Intrusive Thoughts, Images, and Impulses
Explore common intrusive thoughts, images, and impulses with clients using this worksheet.
Intrusive Thoughts Images And Impulses
Do you ever have thoughts or images that pop into your mind unintentionally? They might be doubts like “What if I left the stove on?”, upsetting images of something awful happening, or urges to do something unacceptable. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In fact, intrusive thoughts are a very common human experience.
The Intrusive Thoughts, Images, And Impulses exercise looks at how common these experiences are for people. It is based on psychological research.
Overview
Intrusive and distressing thoughts, images, and impulses are a feature of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). They are also commonly experienced in the general population, typically without distress. This information handout describes common intrusive cognitions.
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