Explanation
Examples
Here are some examples of these to help with the understanding:
Inappropriate Aggressive Thoughts
- imagining or wishing harm upon someone close to oneself
- impulses to shout at or abuse someone, or attack and violently punish someone, or say something rude, inappropriate, nasty, or violent to someone.
Inappropriate Sexual Thoughts
- thoughts of "kissing, touching, fondling, oral sex, anal sex, intercourse, and rape" with "strangers, acquaintances, parents, children, family members, friends, coworkers, animals and religious figures", involving "heterosexual or homosexual content" with persons of any age
Blasphemous Religious Thoughts
- sexual thoughts about God, saints, and religious figures
- fears of sinning or breaking a religious law or performing a ritual incorrectly
- urges or impulses to say blasphemous words or commit blasphemous acts during religious services.
Battling Tactics
Although these thoughts can be very disturbing, the possibility that
anyone will act on these thoughts that has them, is very low. If these
thoughts are causing torment and pain for the person, these are thoughts
that are very traumatizing for the individual and one that the person
would never think of actually acting out themselves. The hardest part of
these thoughts, is that trying to forget about them or dismiss them
causes them to stay around and increase in their intensity. Here are
some ways that I use to help battle these thoughts and help to calm
myself down during these attack, which I believe to also be demonic in
origin. - Pray - pour your heart out to God and let him know what you are going through. He is ultimately in control and knows what you are going through and how to help. Give him the burden so that you are able to rest easy.
- Tell someone - if you are alone, call someone that you trust and tell them about what you are experiencing. They may be able to help or even pray for you. The advice and knowing that you are not alone in this battle will help defeat it more than doing it on your own.
- Think positively (or about what you are thankful for) - these thoughts can sometimes stem from stress or negativity that is going on in your life. Trying to think positively or about the positives that are going on in your life may help to drive these negative thoughts away. Count your blessings and you may realize you are more blessed than you think.
- Go for a walk (if it is safe outside) - going for a walk may help to get you out of the environment that may be causing these thoughts to begin with. For me, it usually begins once I start to lay down and fall asleep. Getting up and going for a walk, helps to remove me from that environment when the thoughts get intense.
- Listen to music - putting on positive music or tunes that help make you happy or think on good things. Christian hymns that help to draw you closer to the savior seem to always be the best for me in this situation.
There are definitely more ways to battle these thoughts, but these are a few of the ones that I tend to use. These intrusive thoughts can be hard to overcome, but there is victory over them. This victory can come through a saving relationship with Jesus Christ through his death on the cross. This is why I put prayer as the first battle tactic because it is through Jesus Christ that these thoughts will ultimately be demolished and defeated. Although they may not be completely defeated while in these fleshly bodies, they will never be able to consume you if your trust is completely in him. Here are two links to articles that I used to help in writing this post:
- Intrusive thoughts http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrusive_thoughts
- How To Overcome Intrusive Thoughts http://ocdfree.tumblr.com/howtoovercomeintrusivethoughts
Until next time, take care and God Bless!
