How do you handle intrusive thoughts that feel disturbing?

Intrusive thoughts are extremely common — most people have them, including violent or inappropriate ones — and their content says very little about you. What causes distress is usually the reaction: treating the thought as meaningful, then trying hard to suppress it, which reliably increases its frequency. The more effective response is to notice it, label it as a thought rather than an intention, and let attention move on without arguing with it. If intrusive thoughts are frequent, distressing and driving compulsive behaviour or avoidance, that pattern is treatable and worth taking to a professional.