Dealing with Intrusive Thoughts and Paranoia

Author: Sally Aquire

Intrusive thoughts and paranoia are one of the OCD symptoms that cause the most anxiety and distress, as sufferers often feel that these intrusions mean that they are a bad person. This can understandably cause paranoia, and often becomes a prominent obsession that cannot be shifted. Intrusive thoughts and paranoia are related to the obsession side of OCD. This article discusses intrusive thoughts, images and impulses as a symptom of OCD.

What Are Intrusive Thoughts?

These refer to the violent or sexual thoughts, images and impulses that frequently enter the minds of OCD sufferers against their will. These affect almost everyone at some point, but most people can easily push them aside and forget about them. For OCD sufferers, doing this is difficult or even impossible. The intrusions repeatedly plague OCD sufferers, despite any attempts to suppress them.

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Examples of Intrusive Thoughts and Paranoia

Intrusive thoughts, images and impulses can take a number of forms, but it is common for them to be of a violent or sexual nature. For example, some OCD sufferers have intrusive thoughts or images that are related to harming themselves or people close to them. Other common intrusive thoughts, impulses and images are of a sexual nature, and may concern family members or young children. Such thoughts and images cause a lot of anxiety to OCD sufferers in case they are an indication of incestuous or perverse feelings. Although these types of thoughts and images are highly distressing, it is rare that they will actually be acted on, despite feeling very real. The intrusions are purely mental.

Intrusive thoughts can be as simple as feeling that your hands are contaminated by germs. This intrusion is usually followed by a compulsion to wash your hands repeatedly to clean them.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

How Can Intrusive Thoughts Affect OCD Sufferers?

Intrusive thoughts are often accompanied by paranoia, and this combination can have a big effect on OCD sufferers. They tend to increase over time, becoming more frequent and intense. In many cases, compulsions are performed to reduce the anxiety caused by intrusive thoughts and paranoia.

Intrusive thoughts and paranoia can have a significant effect on relationships with family and friends. Some OCD sufferers may find that it affects their job, particularly if they have trouble concentrating on anything else.

Intrusive thoughts and paranoia are some of the common symptoms of OCD. These thoughts and images are often violent or sexual. They frequently enter the mind and refuse to disappear, which can leave many OCD sufferers questioning their character. Many OCD sufferers feel that they are crazy, disgusting or evil for thinking the intrusive thoughts in the first place, and are afraid that they will actually carry out what is happening in the intrusive thoughts, images and impulses. This is not true, but this paranoia can easily take hold of individuals with OCD as the feelings triggered by intrusive thoughts and images can feel very real. Over time, intrusive thoughts and images can turn into obsessions, and can be very difficult to get rid of. It is worth holding onto the fact that although they may be very unpleasant and disturbing, the intrusions are only in the mind. It is rare that OCD sufferers are actually compelled to carry out what is happening in the mind.

Reader's Comment:

One of our readers has experienced this and offers the following tips:

The best way to deal with these types of thoughts is actually to just let them run their course, meaning just ignore them. I've suffered with them for over 17years, but that is not constantly. If you dwell on them, they become stronger, because you mark them and they become hard to get rid of. If you ignore and do not try to fight them, they will ease and go away. Good food to eat for OCD is banana - least one a day.

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Showing 20 of 34 questions

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Tomo 17/05/2016 at 9:15 am

I have anxiety since I was 14, panic attacks, palpitations you name it.
I have beaten it so many times and I have even endured mickey taking. And of all the mickey taker's I have actually counselled them after they suffered it.
But it had reappeared and I'm struggling to get rid again its the thought I could hurt those close to me especially my son who I love so very deeply, I need help getting back on track and I need to nip this in the bud. Help.

eXpoJah 09/03/2016 at 11:26 am

I've had issues with intrusive thoughts and paranoia since I was around 14 (now 26) googling how to deal with them has brought me to this page, I haven't been diagnosed with ocd and the thoughts are usually of a different nature to the examples here (for example, would usually be about someone wanting to hurt me as opposed to me wanting to hurt them) but i have had similar thoughts in the past. Am wondering if anyone diagnosed with OCD has had intrusive thoughts to do with friends betraying them or partners being unfaithful etc. most of these thoughts are pretty much 100% irrational and only take the tinyest thing to trigger them and once they present themselves it's near enough immpossible to get rid of them without reassurance and I have found myself developing what could be seen as compulsions as a coping method.

ocd 05/03/2016 at 11:08 pm

Reading all these comments has made me feel so much better.... I made my situation a lot worse...I was getting intrusive thoughts and told my best friend everything which would of been ok if I didn't tell her the thoughts I was having about her children....I had this urge to tell her and just seemed to come out of nowhere.she was very supportive and came to a and e with me where I spoke to some from child services as I was convinced that jadbdone some thing a few years ago...the police got involved I was questioned by police and I felt awful...he kept telling me it was all in my head but I truly believed I Did something still do tbh...80% of me now believes nothing happened but the other part keep questioning did I? Am I thinking its all in my head to get I've what I did??? It drove me mad...anyway my best friend of over 10 years told everyone my closet friends and her partner that I hate with a passion!! I understand y she was pissed off don't get me wrong I said things about her children!!! I was so hurt that she had betrayed my trust its taken me months to get over it...I am going for cbt at some point just waiting for appointment......honestly guys I couldn't get off the sofa for weeks, kept breaking down at work, wanted to kill myself it was awful....the heardest bit of all of it is seeking professional help but you have to remember they are here to help and will not judge you!! Keep being strong it does get easier believe me I still have bad days but no where near as bad as I was

Taximan42 27/11/2015 at 7:41 pm

Im off work at the moment due to anxiety/intrusive thoughts, ive had ocd forever but i didnt really make an impact untill 18 years ago since then i have been on prozac 60mg and basically got my life back together, had a few little stresses and strains during that time but no missed work. Untill august this year, low mood anxiety depression and bang a thought because i was low it hit me, then again and again and again since august i have been to work but last weekend was the pinnacle of it because i havent had it for so long acutely, it hit me hard so i went to see odoc and my doc and have been signed off for A month, dont no what to do with myself
Apart from wanting to sleep a lot

Davey 11/09/2015 at 1:39 pm

I suffered with severe depression and anxiety 3 years ago, to the extent that I had 3 months off work and spent £1000 on counselling. I am no longer depressed to the point of despair but it seems to have manifested itself in this constant state of worry, paranoia and its expanding to other things like cleaning and checking the locks many times. Intrusive thoughts are dreadful, they can be very powerful and debilitating. Sometimes I go through phases where I am on the fringes of not being able to function.

I accept that there is no magic cure, it's part of my make up but I have to find a way of managing it before it all becomes psychosomatic. My hair is thinning and my eating habits go through extremes of feast or famine. I have a loving wife, a successful career but I walk in a haze of thought processes that constantly dictate my mood, it is a daily battle!!

I find some comfort through prayer, I am not that religious but asking for support, kind of helps me, however it is a sticky plaster approach until the next bout. I previously took Citalapram, it helped during my depression, just not convinced it is the way forward. Reading through this site shows just how common it is, that I am not crazy or abnormal, but suffer from a very real condition therefore thank you for your help.

I really do not know what my next step is, GP's are less than understanding in my experience, family would think I have lost my marbles but I so want to be free of the OCD/depressive chains.

OCDSymptoms Editor 21/08/2015 at 1:50 pm

Thanks for sharing your tips and experiences, it will be really helpful to other readers.

Stu 20/08/2015 at 12:32 pm

Guys this is makes me feel normal. I think you all have great courage just posting your experiences. I have had anxiety all my life. And intrusive thoughts just seem part of that. My thoughts are mostly always violent or sexual. Meditation and allowing the thoughts works most of the time for getting rid of them. But it's the feeling of guilt and what other people might think if they seen the horrible intrusive thought that I have, that is hard to deal with sometimes. Also the fear that the thoughts mean you want to do the act is also hard. A good tip is to get your self really still and relaxed, then bring up the thoughts, most of the time when I do this I see them for what they are just fear. It makes it easier the next time they come up.

Fearful 13/08/2015 at 3:14 am

Do your intrusive thoughts feel so real that you believe you have committed the act you're worrying about?

overt 12/07/2015 at 8:51 pm

Its a terrifying experience,I would have preferred something I could see and fight but its the mind,I have always had intrusive thoughts,sexual especially,I almost went nut but writting them down helped,lately I went through a breakup and I was doing just fine untill I heard of a girl who killed herself after her boyfriend left her,all of a sudden I started having these thoughts of killing myself,I hate it so much I just want to screammmmmm,I live in africa,therapists are not common here,so I have not been to one,I just put faith in God,I hate all this.I believe its ocd.what can I do?

bob 29/01/2015 at 9:53 pm

I have had depression,anxiety all my life iam 28 now and I was told by cbt I have ocd negative thoughts.which include wishing love ones dead its so bad at times iam a loving caring person always have been and have always been a good person to everyone.... Its rekt my life going to doctors soon never told them I have ocd hope they can offer me help all the best to all on here

OCDSymptoms Editor 22/12/2014 at 12:11 pm

@Gabbyx. You should ideally see a councillor to get some help with this. You can never pinpoint the exact day of conception with that accuracy so you are letting your mind/OCD tendencies take over and build up. Your GP may be able to refer you to someone who can help.

wanttohelpmyOCDsteps 22/05/2014 at 3:04 am

I'm the stepmom of an OCD young adult with severe intrusive thoughts. Glad I found this article because now I'm able to understand him better. He has thoughts of harming his little sister. I live consumed in fear, only my faith in God helps me keep walking day after day. He's in counseling and medication but nothing seems to help. I'll lift a prayer for everything in the same situation.

Trish 16/05/2014 at 3:24 pm

I have also suffered for many years, forty to be exact and I have finally made an appointment to see my doctor. I have never told anyone about my obsession and just hope the doctor will listen! I don't want to be fobbed off with tablets I need help!

matt 11/02/2014 at 2:45 pm

I have suffered severe ocd since I was 7 yrs old. I am now 55, it has had a devastating negative effect on my whole life, failed degree, failed relationships, career opportunities etc. All those years ago ocd was unheard of and I considered myself completely nuts, I have suffered anxiety, depression and panic attacks all my life, I have always wished I was normal, its been totally exhausting and it hurts so much. Tomorrow February 12th I am finally going to the doctors and actually telling someone my problem, previously I have been totally ashamed and embarrassed to confess to my illness, however I am now at breaking point.

jon smith 08/10/2012 at 1:10 am

I started having intrusive thoughts when I was about 15 and in high school, usually just of people’s faces. I used to count floor and ceiling tiles a lot during class, and never knew why…it was just fun to me. It made me mad that I couldn’t control my thoughts with people’s faces though. It lessened over time, and years later I self-diagnosed this OCD disorder. I’ve never talked to a professional, or been on medicine for OCD and don’t want to be. I’m 40 now, and still have bouts of intrusive thinking (experiencing some tonight, actually). Just relax, it will pass.

darthpoe 27/09/2012 at 7:34 pm

I have suffered from Intrusive thoughts ocd my whole life but only recently has it turned more morbid and much worse. I was addicted to vicodin and once I decided to stop the withdrawals put my mind under alot of stress and the ocd went haywire. At first I was obsess with death and scared of death than it turned to my worst fear of losing my child to circumstances that where out of my control than a month later I started having thoughts of hurting my children which to me was the worse since my children are like the air I breathe. This have been going on for over a month now I've seen some relief since researching and finding that so many others suffer from this type of ocd and for the first time I see light at the end of the tunnel and I don't consider myself a monster.

niloofar 28/08/2012 at 8:39 pm

I cnt handle myself anymore, I am 19 . I don't know if i'm suffering from OCD. I do random hook ups but after that i feel like I have HIV ... The whole time I try telling myself that I dont have, it will go away for few minutes and then it will all come back again. I go for test and the result is negative after seeing the result I am extremly happy and do everything perfectly. But is not just about HIV , I have something new every week . I am always worried about something. I know its really stupid but one night I got so drank that I cant remember what happend at all, everyone is telling me that they got me home safe but I am worried about being pregnant !!! I cant remeber anything (at all) but there is this thought what if someone raped me and now i'm pregnant ??? I am sick and tired of myself ... I randomly cry and cant study anymore. I dont know what the hell is wrong with me ??? am just tired of being like this ! ! !

Small sprout 13/08/2012 at 7:52 pm

Hello everyone I am 28 years old and have been diagnosed with having pure o about five years ago - my specific problem is I have severe intrusive thoughts about harming others. It's been so good for a few years and my life has been great but the last 14 weeks have been pure hell! My OCD is worse than ever which has made me question who I am as a person. I am a very gentle person in nature very caring but my OCD is one of harm especially the people or things I love the most. I am currently on medication which does not seem to be working at all and my mind is clouded of awful thoughts 24/7 I am off work because I am simply petrified of what I could be capable of. I cry all the time and I am even physically sick! Concidering I have been through this before it still feels like hell! The doubt you experience with OCD is awful and scary.

Does anybody else experience this and have any advice. I would kill myself before I hurt anybody even though my thoughts tell me otherwise

Constantstress 06/06/2012 at 4:29 am

I am 13 years old and I have been dealing with intrusive thoughts basically my whole life. The most recent thoughts have been of my OCD making fun of tradgedies and just awful things in the world and this just makes me feel terrible for allowing these thoughts to pass through me. Please help!

southiemom 22/05/2012 at 5:45 pm

I am a single mom with two beautiful children. I have suffered from anxiety for years and in the past 5 months I have battled with compulsive thoughts. I keep thinking I'm going to hurt my children or myself and I am now petrified to be alone. The thoughts make me physically sick and I cry a lot. It is some comfort so see I'm not alone in this affliction. And I have started already to get help through medication,celexa. Hope for that rainbow at the end of this storm

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