As someone with mental health issues including intrusive thoughts: Nope, you probably haven’t experienced one if you truly think that. Normal thoughts come and go, and, sure, they may interrupt each other, but an intrusive thought comes into your brain like a fucking tank, crushing and maiming everything in its path, not even considering to leave, and shooting down every attempt to get rid of it violently. You absolutely know it is one…
Sure, clinically speaking. But generally speaking, every thought came unbidden.
To me “unbidden” ≠ “intrusive”; in a venn diagram “intrusive” would be a small circle fully contained within a much larger “unbidden” one. Though we go deeply into the question of free will when considering every thought “unbidden”, so I really woupdn’t go that deep ;-)
Well i am kinda alluding the the free will thing in the OP actually.
I have OCD. It’s legit hard to function at times.
Thoughts think themselves
It’s almost like it doesn’t even matter what one posts here about, everyone seems to immediately make it their mission to start poking holes in it.
“gee I want grapes” - not intrusive, even if unexpected.
“Gee I should swerve into incoming traffic” - intrusive
Wanting grapes is an intrusive thought. Your body and the gut biomes are creating that thought (with the threat of discomfort), and putting it in your brain. Your thoughts are not you. You react to them.
No, the latter is not any more or less intrusive than the first.
If you want to talk about clinically intrusive thoughts, they’re persistent, reoccurring and relentless, not just a random spooky thought that pops into your head - everyone has those, and most people move on from them.
“Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, involuntary, and often disturbing images, urges, or ideas that pop into the mind unexpectedly. They are generally unsettling, violent, sexual, or taboo, yet they do not reflect a person’s actual desires, character, or intentions. While often harmless, they can cause distress or indicate anxiety, OCD, or trauma.”
https://nesslabs.com/pink-elephant-paradox
Everyone has those. Again, clinically speaking intrusive thoughts need to be persistent.
