Intrusive Thoughts Are Not Your Desires

A sudden mental image of driving off a bridge, saying something terrible, or hurting someone you love — these thoughts can arrive without warning and feel deeply disturbing. But having a thought is not the same as wanting it. Intrusive thoughts are mental noise — your brain's spam folder occasionally leaking into your inbox. Every human brain generates them. The content means nothing about your character. The fact that these thoughts horrify you is actually proof they don't represent who you are. People who want to do harmful things aren't usually disturbed by thoughts of doing them. If you're distressed, that distress is the signal that you're okay.