Intrusive thoughts can be unexpected, disturbing and even scary. Often triggered by stress or anxiety, these thoughts may seem to come out of nowhere. 

How do you know if a thought is intrusive? There are a few simple ways to tell. Intrusive thoughts are often:

• Uncharacteristic — This thought is highly unusual for you. For instance, it’s violent or extreme and isn’t something you’d usually even consider.
• Disturbing — As soon as you have the thought, it bothers you and makes you want to get it out of your mind as fast as possible. 
• Difficult to control — You may struggle to dismiss the thought even if it disturbs you. The thought may not go away, or it will come back multiple times.

Intrusive thoughts about suicide may feel especially concerning. However, if the thought is unwelcome, comes without warning, and disturbs you, it may be an intrusive thought rather than active suicidal ideation. Having an intrusive thought about suicide, such as, “I wish I were dead,” or experiencing a daydream about dying are what’s known as passive suicidal ideation. This means you aren’t actively contemplating suicide; you’re just having an intrusive thought. 

If you are experiencing suicidal ideation or actively thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, for immediate support.

Mindfulness tips to use if you have intrusive suicidal thoughts

While intrusive thoughts about suicide can feel scary, it’s important to remember that thoughts aren’t always impulses. Obsessing over these intrusive thoughts will not automatically make them go away, but you can learn to cope with them. One helpful coping option is practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of nonjudgmentally observing thoughts, feelings and urges. Here are five tips that can help you address your intrusive thoughts with mindfulness:

• Label it — When you experience an intrusive thought, identify it as one. Acknowledge that this thought is intrusive rather than an active impulse. That way, you can begin to separate yourself from the intrusive thought.
• Distance yourself from the thought — Remember that these thoughts aren’t rooted in your own desires. They’re often automatic and can’t be controlled, but that doesn’t mean you actively want to follow through on them. You are not your intrusive thoughts.
• Don’t bury it — Trying to force the thought away won’t help you get rid of it. Instead, you may end up obsessing over the thought even more, which can cause additional stress and anxiety. Instead, once you’ve identified the intrusive thought, accept that the thought will pass through your mind instead of trying to push it away.
• Give yourself time — Don’t get frustrated if the thought stays in your mind for a while or comes back more than once. Intrusive thoughts may not disappear right away. Give yourself time to acknowledge the thought as intrusive and allow yourself time to let it pass.
• Don’t focus on it — Instead of concentrating on the intrusive thought, continue to do whatever activities you were already doing. Allow the intrusive thought to be present while you focus on something else.

These tips may not immediately solve the problem of intrusive thoughts, but they can help you learn how to deal with them in a helpful way. You can’t prevent intrusive thoughts, but you can choose how to respond to them. 

Just as it’s important to choose how to respond to intrusive thoughts about suicide, it’s just as important to decide how not to respond to them. Here are a few things to not do when an intrusive thought pops into your head. You should not:

• Try to force the thought out of your mind
• Engage with the intrusive thought
• Fixate on what this thought “means”
• Judge yourself for having this intrusive thought

The more you focus on the intrusive thought, the harder it will be to get rid of. While acknowledging and identifying the intrusive thought is important, try not to fixate on it.

If intrusive thoughts about suicide are interrupting your day-to-day life, therapy may help you learn how to cope with these thoughts in a healthy way.

Intrusive thoughts versus suicidal ideation

If you have an intrusive thought about suicide, you may start to worry about having suicidal ideation. However, there are some key differences between an intrusive suicidal thought and active suicidal ideation.

The main difference between intrusive thoughts about suicide and suicidal ideation is the intention behind the thoughts. Intrusive thoughts are unwelcome and disturbing, while active suicidal ideation means you are making a plan to harm yourself. 

Suicidal ideation requires immediate intervention to prevent possible self-harm, while intrusive thoughts are not necessarily dangerous in the moment. But if you don’t learn to manage your intrusive thoughts, they can negatively impact your mental health and potentially lead to suicidal ideation. Therapy can be a valuable resource to help you learn to manage your intrusive thoughts.

At Lightfully Behavioral Health, we offer evidence-based and personalized care to help you navigate your mental health conditions. Our Precision Care Model focuses on offering a holistic, multifaceted approach to your treatment. 

When you’re ready to start dealing with your intrusive thoughts, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.