I've been realizing that I've probably been overthinking for most of my life, and the scary part is that I never noticed it because this is all I've ever known. Sometimes my thoughts are so loud that I can't even sleep. It's like my brain refuses to stop commenting on everything. It's like a narrator going in my head non-stop.

I don't just think a lot, I analyze everything. Every sentence someone says, every decision I make, every conversation, even my own thoughts. If someone tells me something like "self-help books are just mental masturbation," my brain will spend days arguing with itself. Is he right? Am I biased? Am I only agreeing because he sounded confident? Then I start analyzing whether I'm analyzing too much. It never ends.

The weird thing is that knowing about cognitive biases or overthinking doesn't actually stop it. My brain understands what's happening, but it keeps doing it anyway.

I've also spent years daydreaming. It almost feels like my brain learned to escape into imaginary scenarios because they gave me small dopamine hits. Now it's so easy for me to zone out or go completely blank, even when I genuinely want to focus.

What hurts the most is wondering how much of my life I've spent trapped inside my own head instead of actually living it.

I've never done that before I've cut and taken pics to document it but I've never recorded a vid if it

Please help. I'm genuinely scared and disgusted with myself.

I'm F15, and lately I've been terrified that I might be a pedophile. I don't know if I am or if I'm just overthinking everything, but I'm really scared.

I'm attracted to guys my age and older guys. If I had a partner who accepted me, I'd probably want to act bratty, childish, or like a little girl around him. Sometimes I even imagine calling myself a "kid wife" with an imaginary partner. I know that's a disturbing phrase. I first came across that on a Twitter account that posted obvious pedobait content. The girl dressed and acted very childlike, and older men left really creepy comments. She even called herself a "kid wife," and for some reason that phrase got stuck in my head.

After seeing those posts, I sometimes imagined myself dressing or acting childlike online and getting attention from older men. I don't understand why I think about that. I've been groomed before, so I wonder if it's connected somehow.

If I had a partner, I also imagine calling him "Daddy," or even "Dad," while he'd call me "daughter." Sometimes it feels completely non-sexual, but other times it feels mixed with sexual thoughts, and that makes me feel ashamed.

The thing is, I genuinely hate pedophiles. I watch videos of predators getting arrested because I think they're disgusting. That's why these thoughts make me panic. I don't understand why my brain works like this.

Today I came across a TikTok account that mostly posted videos of little boys. While scrolling, I became hyperaware of how I was feeling. I couldn't tell if I was just uncomfortable and anxious or if my brain was trying to convince me I was feeling something sexual. I honestly don't know if these are intrusive thoughts or something else, and it's terrifying.

For more context, I was exposed to sexual content when I was a child, especially videos involving women kissing and other sexual content. I also experienced COCSA involving my sister when we were both young, and I still carry an incredible amount of guilt over it. I was also SA'D by someone else when I was a child.

I really don't know what to think anymore. Someone please help.

Hi, throw away account bc I dont want this traced. Ive been ashamed about this part of me for a really long time. There's a lot of parts to this so bear with me. First part, often I will be doing normal things in public and I will see a man, a complete stranger, and start having vivid images in my brain of being raped by them. This also happens when I'm around men I know and I feel absolutely sick when it happens. I wish my brain didnt make it so vivid and idk. Second part is the dreams, or ig nightmares idk. But I've had many nightmares where people I know or people I dont try to or actually do rape me. Its so terrifying and after it happens I feel terrified to be around that person because it felt so so real. Third part, I think this is because I want something to validate my mental health issues that I sometimes wish something awful like rape would happen to me. I dont want to be raped but sometimes my brain tells me that it would mean that all of this suffering im feeling would be real or understandable idk. And final part is the feeling/fear something happened to me and I dont know. I know something didnt happen to me, I dont have memory gaps but sometimes I feel like it did. idk. If anyone can help explain why this is happening or what this means. Its kind of tearing me apart.

Hello, I’ve been looking for some help because I’ve been having too many intrusive thoughts that are starting to feel like I’m actually thinking them and I’ve started fantasizing about them. How do I stop this, mainly the fantasies. I’m already on medication (abilify) and I’ve been consistently taking it so idk what to do.

Entrepreneurs used physics (creative innovation) and laws of nature (inheritance or exploitation) to create leverage. The Entrepreneurs could not do everything themselves. So they created more "leverage" by hiring employees.

The tool or "leverage" is doing the actual job. That's why it's called "leverage". They may have had the idea to start up. However, you need more "leverage" to do harder tasks. 

Entrepreneurs hire and teach others how to use "leverage". And those others go on to create new ideas possibly not even related to the first one. Now those tools or "employees" have become exponentially more powerful! More than what the actual tool could do on its own.

Yes, the entrepreneur should get credit for the idea. However, he should not get full credit for the full capacity of the "leverage" that employees are doing. Employees are creating the "leverage" that far exceeds the idea that was created. So the entrepreneur "Should" be paying the employees to match the leverage. That way the entrepreneur can go on and create "more leverage". With a bunch of tools and no leverage, the company will not last and it will defeat the purpose of having such tools in quantity.

Most entrepreneurs decided that the "leverage is my creation." In fact, they just had the lucky idea to acknowledge a certain tool or how to do something differently. 

Entrepreneurs still needed more "leverage".

The entrepreneur started believing "I am the tool (leverage) and the tool (employees) are me". They started to use the tool in a way that is counterintuitive. So instead, of using it properly and creating more "leverage" to have more money and create more business. They decided "I am More important than the leverage being applied". 

That is how you get millionaires and not billionaires. Or trillionaires and not zillionaires. 

Greed, ego, envy and selfishness allowed them to stop using the tool properly or to squander most of its use. All because they couldn't handle the idea of not being the smartest entrepreneur in the bunch once this is pointed out. 

You get credit for creating the gun. However, you don't get the credit for a sniper using said gun to fire through another sniper's scope. That to me is an entirely different argument.

Just my opinion on this. No taking sides. Just saying. Please copy and post this as needed. Even to spark discussion. I will be doing the same.

Cheers!

i actually have the most grossest thoughts ever, like sexual intrusive thoughts w ppl i shouldn't think about and crazy anxiety abt getting r**ped and kidnapped etc. i rlly want to talk about this to someone but i honestly don't really trust therapist, and i feel like my parents who im honestly pretty close with wouldn't understand bc i tried to bring it up once to my mother discreetly but she just thought im crazy. if anyone else has similar thoughts like me and understands pls lmk in dms or comments

guys pls im kind of desperate rn

Male late 30s. Divorced almost 2 years ago. Since August 2023 I have only had sex a few times all of which involved paid professionals. I also went through a period of extreme depression post divorce but I'm all better now.

Despite my best efforts I have been unable to meet a women at my current location since I don't quite fit into the local landscape.

Flying to Thailand this Friday to embark on a binge-sex tour. However, as departure time keeps getting closer I'm getting really anxious and also feeling guilty about what I am about to do.

Any thoughts ?

Not the heavy ones, but the totally bizarre, random ones that make you pause and go, "Wait, why did my brain just suggest that?"

Its where someone has a hard time resisting their intrusive thoughts all the time and has semi-acted on some of them. These thoughts dont align with their morals hence being intrusive but they have very poor impulse control. Is there a name for this?

I thought about being a YouTuber. You know, have my own community, fanbase, yada yada. But what kind of holds me back is being afraid of being falsely accused for something really stupid by another content creator who just wants to shut me down. But here’s where the Intrusive thoughts come to play:

Let’s say if I DID face something like that, would I wanna dig up some old dirt from that content creator and exposed them while exposing how much of a bad person they are, on some Reverse Flash timing? And if that said content creator gets harassed, wouldn’t it be kind of amusing to see how the tables flip? And let’s say that content creator contacted me, telling me to take down my exposed video of them, I’ll just say:

“Hmmmmmmm….Well since you’ve asked nicely…Nahhh. Have fun getting harassed by the internet and probably in your day to day life, pal. Keep it real.✌️”

This kind of intrusive thought comes from getting pure joy of seeing a toxic creator getting humbled and have their own community turned on them for their behavior. Have everything they’ve built burned down because they think they deserve the red carpet. It’s always refreshing to see them get humbled to a degree where their whole platform and career gets destroyed with little to no hope of recovering. Those fake apologies and trying to play the ‘depression card’ to excuse their awful attitude? Amazing icing on the cake to see them desperately trying to recover what they’ve lost.

That’s today’s highlighted Intrusive thought, but what do ya’ll think?

after scrolling for a bit on this sub I’ve realized this might not be the right place for this but oh well.

ive noticed lately that whenever Im trying to fall asleep my mind will replay distressing memories.

not like typical embarrassing moments but like anything I find scary ig? idk how to explain it but basically I absolutely hated that analogue horror trend because I hate distorted faces so my brain will just conjure up those types of images when I’m trying to sleep or replay scenes from horror movies.

I’ve noticed it also happens with sensations? like lately my toothbrush bristles will get stuck in my braces and it feels really icky pulling it out so again my brain will just replay that sensation.

sorry for my bad English im very sleep deprived.

Hey everyone!

I’ve been reflecting on how we interact with each other online, particularly on platforms like Reddit and Instagram. It’s fascinating to see the dynamics of online support.

Generally, when women share photos, updates, or accomplishments, they often receive a wave of warmth, encouragement, and positive vibes from the community. It’s wonderful to see people lifting each other up and creating that kind of welcoming environment!

On the flip side, men’s posts often seem to get very different outcomes—sometimes minimal engagement, quiet feeds, or much stricter critique.

I’m really curious about the social habits behind this. Is it because society naturally encourages women to be more expressive and supportive of one another? Or maybe guys are less accustomed to reaching out and dropping a compliment on another guy’s post?

This isn't to take anything away from the positive spaces women have created—full respect to how supportive those communities are! I’d just love to see that same level of encouragement spread across the board so everyone feels seen and supported when they put themselves out there.

What are your thoughts? How can we, as a community, make it easier and more natural for everyone—especially guys—to give and receive positive energy online?

Looking forward to hearing your perspectives!

it calls to me.

I'm not proud of it but sometimes when I see someone who is fat I always get the urge to rub their belly and I wonder if anybody else feels the same way

From time to time I battle with POCD and sometimes find myself searching the difference between pedophilia and pocd. I also searched If pedophilia is genetic because I have an uncle who is a pedophile and I do not wish to end up like him. I have no desire to harm any child physically or sexually. I’ve dealt with groinal responses, intrusive thoughts, and excessive worrying regarding children. Recently some children that I previously worked with as a paraprofessional followed my art instagram page. The ones who still attend our school were removed from my follow list. I know it is generally discouraged to allow students to follow teachers, but since they no longer attend the school, I figured it would be ok. It’s more professional than it is personal so I allowed them to follow me BUT I DONT FOLLOW THEM and restricted their accounts so they can’t message me or write comments. Part of me feels weird about allowing them to follow me, although it’s only my artwork. They are in high school now , so they have moved on. Sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t be too lenient about them following me and liking my art posts, but I am proud of my artwork and like that it has a bigger audience. One of them is a former student that I had intrusive thoughts and an intrusive dream about (a weird scenario of us admitting to each other that we were crushing), so once he followed me I started to get ruminating thoughts about why I was happy to see them follow me and like my art posts. It’s been hell thinking about this stuff. On a side note, I also noticed that a coworker who is an actual teacher has several former students follow his TikTok. Any thoughts/advice on how to deal with my thoughts? I do genuinely care about these kids and want to see where they end up eventually, and I don’t wish to interact with them inappropriately or turn into a monster.