Since childhood I've struggled tremendously with violent intrusive thoughts. I have no desire to harm anyone and become very upset by violence and suffering, so the thoughts cause me terrible distress. I'll see something violent in a movie or read a disturbing story in the news and suddenly I'm tormented by images of terrible things happening to my loved ones. My therapist told me that constantly pushing the thoughts away is making them worse, but how am I supposed to react? I admit I probably have some magical thinking because I'm afraid someone might actually harm my loved ones because I thought about it. Sometimes I don't even want to leave my house because I'm too stressed out by those violent images. Any advice appreciated. 