Megan
Intrusive
Thought
Tool
Box
1) Examine
The
Evidence
–
Instead
of
assuming
an
intrusive
thought
is
true
examine
the
factual
evidence
for
and
against
it.
Be
sure
to
weight
evidence
for
and
against
the
thought
equally
(don’t
give
things
that
support
the
thought
more
weight).
2) Th
e
Survey
Method-
Ask
people
questions
to
find
out
if
they
believe
your
intrusive
thoughts
are
something
to
be
legitimately
concerned
about.
3) Expo
sure-
Expose
yourself
to
that
which
you
are
afraid
of
multiple
times.
(If
your
fear
is
of
something
like
hurting
someone
tries
standing
close
to
someone
and
having
a
conversation
to
prove
you
won’t
hurt
them.)
4) Prob
ability
Estimation
–
Instead
of
assuming
that
a
chain
of
negative
events
that
results
in
catastrophe
is
inevitable,
put
a
percentage
on
each
step
in
the
chain
and
determine
the
total
probability
of
your
fear.
Convert
the
percent
of
each
link
in
the
chain
into
a
decimal
and
multiply
the
decimals
together
to
find
probability.
(MY
PERSONAL
EXAMPLE: 1.
I
am
going
to
my
grandparent’s
house
(100%)
2.
I
will
be
alone
with
my
younger
cousins
(70%)
3.
I
will
molest
my
younger
cousins
(5%)
4.
My
family
will
find
out
(60%)
5.
My
family
will
disown
me
(70%)
6.
My
family
will
report
it
to
police
(85%)
7.
Police
will
find
me
guilty
(90%)
8.
I
will
serve
jail
time
(90%)
9.
I
will
be
a
registered
sex
offender
(100%)
10.
I
will
be
able
to
find
a
job
(60%)
11.
I
will
be
poor
(70%)
12.
I
will
be
unable
to
have
children
of
my
own
(90%)
13.
I
will
be
horribly
depressed
(95%)
14.
I
will
kill
myself (75%)
1x
.7
x
.05
x
.6
x
.7
x
.85
x
.9
x
.9
x
1
x
.6
x
.7
x
.9
x
.95
=
about
0.036
which
converted
back
into
a
decimal
is
3.6%
meaning
there
is
a
96.4%
chance
this
isn’t
going
to
happen.)
5) De
fine
Terms-
If
you
start
telling
yourself
you
are
a
“bad”
“sick”
“Crazy”
“stupid”
or
“Freakish”
person
define
the
label.
What
is
“bad”?
What
is
“crazy”?
Instead
of
saying
“I
am
a
bad
person”
say
“I
am
struggling
with
thoughts
that
contradict
my
morals.”
6) &n
bsp;Disconnecting
From
Your
Thoughts-
Treat
your
brain
like
something
separate
from
you.
When
you
have
a
thought
say,
“There
goes
that
brain,
thinking
those
thoughts
again!
Thanks
for
your
input
brain!
You’re
doing
an
awesome
job
worrying
today!”
(Don’t
be
sarcastic;
your
mind
really
is
doing
its
job
of
trying
to
protect
you
from
danger.
It’s
just
the
brain
is
over
estimating
the
seriousness
of
the
danger.)
7) Wa
tch
the
clouds-
imagine
your
thoughts
as
clouds
in
the
sky,
leaves
on
a
stream,
or
boxcars
on
a
long
train,
and
let
them
float
into
your
mind.
Notice
them
without
judging
them
as
“good”
“bad”
true”
“false”
etc.
and
try
to
not
get
attached
as
they
float
on
by.
8) Change
the
tone-
if
you
are
having
an
obsessive
or
intrusive
thought
try
saying
out
loud
in
a
different
tone
of
voice.
You
could
say
it
very
slowly,
or
in
a
high
pitched
tone.
You
could
sing
is
opera
style,
say
it
like
you’re
selling
it
at
an
auction,
say
it
like
darth
vader.
The
point
is
to
take
away
the
thought’s
power
by
making
it
silly.
9) Reco
nnect
with
your
body-
often
our
thoughts
can
be
so
overwhelming
we
lose
touch
with
our
bodies.
Focus
on
your
breathing.
Do
a
body
scan
where
you
pay
attention
to
each
body
part
for
a
few
seconds
and
make
a
mental
note
of
any
sensations
you
are
feeling
in
that
body
part.
Stand
on
your
tippy
toes.
Take
a
cold
shower.
Clap
your
hands
as
hard
as
you
can.
Step
barefoot
in
mud.
10)
;
; Let
Go.
Write
your
thoughts
on
index
cards
and
keep
them
in
your
pocket
for
a
day
(to
symbolize
you
carrying
around
the
thoughts)
Tie
the
index
card
to
a
balloon
and
let
it
float
up
to
the
sky
to
symbolize
you
letting
go
of
your
thoughts.
When
the
thoughts
come
back
picture
yourself
letting
go
of
the
balloon
again
and
watching
in
float
skywards.
Note
that
this
is
not
to
avoid
the
thoughts
but
to
accept
them.
11) &n
bsp; &n
bsp; Physicalize
Your
Intrusive
Thoughts-
Pick
a
belief/emotion/event
that
you
have
trouble
accepting
but
cannot
immediately
change.
To
start,
rate
how
distressing
this
the
thing
is
on
a
scale
of
1-10
(ten
being
the
most
distressing)
In
this
exercise
we
will
pretend
this
belief/emotion/event
is
an
object
outside
yourself
as
opposed
to
a
thought
or
image
in
your
head.
If
you
have
trouble
picturing
this
image,
you
may
want
to
draw
it.
If
your
object
had
a
shape
what
would
it
be?
If
your
object
had
an
external
texture
what
would
it
be?
If
your
object
had
an
internal
texture
what
would
it
be?
If
your
object
had
a
temperature
what
would
it
be?
If
your
object
had
a
speed
what
would
it
be?
If
your
object
had
a
weight
what
would
it
be?
If
your
object
had
an
amount
of
power
what
would
it
be?
If
your
object
had
a
color
what
would
it
be?
If
your
object
had
a
scent
what
would
it
be?
If
your
object
had
a
sound
what
would
it
be?
If
your
object
had
a
taste
what
would
it
be?
If
your
object
had
a
human
name
what
would
it
be?
Try
not
to
think
too
hard.
Just
let
the
answer
come
to
you.
Once
you
can
clearly
see
your
object
sitting
in
front
of
you
(or
on
paper
which
you
drew
it)
look
at
it
as
just
an
object.
What
is
so
scary
about
this
object?
It
has
nowhere
to
go.
Can
you
accept
it
into
your
life?
Sit
with
“willing
hands”
open
your
hands
palm
up,
as
if
you
are
waiting
for
someone
to
place
something
in
your
hands.
Relax
the
tension
in
your
body.
This
object
is
crying.
No
one
loves
it.
Imagine
you
were
throwing
a
dinner
party
for
all
your
friends
and
relatives.
When
you
invited
them,
you
said
“Every
one’s
Welcome!”
The
day
of
the
party
has
arrived,
and
the
party
is
going
great.
Then
suddenly
you
see
a
car
pull
up
and
you
sigh.
It’s
Aunt
Ida!
Not
only
does
she
insult
you,
eat
all
your
food
without
thanking
you,
and
ask
if
you’ve
gained
weight,
she
rarely
bathes
and
her
cheap
perfume
is
not
doing
its
job!
But
you
said
“Every
one’s
welcome!”
You
know
you
do
not
want
Aunt
Ida
to
be
there,
but
can
you
welcome
her
inside?
If
you
refuse
what
will
happen?
She’s
knocking
on
the
door.
If
you
lock
it
and
scream,
“Go
away!”
your
other
guests
may
become
uncomfortable
and
retreat
to
the
back
of
the
house.
If
you
are
standing
there
holding
the
door
shut,
it’s
not
much
of
a
party
anymore,
is
it?
What
would
be
the
harm
of
letting
Aunt
Ida
inside?
You
could
try
to
get
her
talking
to
uncle
Milton,
and
offer
her
some
appetizers
that
may
keep
her
busy
and
then
get
back
to
chatting
with
your
other
guests.
Now
Aunt
Ida
is
not
holding
you
captive.
You
are
free
to
mingle.
So
is
she.
Refocus
on
your
object.
Try
to
really
see
it
in
front
of
you,
and
set
a
timer
for
two
minutes.
During
the
two
minutes,
keep
your
feet
on
the
floor,
your
hands
open,
and
your
posture
relaxed.
Repeat
to
“I
welcome
you
into
my
home.”
over
and
over
again
until
the
timer
goes
off.
Finally,
rate
how
distressing
the
object
is
again.
Has
your
acceptance
gone
up?
Has
your
distress
gone
down?
12) &n
bsp; &n
bsp; Write
a
letter
to
your
intrusive
thoughts
telling
them
you
accept
that
they
are
there
but
know
that
they
are
irrational
and
will
not
let
them
ruin
your
day.
