What exactly counts as an intrusive thought?

Jason Kim6 said:Once, an American psychiatrist asked if I experience "strange thoughts." I assume she was referring to some specific psychiatric definition—if such a term even exists—but I wasn't quite sure what she meant by it.
I told her I don't have any strange thoughts, to which she responded with a skeptical "Are you sure?" It seems some professionals just don't know how to do their jobs properly.

Maybe she was trying to ask if there were any shifts in your thought patterns and figured that was a simpler way to put it? Or maybe she just blurted out whatever popped into her head. At the end of the day, it all depends on how you carry yourself—psychiatrists are inherently subjective creatures, aren't they?..

stormywolf5 said:Maybe she was trying to ask if there were any shifts in your thought patterns and figured that was a simpler way to put it? Or maybe she just blurted out whatever popped into her head. At the end of the day, it all depends on how you carry yourself—psychiatrists are inherently subjective creatures, aren't they?..

She even transcribed my current meds but gave me the wrong diagnosis. I spoke with a different psychiatrist who told me straight up that I don't have schizophrenia. He actually asked me rhetorically—do you *think* you have schizo? God... it's terrifying. You wouldn't believe the damage some bad doctors can do to people.

From what I’ve gathered, psychiatrists seem to have this obsession with handing out diagnoses, sometimes without even having a solid basis for them. It feels like the less competent ones—the types who can't actually connect with a person—just blindly follow whatever outdated textbook they picked up years ago...

stormywolf5 said:From what I’ve gathered, psychiatrists seem to have this obsession with handing out diagnoses, sometimes without even having a solid basis for them. It feels like the less competent ones—the types who can't actually connect with a person—just blindly follow whatever outdated textbook they picked up years ago...

That's exactly why it's smarter to seek out a top-tier specialist. Honestly, do a little homework first—you don't want to end up with one of those mediocre doctors who might actually leave you worse off than when you walked in.

mistydrifter55 said:🤣🙂

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
I spent a good chunk of high school dealing with thoughts just like these.
As my life circumstances shifted, my headspace shifted too.
There was always something spinning around in my brain—it evolves depending on what I'm going through, and yeah, it can get pretty creative.

It kind of pisses me off how every tiny little movement or quirk now has its own cataloged diagnosis, just so doctors can crunch numbers and navigate this whole nightmare.

Any thought that doesn't involve hurting yourself or someone else really ought to be considered "normal."

The real question is, what does "normal" even mean anymore? 🤔

I’d rather choose to laugh; it makes me feel better about myself. 😒

Fun fact : DSM-III used to include a disclaimer stating it was just a general, somewhat imprecise guide and shouldn't be used for anything too "serious," like forensics or insurance claims. Now, you aren't even considered normal if you're actually doing okay, because let's face it, who actually feels "okay" these days?😵

Matthew Castillo5 said:That's exactly why it's smarter to seek out a top-tier specialist. Honestly, do a little homework first—you don't want to end up with one of those mediocre doctors who might actually leave you worse off than when you walked in.

It would be far more prudent to spend that capital on decent company or perhaps with high-caliber psychiatrists—off the record, of course. 😁 You should discuss this without offering a definitive "conclusion," yet you must conclude why such an approach is fundamentally flawed.

Jerry Robinson56 said:It would be far more prudent to spend that capital on decent company or perhaps with high-caliber psychiatrists—off the record, of course. 😁 You should discuss this without offering a definitive "conclusion," yet you must conclude why such an approach is fundamentally flawed.

What money are we even talking about? I used my insurance referral, and my nephew did the same thing.

And you, true to form, are being incredibly vague and shady.

Matthew Castillo5 said:What money are we even talking about? I used my insurance referral, and my nephew did the same thing.

And you, true to form, are being incredibly vague and shady.

My motivations for seeking help were never personal; they were always for the sake of others.
I fail to see why there is such a trend toward seeing a psychiatrist when a candid, off-the-record conversation is often superior. In my estimation, you are the primary authority on your own sanity.
If you find yourself uncertain, you may consult me; I tend to be quite blunt.
It is perfectly standard for healthy individuals to experience intrusive, unsettling thoughts due to the thin line between contemplation and impulse. However, those impulses can be quite destructive.

Matthew Castillo5 said:What money are we even talking about? I used my insurance referral, and my nephew did the same thing.

And you, true to form, are being incredibly vague and shady.

That applies only to those who lack an understanding of ☕ 😁

But one should not be flippant here; if my memory serves me correctly regarding why this discussion about "strange thoughts" was initiated, we are discussing things that have nothing to do with an actual perception of reality.

Jerry Robinson56 said:My motivations for seeking help were never personal; they were always for the sake of others.
I fail to see why there is such a trend toward seeing a psychiatrist when a candid, off-the-record conversation is often superior. In my estimation, you are the primary authority on your own sanity.
If you find yourself uncertain, you may consult me; I tend to be quite blunt.
It is perfectly standard for healthy individuals to experience intrusive, unsettling thoughts due to the thin line between contemplation and impulse. However, those impulses can be quite destructive.

That applies only to those who lack an understanding of ☕ 😁

But one should not be flippant here; if my memory serves me correctly regarding why this discussion about "strange thoughts" was initiated, we are discussing things that have nothing to do with an actual perception of reality.

Look, I didn't go just because it was trendy; I went because I had to. It wasn't even about having "weird thoughts." And let's be real—I'm definitely not "normal," and normal people are boring as hell. But I'm also not some kind of clinical wreck who's a danger to society.

Usually, psychiatrists are most needed by the people who are absolutely convinced they don't need one in the first place.

Matthew Castillo5 said:Look, I didn't go just because it was trendy; I went because I had to. It wasn't even about having "weird thoughts." And let's be real—I'm definitely not "normal," and normal people are boring as hell. But I'm also not some kind of clinical wreck who's a danger to society.

Usually, psychiatrists are most needed by the people who are absolutely convinced they don't need one in the first place.

You're perfectly fine... that's my final verdict. It’s more about your environment than anything else, though there's likely a phenotypic component at play here too.
Don't mistake being broken or overly conditioned for being "normal." Everyone is entitled to their own idiosyncrasies, provided they don't infringe upon the liberty or rights of others...

Everything we've got going on might feel a little weird