Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts _ a CBT-Based Guide to Getting Over Frightening, Obsessive, or Disturbing Thoughts. ( PDFDrive )

30 Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts
I know it is ridiculous; I think I saw this scene in a movie
years ago, but then when the food arrives, I can’t eat.
One time my girlfriend said she hoped my penis couldn’t break
off. I know she was joking, but I am so upset at her for saying
that, I can’t get it out of my mind. It has ruined everything.
My dog licks her private parts and then licks my daughter.
I can’t stand it, and I can’t stop thinking about all the germs
and secretions that are getting on my daughter.
“Big Issue” Thoughts
The next type of intrusive thought falls in the category of big issues
and involves continual episodes of trying to answer questions about
these issues that are essentially unanswerable. The most common
ones involve the questions of uncertainty and lack of guarantees in
life, the nature of reality, the purpose of life, and how can you know
if you really, really believe or feel something. These questions seem
really important and almost always involve questions with many
dimensions and no definite answers.
Uncertainty and Unknowability Thoughts
Being unwilling to accept that we cannot know or guarantee
the future leads to this kind of preoccupation.
I have to know my kids will be safe. How can anyone live without
this? I can’t stand even the thought that something could happen
to them.
Questioning Reality
It is one thing to have a truly philosophical curiosity about the
nature of reality and quite another to be extremely upset and constantly
preoccupied by such questions that do not have clear answers.