What are Intrusive Thoughts?
Intrusive thoughts are unwelcome thoughts or flashbacks that repeatedly find their way into a person’s thinking. In either case, a person dealing with intrusive thoughts who is unable to get them out of his or her mind should seek the help of a medical professional. If left untreated, intrusive thoughts can cause a great deal of emotional, mental, and physical stress. Intrusive thoughts in the form of flashbacks are memories of past experiences. A person coping with intrusive thoughts in this fashion may force herself to relive the memory, no matter how disturbing it may be. A person who was molested, for example, may experience intrusive thoughts in the form of flashbacks. Some people become consumed by these flashbacks for several days, reliving the entire event. Others experience only bits and pieces of these flashbacks at a time.
