Here's a crazy idea........

Ever had a random thought pop into your head and leave you wondering “Am I going crazy?” Like, driving down the freeway and thinking ‘I could just turn the steering wheel a few degrees and I would hit that truck head on and… ’

Sounds a little crazy!

But the fact is, in having that thought, you wouldn’t be alone…random, irrational and sometimes morbid thoughts are completely normal and almost everyone has them! (of course if you're regularly having thoughts of self harm - that's a strong signal that you're depressed and need to seek professional help)

Random thoughts, whether morbid, weird, bizarre or even seemingly dangerous, are just …thoughts...and by themselves, are harmless. It's only when we over analyse and attach inappropriate meaning to them (“I must want to kill myself,” “This means I’m going to hurt someone” “I’m going crazy”, “I must be dangerous,”) that we end up with a problem.

This mistaken belief that your weirdest thoughts are a true indicator of who you are and what you are likely to do - Psychologists refer to as “Thought-action fusion”….and for a few people, it can be a problem.

Belief that thoughts are overly important are often a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and clinically diagnosed Anxiety. Many of us experience OCD symptoms or Anxiety at some point in our lives, often when under psychological pressure

One particularly susceptible group is new parents. Post-natal depression is well documented but Post - Natal Anxiety is a more common challenge for many new mums and dads. Anxiety has many faces from hyper vigilance to thoughts of harm.

For example, a sleep deprived new mum or dad might have a thought about dropping or hurting the baby deliberately. Just having the thought in passing, does not mean the parent is dangerous or unfit. It generally means quite the opposite — that the brain is scanning for possible dangers in order to protect the newborn. It’s only when the thought gets repetitive and the line between thought and action is actually crossed that there’s an issue.

And here’s the twist! Trying to stop a thought, (called “thought suppression”), makes it pop up more often! Thought suppression doesn’t work because… you have to remember what it is you’re not supposed to think about. (Here’s a challenge, try not to think about a Big Blue Banana right now…)

So the next time a “crazy” thought crosses your mind, recognise and acknowledge it. Consciously thank your brain for doing what it’s supposed to do — think thoughts. Next, place the thought gently in the great recycle bin of your mind. …and move on. You’re not crazy; it just means your brain is working!

Stuck with some negative thoughts and need help moving on? Learn more at www.pstbythesea.com