Intrusive Thoughts That Everyone Has

1. Dropping a $20 bill out of your wallet

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Dropping money when you're out-and-about, is a common fear and experience may people have. But have you ever had the intrusive thought, to willingly drop (say) $20 from your pocket. If so, you're not alone in experiencing this somewhat strange, and completely unprovoked thought.

2. Shouting 'fire' in the movies

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Picture this: you're sitting in the movie theatre, the lights go down and (out of nowhere) you get the sudden urge to shout something. You may want to shout some form of alert or explicit word/phrase such as: FIRE! This kind of intrusive thought is more common than you think, and everyone has experienced it at least once before.

3. Switching lanes/driving into oncoming traffic

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When you're driving, especially when you're tired, stressed or on a long-haul journey, you may find yourself being overcome with the dangerous urge to switch which lane of traffic you're in. This can also result in your brain urging you to drive into oncoming traffic. These intrusive thoughts are highly dangerous, and you should be aware of them, every time you get behind the wheel of a vehicle.

4. Hitting someone

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The idea of hitting someone can be extremely tempting, especially if the person in question is causing you any kind of anger, upset or disrupting your general well-being. However, this thought can develop into something far more morbid, which involves you hitting the person, and them falling to the ground dead.

5. Having a s*xual encounter with a stranger

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Physical intimacy comes in many forms, and it is something you're likely to come across in public. Public displays of affection vary from couple-to-couple, and will either cause you to cringe or feel 'warm and fuzzy'. You've probably experienced seeing an attractive stranger in public, and your mind has wandered to what it would be like to be sexually intimate with them.

6. Being attracted to a family member

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Being attracted to a family member is a disturbing thought, even more so if it is completely unprovoked. Whether this attraction is simply a passing thought, or a worrying reality, it is important to find ways to counteract anything that may trigger these thoughts for you.

7. Fears regarding sexual orientation

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The topic of sexual orientation has become a lot more open and honest, in comparison to past years. However, it still remains a huge taboo within many countries, cultures and religions. Fears regarding your own sexuality/questioning it in general, will often stem from a person's personal experiences e.g. being raised in a strong, conservative family.

8. Giving everything away

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There have probably been times in your life, where you wish you had the ability to disappear completely with no repercussions. The idea of being able to live peacefully, in solitude, somewhere remote is extremely tempting. This temptation, can often lead to the intrusive thought of giving all of your possessions away.

9. Giving a fatal disease to a stranger

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Since the spread of Covid, and the events of the global pandemic, the fear of disease has increased among people. Many people have found themselves experiencing behaviors, similar to that, of a hypochondriac. Its no surprise, that the idea of spreading a fatal disease to people, has become commonplace for many people.

10. Contamination from a phone

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Similarly to the last point, the fear of contamination from surfaces such as doors and phones, has increased. The thought of contamination from your phone, can often be triggered when you've been in a particularly unsanitary setting, or you've been in a overpopulated/busy area of people.

11. Catching an STD

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Being sexually active is a healthy and normal experience, and it is not uncommon to want to explore your sexual interests, with multiple partners within your life. However, there are times when experimentation and having multiple sexual partners, can lead you to believe you may have contracted an STD. This fear can easily be subdued by visiting your local sexual health clinic.

12. S*x in public

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Having s*x in public is very much a taboo for many people, but this doesn't mean that it hasn't crossed their mind at least once before. This kind of intrusive thought, is common when you're with your partner in public, or if you're alone and come across an attractive stranger.

13. Authority figures naked

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The idea of experiencing any kind of authority figure naked, is extremely disturbing. Although it may not be as common, as some of the other intrusive thoughts on this list, people still experience it. It may be a sub-conscious response to certain authority figures, in order to feel some kind of power over them.

14. Holding up a bank

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With the current state of the economy, and the general decline in disposable income worldwide, the thought of turning to illegal activity (for monetary gain) isn't completely dismissible. Thoughts of holding up a bank, may be extremely tempting, to the point serious consideration.

15. Shoplifting

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Another illegal, and slightly easier, activity is shoplifting. The idea of shoplifting is much more common, and more often than not, followed through with. This kind of activity has become increasingly common, and has caused many people to become first-time offenders.

16. Breaking a window

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Having the urge to break something is, more often than not, a response stemming from anger and/or general hurt and emotional upset. This urge for a physical retaliation may in the form of breaking a bottle, kicking a door, punching a wall or smashing a window (usually with an object like a brick).

17. Causing a public scene

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Usually, when you're in public, you will follow the unspoken rule of behaving with decency, respect and being generally polite to the strangers around you. However, you may have experienced lapses in your sub-conscious judgment, which urge you to cause a public nuisance/scene (in which you are the centre of attention).

18. Throwing something

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As with some of the other thoughts on this list, this next one is also a physical response. The urge to throw something may be completely unprovoked, or it can be a response to an intense emotion (usually anger or excitement). The urge may be the result of wanting to inconvenience someone as well.

19. Breaking wind in public

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Breaking wind is normal bodily function, but it becomes something embarrassing and 'shameful' when you're in a public setting. The intrusive thoughts surrounding breaking wind can come in many forms e.g. 'what would happen if I broke wind here', 'will someone hear if I break wind right now' and 'I hope no one can smell if I break wind right now'.

20. Cursing in public

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Cursing in public is generally frowned upon by the masses, and goes against the unspoken rule of decency and respect when you're in a public setting. The intrusive thought to curse when in public, can come at some of the most unsuitable times e.g. at a funeral, at a children's playground or within a crowded space.

21. Leaving faucets running

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The thought of leaving faucets running, is one of the most common that people experience. It will more than likely occur if you're going out somewhere, after rushing around the house after children/following potential housework. This thought is often a jarring, and panic-inducing one that can disrupt the flow of your day.

22. Leaving a stove on

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Similarly to the last point, this next one is equally as jarring: leaving a stove on. Somehow, the idea of leaving a stove on, ranks higher in terms of imminent danger. This is definitely due to the high risk of fire, and the devastating damage it could/would cause.

23. Leaving the family

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Now, every family has their ups-and-downs, and you're never going to see eye-to-eye with every family member all the time. Now certain disputes within your family environment, can cause you to have particular intrusive thoughts. These may include cursing at someone, hitting them (and in some extreme instances) leaving them all together.

24. Insulting an authority figure

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Any form of work environment can be extremely stressful, and you can potentially have the horrid experience of inadequate management. This inadequacy within authority can be extremely frustrating, and will often lead to passive-aggressive disputes within your work environment. These are often the cause of wanting to insult an authority figure i.e. your horrible boss.

25. Pushing someone in front of a car/train

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This next intrusive thought is another dangerous one. The intrusive thought in question is pushing someone in front of a car or train. This sudden urge may occur when you're in a big group of people, when you're on a busy train platform or if someone has enraged you in some way.

26. Jumping off of a high place

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If you're a bit of an adrenaline junkie, this next intrusive thought might be a common occurrence. This intrusive thought is: jumping off of a high place. This elevated area can range from a bridge, to a cliff or a high-rise building. You're probably not ever going to try it, but the thought of what it would be like gets you thinking.

27. Being disabled

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The idea of being disabled in anyway is a fear for many able-bodied people, however wondering what life would feel like with a disability, can be a strangely common intrusive thought. You're more likely to experience this kind of thought, if you come across disabilities in your day-to-day life e.g. work with disabled people/you know a number of people with varying disabilities.

28. Over-bearing self-doubt

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Self-doubt is a common experience for many people, and it can often come in the form of an intrusive thought. As mentioned previously, this could be general self-doubt regarding kitchen/household appliances, or it can be more emotional e.g. regarding to your job/personal life and relationships.

29. Being negatively judged by others

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The fear of being judged by others (specifically strangers) stems from your sub-conscious thoughts developing into much more sinister, intrusive ones. This fear of judgement also stems from self-sabotage, and possible abandonment issues that someone may suffer from.

30. Existential angst

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The final intrusive thought is probably one of the worst ones to experience. The thought in question is: feeling disappointed in the way the world works a.k.a existential angst. This thought pattern can be triggered by having generally pessimistic views regarding the world, and the ultimate idea that 'nothing has any meaning'.