You Are Not Your Intrusive Thoughts
Feb 17, 2025
Understanding Intrusive Thoughts: You Are Not Your Mind
In the journey of mental wellbeing, many of us encounter automatic and intrusive thoughts that can be unsettling. This topic is crucial for anyone wishing to break free from the shackles of the fear loop, and today's focus is on understanding why you are not your mind.
What are Intrusive Thoughts?
Intrusive thoughts are those unwelcome ideas or images that suddenly pop into our minds. They're often automatic, leaving many of us questioning why we have them and what's wrong with us. But here's an eye-opener: the very nature of these thoughts - that they're automatic - serves as evidence that you are not the mind itself.
The Subject-Object Awareness
In the insightful presentation by Matt Cottey, a licensed clinical social worker and founder of Restored Minds, he discusses the concept of subject-object awareness. This idea revolves around recognizing that you are not your thoughts, but rather the awareness of them. This distinction is crucial in addressing why we shouldn't internalize these thoughts as part of our identity.
Why You Are Not Your Thoughts
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Automatic Nature of Thoughts: When a thought arises without conscious effort, it indicates that you are not the author of those thoughts. You have the power to consciously shift your awareness from one sensation to another, proving there is a separation between you and your thoughts.
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Awareness as a Constant: While your thoughts may fluctuate rapidly, your ability to observe these changes remains constant. This constant observer is what you truly are—whether you call it soul, spirit, or consciousness.
Breaking the Fear Loop
The issue with identifying with our minds is the misconception that these thoughts reflect our true self. By internalizing these thoughts, one risks becoming entangled in emotions like guilt, shame, and anxiety. Separating yourself from your thoughts allows tackling these feelings head-on in a healthy manner.
Ineffective Strategies
Traditional cognitive behavioral therapies, such as replacing bad thoughts with good ones or attempting to suppress them entirely, often fall short. Matt notes that these strategies seldom lead to long-term success—instead, they exert more effort into a hopeless battle against our thoughts.
A New Approach
Start by acknowledging your thoughts but resist the urge to fight or suppress them. Instead, focus on creating a separation between your awareness and the thoughts themselves. Operating from this heightened plane of consciousness allows for more effective interventions and relief from the fear loop.
