# Do Intrusive Thoughts Include Obscene Cursing?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-intrusive-thoughts-include-obscene-cursing/584145
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 3, 2011, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-intrusive-thoughts-include-obscene-cursing/584145 "2011-06-03T00:07:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2011, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-intrusive-thoughts-include-obscene-cursing/584145/21 "2011-06-04T04:10:06Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#):
>
> Usually its triggered for some reason but trivial ones or reasons where I’m definately in the wrong.
Having a trivial trigger is better than not having one at all. You might need some help deciding if you’re being a typically temperamental teen (due to developmental stages of brain maturation teens and toddlers are both notorious for overreactions to trivial slights/disappointments/annoyances), or if you need to do work on anger management, though.
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2011, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-intrusive-thoughts-include-obscene-cursing/584145/22 "2011-06-04T05:36:41Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#):
>
> He’s talking about getting these impulses not from normal anger, but just as random non-sequiturs. That means it could be something neurological.
Oh, I understand it – I’ve got OCD. Obstrusive thoughts are a part of it. (And now I’m probably going to HAVE some, thanks to this thread. It’s all your fault, **Qin** – :p)
😉
Seriously, it wouldn’t hurt to talk to someone (a professional) about this. It would take a load off of your mind, and someone who’s qualified in dealing with this kind of thing would be better to help you with it. I don’t believe it’s something they’d put you in special ed for – considering you’re not already. You’ve said that your parents are pretty understanding, so I don’t think they’d blame you.
It’s not something you should be embarassed about. It’s like with being OCD – trying to stop the obsessions only make them worse. When you try to rationalize yourself out of them, that just makes you obsess even more.
Talk to your folks. Good luck!
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2011, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-intrusive-thoughts-include-obscene-cursing/584145/23 "2011-06-04T12:13:41Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#):
>
> Thank you. I think perhaps I should tell a shrink or a minister or my parents but I am rather embarassed to do so-not to mention being afraid they might put me in “Special Ed” or something (especially due to my Asperger’s). Usually its triggered for some reason but trivial ones or reasons where I’m definately in the wrong.
Don’t worry about the Special Ed thing. That would only be invoked if these thoughts are making it hard for you to do school work. Special Ed is just about making sure that people with learning disabilities can learn. You’ll only be sent there if your grades are bad and they think there may be a better way to get through to you. And, even then, Special Ed is a last resort after trying other stuff first.
Go tell a therapist. I wouldn’t choose minister or parents unless you just don’t have a good relationship with a therapist. While there are good ministerial counselors, even those deal best with normal problems, which this may not be. Your parents are more likely to become worried because you are worried. Talk to the therapist first, get an understanding, then tell you parents. Only discuss it with a minister if it is relevant or you know your minister is a good counselor.
At least, that always worked best for me.
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### Author:  [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-intrusive-thoughts-include-obscene-cursing/584145/24 "2011-06-04T16:57:18Z")
> [@monstro](#):
>
> Which comes first? The urge to curse or the “I must stop thinking this” thought?
The latter.
> [@](#):
>
> If it’s causing concentration problems or anxiety, you should seek treatment. You may have OCD. Or it just may be an obsessive-compulsive symptom, but not full-fledged OCD (for OCD, it has to be problematic to your daily life).
I don’t think its affecting my daily life.
> [@](#):
>
> Regardless, you are not to blame and should not feel guilty. Intrusive thoughts can be controlled with lots of hard work, but that doesn’t mean you are intentionally thinking them. And urges are out of your control too. Even if you act on them, you have to give yourself a break.
>
> (When my urges to repeat my crazy thoughts out loud become unbearable to hold in, I close the door to my office and let loose. I’ve also trained myself to mouth my “repeats” instead of using my voice. Sometimes I’ll speak softly into my hand. The only person to ever ask me what the hell I’m doing is my mother.)
I don’t need to actually say the thoughts aloud.
> [@](#):
>
> I would examine the situations under which these thoughts/urges usually occur. If they occur when interacting with people under stress, then they may just be a way of letting off steam. You may just need to find a way to relax yourself during social interactions. But if you have the urge even when you’re taking a peaceful stroll in the wildflowers, then I would say you might need some help figuring out what’s going on.
>
> I did not know that you were on the autism spectrum, by the way. If so, then it wouldn’t be unusual for you to have looping thoughts and accompanying urges with or without associated anxiety. You can learn how to deal with it through therapy or on your own, or by taking drugs such as Anafranil. I haven’t had luck with the latter, but the former works most of the time for me (not autistic, just an unusual person).
[/QUOTE]
The only thing that causes these “urges” is when thinking of trying to not do it, thus sometimes the thoughts occur in a random setting and sometimes I don’ t think those thoughts even in stressful situations.
> [@elfkin477](#):
>
> Having a trivial trigger is better than not having one at all. You might need some help deciding if you’re being a typically temperamental teen (due to developmental stages of brain maturation teens and toddlers are both notorious for overreactions to trivial slights/disappointments/annoyances), or if you need to do work on anger management, though.
Well I don’t actually scream out my thoughts so I don’t think its anger management IMO\>
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-intrusive-thoughts-include-obscene-cursing/584145/25 "2011-06-04T19:12:48Z")
> [@BigT](#):
>
> Go tell a therapist. I wouldn’t choose minister or parents unless you just don’t have a good relationship with a therapist. While there are good ministerial counselors, even those deal best with normal problems, which this may not be. Your parents are more likely to become worried because you are worried. Talk to the therapist first, get an understanding, then tell you parents. Only discuss it with a minister if it is relevant or you know your minister is a good counselor.
>
> At least, that always worked best for me.
**Qin** ’s fourteen, if you’ll recall, so he’d need to tell his parents in order to gain access to a therapist.
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### Author:  [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-intrusive-thoughts-include-obscene-cursing/584145/26 "2011-06-04T19:19:48Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#):
>
> **Qin** ’s fourteen, if you’ll recall, so he’d need to tell his parents in order to gain access to a therapist.
Could he not get access to at least some help through school? I’ve heard about American schools having counsellors and the like, could that provide a starting point?
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-intrusive-thoughts-include-obscene-cursing/584145/27 "2011-06-04T19:30:07Z")
> [@Steophan](#):
>
> Could he not get access to at least some help through school? I’ve heard about American schools having counsellors and the like, could that provide a starting point?
He could, but most likely he’ll be starting summer vacation in the next week or so.
Are you afraid your parents will be mad at you?
Seriously, **Qin** , the “must not think this!” does make it worse. You just have to let them come and go.
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### Author:  [@surrounded\_by\_literalists](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/surrounded_by_literalists)
#### Post date: [June 5, 2011, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-intrusive-thoughts-include-obscene-cursing/584145/28 "2011-06-05T00:36:54Z")
Yeah, I get vulgar intrusive thoughts. I would never say some of the things my internal voice will say, but these words just pop into my head. Of course I know that everybody makes mistakes and that I myself makes mistakes quite often and hope that others will be compassionate when I do, but MOTHERFUCKINWHATTHEHELL were you thinking? Its actually quite common. You can’t help what pops into your head. Its not your fault. You can only control what thoughts you entertain or what you do and say.
My ADHD/Bipolar meds help. I also have notice that the book I am reading has a great deal to do with the thoughts that pop into my head, even when I am not actually reading it. If I am reading a book that has oodles of profanity in it, that is the way my brain will react. My friends hate when I read Jane Austin; they would rather hear the profanity.
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