# intrusive paranoid thoughts



## kev (Jan 28, 2005)

Are intrusive paranoid thoughts a form of OCD? For example, I have this recurring thought that I may have been abused as a child, by my family or a close friend. It seems rational enough to me. I mean I could have forgotten about it, some people have amnesia. The harder I try to dismiss it, the worse it gets. I try to tell myself my parents would never do that to me, but how would I know? It's not something I can prove.

Mind you, I find these thoughts very unsettling. I am aware that I haven't a shred of evidence, but that doesn't change the fact that it is a disturbing unwanted thought.

I'll sometimes get a thought like I might accidentally jump off of a bridge. That kind of thought I can deal with it because I know it is irrational. But this thought about abuse is overtaking my life. I can't really dismiss it because sometimes I think it may be true. I suppose I should talk with my therapist about this, but in the meanwhile, any advice appreciated.

And please, no reenforcement. Again, I don't have a shred of evidence, and I am aware of that.


----------



## Keith (Aug 30, 2008)

I deal with paranoid intrusive thoughts all the time. Whats helped me is just to tell myself that they are just paranoid thoughts and I would never act on them. They are really tough to deal with but just keep trying to just accept them as thoughts and not reality.


----------



## jfk1116 (Feb 27, 2009)

I think that those kind of intrusive thoughts are part of ocd. I get alot of unwanted, irrational paranoid thinking. Its enough to drive you nuts huh?


----------



## John_in_SF (Mar 1, 2009)

kev said:


> Are intrusive paranoid thoughts a form of OCD?


Absolutely. Unwanted, intrusive thoughts are frequently a symptom of OCD. They can be quite disturbing and extremely violent. I would definitely bring this up with my therapist if I were you.


----------



## nemasket (Mar 23, 2007)

Definitely one of my main OCD symptoms, and it's really distressing. And the more you don't want to think about it, the more it comes into your head, making you think it's likely to mean something real.

The thing is, anyone could have been abused as a child and not remember. Just like anyone could be developing cancer, or there could be a comet hurtling towards Earth, or some crazed stalker could be plotting your annihilation. They are all unlikely, but what OCD does is make you focus on the tiny percent chance something could have happened or be about to happen, and the repetition makes you believe it's somehow real. It may be childhood abuse now, and in two months it could be contracting HIV - it's helpful to realize that obsessions are psychological and the content really has no meaning. 

It could be helpful to worst-case-scenario it - what if you were abused and would never remember and identify who did it to you? Would you want to sit around and think about it all day, or move on and live your life the best you could?


----------



## onedimension (Sep 16, 2008)

I had/have 'pure O' OCD, random intrusive uncomfortable thoughts, often about really implausible or quirky stuff. One thing that helped me was to assign a percentage to the likelihood I thought my worry was real, or that an event might happen. I think the idea of 'repressed' memory is largely bogus, anyway, but I understand how it's scary to us people who obsess - we latch on to thoughts or uncertainties in life that most people just breeze past.

In my experience working w/ a cognitive therapist, 'exposure & response prevention' + meds have my 'pure O' currently as nothing more than a rare blip on the radar.


----------



## thewallflwr (Mar 13, 2009)

I get this all the time. It's pretty much what causes my insomnia. I never really realized how many intrusive thoughts I got until my doctor asked me if I ever got them. And then I realized that they weren't just regular thoughts, they were infact extremely intrusive.


----------



## tutliputli (Feb 22, 2009)

kev said:


> Are intrusive paranoid thoughts a form of OCD? For example, I have this recurring thought that I may have been abused as a child, by my family or a close friend.


I have the exact same thought and have had it for years and years. I don't think I have OCD though.


----------

