are significant, they have no meaning or significance beyond the meaning and significance that we give them. It's important to realize that just because we feel something strongly does not mean that it is true.
Thoughts of doing something violent or illegal
Intrusive thoughts about doing something illegal or doing something violent toward yourself or others are also common. These are likely not things that you want to do, and you probably feel upset by these thoughts. But having them can make you question yourself.
People who are distressed by recurring, unwanted, and uncontrollable thoughts or who feel driven to repeat specific behaviors may have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The thoughts and behaviors that characterize OCD can interfere with daily life, but treatment can help people manage their symptoms.
Everyone has thoughts that are upsetting or strange, and that do not make a lot of sense, from time to time. This is normal.
Anxiety can be so overwhelming to the brain it alters a person's sense of reality. People experience distorted reality in several ways. Distorted reality is most common during panic attacks, though may occur with other types of anxiety. It is also often referred to as “derealization.”
This can be caused by overworking, lack of sleep, stress, and spending too much time on the computer. On a cellular level, brain fog is believed to be caused by high levels inflammation and changes to hormones that determine your mood, energy and focus.
Panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD and more all may create unusual thoughts and feelings that you weren't expecting. It's also important to realize that one of the issues that causes these weird thoughts is fear that you'll have them in the first place.
One thing everyone who is having problems with anxiety has in common is that their brain is tricking them. It's telling them that they're in danger, when actually they're not. And it's tricking them into doing things that make it worse.
Repetitive fear about saying the wrong thing can be an OCD-related fear, involving concerns about saying something that is inappropriate, embarrassing, or hurtful. This OCD-related fear is often part of the larger subtype of Harm OCD.
Chronic what-if thoughts are a habit that we have learned, either from a traumatic experience that we now deem it necessary to go over and over every possible what-if scenario in case it happens again; or are from repetitious thinking that we have gotten into the habit of doing.
The nature of intrusive thoughts can make them feel real
When you experience these obsessions and your brain triggers the fight, flight, and freeze response (the anxious response), you experience a dump of hormones in the body such as adrenaline and cortisol that signals that you need to ACT NOW.
What drives this is underlying anxiety. Common forms include worrying, perfectionism, struggle with making decisions, and excessive control over yourself and others. Keys to coping include getting your rational brain online, using your gut reactions as important information, and taking acceptable risks.
People are often trapped by their own thoughts because they are striving for perfection or are trying to find a way to control a situation, said Kimber Shelton, a psychologist and owner of KLS Counseling & Consulting Services in Duncanville, Texas.
If you're having an episode of depersonalization, distracting yourself by throwing cold water on your face, doing sudden quick movements like jumping jacks, or engaging in deep breathing can help bring your awareness back to reality, says Dr. Parmar.
While both mental health conditions involve repetitive worrying, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often engage in unwanted and repetitive behavior in response to their worry. People with anxiety, however, tend to overthink their worry, but don't act in specific responsive manners.
Common Descriptions Of The Brain Surge Anxiety Symptoms:
It feels like there is a sudden surge of “something” that makes the head and brain feel like they are being “flooded” and under pressure. This feeling can also be accompanied by a “dizzy” or “lightheaded” feeling.
Crazy, odd, bizarre, and irrational thoughts are often symptoms of anxiety disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and others.
No, overthinking isn't a recognized mental health condition, but it can be a symptom of depression or anxiety. Overthinking is commonly associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), says Duke. GAD is characterized by the tendency to worry excessively about several things.