ELI5- Why do you sometimes find yourself thinking things you don’t want to think?
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Your brain, at its most fundamental level, is really only good at two things: recognizing patterns and predicting what comes next in a pattern. But importantly, it is not perfect at either task. Every so often, you’re just wrong about what you’re perceiving or you’re prompted into generating a nonsense idea.
But acting on a dumb or incorrect idea can potentially be disastrously, so your brain evolved the ability to analyze itself. You can’t stop the bad ideas at the source without stopping all the ideas, but you can check those ideas beforehand. That makes you aware of whatever you’re thinking and however incorrect it feels.
we call these “intrusive thoughts” ……..I dont think we have a great and agreed upon explanation for them. the one I like the most is that they act as kind of a self check; like knowing that you had this odd thought to act self destructive but activly choosing to decide its bad and not act on it.
we do know that they occour cross culturally, and at all ages…..so its something deep within the human psyche
[https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/managing-intrusive-thoughts#](https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/managing-intrusive-thoughts#)
I’ll sound crazy when I say this but it’s true.
All thoughts are all lies all the time. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
You wouldn’t make yourself think those thoughts. They’re just flying into your head with out your consent.
No one would just make/will themselves to think of horrid or sad stuff. You’d make happy thoughts and float on a cloud all day.
Those thoughts aren’t you, it’s an evil influence/spirit that wants to oppress you and destroy you.
Don’t listen to or trust those thoughts, just watch them, let them pass by, and DO NOT identify with them.
If you stick with observation and silent prayer you’ll really start to see it.
(JLP-silent prayer) YouTube it
It’s like your brain’s playing DJ with the worst playlist ever—those unwanted thoughts sneak in like that one song you can’t get out of your head.
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