Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts: A CBT-Based Guide to Getting Over Frightening, Obsessive, or Disturbing Thoughts

I very rarely leave reviews but this book has compelled me to do so. I have been really struggling with overthinking and intrusive thoughts recently, this book has made me realise that its completely normal, its took the scariness away from it and made me rationalise my thoughts, a life saver! The authors totally get it, its informative, reassuring and doesnt shy away from talking taboo subjects to ensure that all intrusive thoughts are captured and normalised!!

I've been meaning to write a review for this book for a long time, and this is the first amazon review I have ever written. But I stronhly felt the authors needed to be thanked and congratulated for writing such a wise, yet simple and evidence based book. This advice in this book is practical, deceptively simple and yet somehow profoundly wise. I strongly feel the advice offered to embrace uncertainty and avoid reassurance, helps to being the mind naturally back into the present moment and back to a more natural allignment, more free from the general clutter which preoccupies us. I have enjoyed the freedom of escaping the power of the constant battle between my "reassurances" and my constant picking of holes in these "reassurances", uncertainty is after all inescapable, so the advice to embrace it, though counterintuitive at first, is wise and almost spiritual. I actually found this to be a deeply spiritual book. Thank you so much for producing such a practical guide to escaping from reassurance and the negative spiral of thinking this can produce. I personally have a long road to recovery but now I have a map. Thank you.

During a very tough time, this book was a lifeline for a family member diagnosed with harm related OCD - some very useful tips and reassuring paragraphs. Really relied on this prior to the medication kicking in (which often takes 3 months or so)

I bought this after hearing it recommended alongside the “Mastering Intrusive Thoughts” book, and it’s just as good. It breaks down why intrusive thoughts happen and how to respond to them without panic. A great choice for anyone struggling with anxiety or OCD-type thinking

A friend of mine recommended this book and honestly it is so helpful. I've struggled with anxiety and unwanted intrusive thoughts for many many years and reading this book it all just made sense. It gives a great explanation of how the brain works when we become anxious and helps you to understand exactly what happens in the brain when these thoughts happen. I started to read this whilst waiting to start counselling and it really did help me through a couple of difficult weeks. I would highly recommend this book.

Yes it does work and that is great for me. I recommend this book to anyone needing advice on intrusive thoughts.

Recommended

This book is brilliant. It is an up to date book on how to handle intrusive thoughts, especially useful for OCD sufferers. The authors present a more practical form of CBT that has more chance of being successful for people who are anxious, rather than, the traditional stilted form, which may be perceived as insurmountable and frightening by the anxious individual. This book contradicts the theory that OCD is a phobic condition and promotes the theory that OCD is mainly driven by a desire to achieve 100% certainty. Please note the following it could change your life: • Accept and allow the thoughts in your mind, which means leave them alone. Let them do whatever they do. Just observe. • Do not engage the thoughts in any way. • Do not answer any questions they pose. • Do not try to push them out of you mind. • Do not figure out what your thoughts “mean”. • Do not try to determine whether the thought is “true or “false” because it is just a thought, not a fact. • Do not analyse why the thought pops up now. • Do not try to convince yourself you would never do what the thoughts are saying. • Do not change your behaviour so you avoid the possibility of acting on your thoughts. • Do not look for reassurance in any form.

Very Good and very important content.

Very interesting read. Gave me more understanding.

Helpful hints about dealing with sudden scary thoughts.

After i read this book my life changed, no exageration. It was a complete mindset changer. Totally recommended to anyone struggling with intrusive thoughts, it might not be for you but it was totally for me, just try it out.

Questo libro ha finalmente dato un nome al tormento che ho vissuto per anni, sin da quando ero piccolissima, e soprattutto gettato luce su tanti falsi miti e “rituali” che avevo interiorizzato. Leggendo altre recensioni più volte ho visto altri utenti definirlo “godsend”, un regalo da Dio. E sottoscrivo ogni loro parola. Questo libro non solo spiega con accuratezza scientifica come funziona la nostra mente nel caso di pensieri intrusivi, ma soprattutto dà sollievo e speranza a coloro che ne soffrono. Rimette in moto la vita e apre squarci su come sia bello, appunto, vivere una vita più preservata (se non del tutto liberata) dall’ansia. Spero che anche in Italia si diffonda presto una seria competenza psicoterapeutica in merito, perché sono tantissime le persone ad averne bisogno. Perciò un grazie speciale agli autori e, nel mio caso, alla piattaforma di salute mentale americana ADAA che me li ha fatti conoscere!