Impulsive thoughts are sudden urges to act without considering consequences. Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, distressing thoughts that arise suddenly, often clashing with your true beliefs. While both can be distressing, there are a few key differences between the two.
Sometimes it can feel like you have no control over your thoughts. Maybe you’re driving your car and a thought pops into your head out of nowhere: “What if I abruptly hit the brakes and allow the oncoming traffic to hit me?” When completely out-of-character thoughts arise—particularly if they’re disturbing in nature—they definitely get your attention. You might be wondering if what you’re experiencing is an impulsive thought or an intrusive thought, and why these thoughts occur to begin with.
Intrusive thoughts and impulsive thoughts are often conflated—but in reality, they are not the same. What’s more, they can sometimes signal a mental health condition, like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)—so distinguishing the two can be crucial.
Keep reading to understand the difference between impulsive thoughts and intrusive thoughts, what could be causing them, and how they can be treated.
What are impulsive thoughts?
Impulsive thoughts are sudden, intense urges or desires to act on a whim, often without considering the potential consequences. These thoughts arise spontaneously and can be powerful and compelling, prompting people to make decisions in the heat of the moment without adequate planning or reflection.
While impulsive thoughts can be a normal part of the human experience, they can become problematic when they lead to impulsive actions that negatively impact your life or well-being.
Examples of impulsive thoughts
Here are some examples of impulsive thoughts:
- “Quit your job today!”: feeling a strong urge to quit a job without considering financial implications or alternative employment options.
- “Buy that bag right now”: making spontaneous and potentially regrettable purchases due to a desire for immediate gratification.
- “Yell ‘you’re so slow’ at the barista making your coffee”: exhibiting abrupt verbal outbursts in social situations, or expressing feelings without considering appropriateness or potential harm.
- “I should just give up”: A sudden urge to quit everything, such as giving up on goals or abandoning important aspects of life without considering the long-term effects.
Conditions associated with impulsive thoughts
Impulsive thoughts can be associated with the following:
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD
ADHD is a condition characterized by difficulties focusing, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that make it difficult to function in a way that most people think of as neurotypical or “standard.”
Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
BPD is a serious psychological condition characterized by unstable moods and behavior. BPD often involves impulsive actions that are driven by especially intense emotions.
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD)
ASPD is a mental health condition that can lead to recklessness and impulsivity, often accompanied by a lack of regard for others’ well-being.
If you believe that your impulsive thoughts are a symptom of any of these conditions, it’s important to seek an evaluation from a mental health professional.
What are intrusive thoughts?
Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts, images, feelings, sensations, or urges that pop into your mind, often causing significant distress or discomfort. They’re a natural part of human cognition and are experienced by virtually everyone at some point in their lives.
“By nature of its definition, an intrusive thought is unwanted,” says licensed therapist Taylor Newendorp, MA, LCPC. “You’re trying to focus on something else, trying to concentrate, have fun with their friends, family—whatever it may be—and all of a sudden, this unwanted, usually disturbing thought or image is just there in your head. It’s really distracting and really upsetting.”
Examples of intrusive thoughts
Here are a few examples of intrusive thoughts:
- Thoughts of causing harm to loved ones. “What if someone I sit next to on the bus has an illness and now I’m going to get it and give it to my kids?”
- Visualizing violent acts despite abhorring violence. “What if I push this stranger onto the train tracks?”
- Distressing thoughts that are religious or moral in nature. “What if I go to hell for not praying enough?”
- Doubts about one’s sexual orientation, despite having a firm sense of identity. “What if I’ve been living a lie being married to this person?”
- Thoughts about inappropriate or taboo sexual acts or experiences. “Did I just feel aroused walking by these children at the playground?”
- Worries about making mistakes or causing harm. “I always say the wrong thing and make people feel bad.”
- Images or thoughts of self-harm when there’s no intention to act on them. “What if I just took this knife and instead of chopping up these carrots, I stab myself with it?”
So, do intrusive thoughts mean anything? Experiencing intrusive thoughts does not indicate a desire to act on them. They are a product of the complex workings of the human mind and are not indicative of your true intentions or character. In fact, they often directly contradict your values—that’s what makes them so disturbing.
In some cases, intrusive thoughts can be a symptom of a larger mental health issue.
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Conditions associated with intrusive thoughts
Research shows that there are some conditions linked to frequent intrusive thoughts, including:
Depression
Depression is a mood disorder that affects how you feel and think. Intrusive thoughts that occur in depression may include thoughts of self-harm or negative statements about yourself or your life.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
PTSD can occur after going through something that’s shocking, scary, or dangerous—or being a witness to something that is. With PTSD, intrusive thoughts can come in the form of flashbacks where you relive your trauma or even as intrusive dreams.
Anxiety
While there are many different types of anxiety disorders, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by intense worry that you just can’t shake. These feelings can pop up in the form of intrusive thoughts: What’s going to happen in the future? What if I lose my job? What if that bump under my skin is cancer?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
OCD is a mental health condition characterized by a cycle of obsessions (intrusive thoughts, sensations, images, feelings, urges, or sensations that cause distress) and compulsions (mental or physical behaviors done to neutralize the distress or prevent something bad from happening).
While everyone has intrusive thoughts from time to time, people with OCD experience obsessions—which is when intrusive thoughts become persistent, unmanageable, and generally take up a huge amount of mental energy. These intrusive thoughts can include things like causing themselves or others harm, engaging in taboo sexual behavior, or doubting their attraction to their partner.
As a result, people with OCD perform compulsions to alleviate the anxiety caused by their obsessions. However, performing compulsions only reinforces the OCD cycle.
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Differences between impulsive and intrusive thoughts
The difference between impulsive and intrusive thoughts include the motivational drive behind your thoughts. Impulsive thoughts drive you to act, and are usually followed by actions. On the other hand, intrusive thoughts are unwanted ideas that you might try to push away but struggle to control.
“With OCD, what people are reporting is just a lot of anxiety, a lot of flat-out distress in response to the stuff going on in their heads,” Newnedorp says. “With ADHD, you don’t always hear as much anxiety—it’s more excitability.” Experiencing frustration and anger is also common for those dealing with ADHD.
Generally, a behavior is compulsive when you have the urge to do it repeatedly—usually to try to rid yourself of anxiety or distress. A behavior is impulsive when you do it without much thought at all, and without considering the consequences.
With an impulsive action, the person often wants to do it and it’s actually pleasurable or enjoyable for them. With compulsions and OCD, the person literally feels compelled to do it, like they have to do it.
“With an impulsive action, the person often wants to do it and it’s actually pleasurable or enjoyable for them,” Newendorp explains. “With compulsions and OCD, the person literally feels compelled to do it, like they have to do it.” It’s the difference between buying yourself something you can’t afford on a whim and taking hours to rewrite an email because of an intense fear of making a mistake.
Similarities between impulsive and intrusive thoughts
Although impulsive and intrusive thoughts differ, they do share similarities in their emotional impact. Both types of thoughts can be distressing, causing anxiety, frustration, or confusion. They often feel difficult to control, and can lead to a sense of discomfort or urgency.
“Intrusive thoughts can feel almost like an impulse or an internal ‘command’ that can be hard to ignore, similar to an impulsive action, even though the person may not want to act on it,” says NOCD therapist Marybeth Overstreet, MA, LPC.
When compulsive behaviors are confused with impulsive behaviors, OCD can be misdiagnosed as ADHD (and vice versa). In ADHD, impulsivity typically stems from difficulty regulating attention or controlling urges, while in OCD, compulsive behaviors are driven by the need to reduce anxiety or prevent perceived harm. Understanding these distinctions is important for correct diagnoses and treatment approaches.
How to manage impulsive thoughts
It’s worth reiterating that impulsive thoughts are a normal part of the human condition. Treatment is needed when these thought patterns interfere with daily life or put yourself or another person at risk of harm.
If your impulsive thoughts are a symptom of a larger mental health issue, addressing the underlying cause is key. ADHD, for instance, is generally treated with a combination of therapy and medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is particularly effective, and may be combined with a class of medications known as stimulants, which can reduce impulsivity and increase focus.
How to manage intrusive thoughts
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy is a specialized form of CBT that was developed specifically to treat OCD. ERP has proven to be highly effective in helping people manage intrusive thoughts—and other OCD symptoms—over the long haul. ERP involves gradually exposing you to your fears while teaching you response prevention, which is how you stop performing compulsions.
For example, consider a person with OCD who has recurrent intrusive thoughts about jumping in front of a train. This disturbing image is extremely upsetting and they don’t want to act on it. In response, they perform compulsions like avoiding all public transportation and mentally neutralize distressing thoughts by counteracting them with “good” thoughts.
In ERP therapy, this person would learn strategies for how to deal with these intrusive thoughts without having to perform compulsions. Through a series of exercises, they might work up to visiting a place that triggers their obsession, such as walking into a train station. By doing the opposite of what their OCD wants them to do—a process known as response prevention—this person is actively disrupting the cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
The goal of ERP isn’t to eradicate intrusive thoughts—it’s learning that intrusive thoughts don’t predict future events and don’t require a compulsive response. Throughout the process of ERP, you can learn how to tolerate uncertainty, which is how you reduce the need to perform compulsions.
Bottom line
If you’re having trouble with impulsive thoughts or intrusive thoughts, it’s a good idea to reach out to a mental health professional for support. If you are having trouble with intrusive thoughts that you think are connected with obsessive-compulsive disorder, a therapist who specializes in OCD can help you get the right diagnoses and treatment.
Key takeaways
- Impulsive thoughts are sudden, strong urges to act without considering the consequences. Impulsive thoughts can range from making spontaneous decisions to engaging in risky behaviors.
- Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, distressing thoughts or images that repeatedly pop into your mind, often causing anxiety. Recurrent intrusive thoughts are a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Impulsive thoughts often come with a strong desire to act or make decisions, while intrusive thoughts are the opposite—people are terrified by the idea of having them, acting on them, or the thoughts being true.
- Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy can help you manage intrusive thoughts by gradually exposing you to your fears while teaching you how to resist performing compulsive behaviors.