Thanks all. This is all really helpful. Yeah, I think it's probably a form of OCD in that the more that I try to not think of the thoughts the more they persist. Part of me does want to resist them (because they aren't aligned with who I feel I truly am) and part of me feels that simply allowing them to "pass through me" without my conscious resistance will bring about the best results.
I remember listening to an audio program a while back and a lady was talking about her anxiety and saying that when she was anxious she would have thoughts of harming her children when that was the last thing in the world she would ever do. Of course, those thoughts then in turn produce more anxiety and it's a bit of a vicious cycle.
So perhaps part of it is about reducing levels of anxiety. But I think there's more there as well. In fact, I often wonder if the thoughts aren't related to some deep-seated emotional issues that haven't been dealt with. In my circumstance I can connect up some of the thoughts that I think to issues of guilt or shame in my past. Reducing my anxiety levels may help the thoughts to lessen but I'm not sure that addresses this emotional baggage.
I'm continuously curious as to what other people have discovered that helps here and in particular, any books, audio programs, etc. that might specifically address this issue.
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