Intrusive thinking affects people dealing with multiple mental health conditions including depression,OCD, andanxiety.

The volunteers then had to write an associated word for each cue.

For example, for table they might write chair.

woman sitting in a window holding her head in her hands

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Each of the words was presented to the volunteers five times, in random order.

Proactive thinking enables us to recognize and change habits, which empowers us.

As researchers thought, it took longer for volunteers to come up with a new associated word.

Reactive thinking is not empowering, she says, We arent ridding ourselves of our habitual, intrusive thoughts.

Instead, were trying to mask them with a coping mechanism.

Proactive thinking enables us to recognize and change habits, which empowers us.

If there is no truth to them, why are you allowing them to intrude in your day?

How would you LIKE to think and feel instead?

And what can help you achieve that?

Intrusive thoughts can be seriously debilitating, even taking the pandemic out of the equation.

They’ll never go away entirely, but perhaps we’re gradually understanding how to manage them more effectively.

Challenging your intrusive thoughts might feel difficult, but could benefit you in the longer term.

2022;18(7).