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“I Stapled My Finger”: 26 Times Folks Obeyed Their Intrusive Thoughts And Did The Most Random Stuff
We’ve all been there. You’re in the middle of doing whatever, and your brain coughs up a perfectly irrational thought. You now have a choice: send it back to the depths of your mind or surrender to the impulse and face the consequences.
One netizen asked the internet, “People who let their intrusive thoughts win once, what did you do?”—and folks weren’t shy about sharing what happened when they caved to their cognitive chaos. Dive into this collection of our favorite responses.
More info: Reddit
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#1
I threw a bottle out the window without thinking when driving and stopped my car to clean it up because I felt bad.
Serena Myers 7 months ago
Good for you, OP. If more people took their mess home instead of strewing it any way but which, our world might be cleaner.
RELATED:
#2
Set fire to my father's newspaper. While he was reading it.
I was about 5 years old so that was nearly 80 years ago, and a 40-psge broadsheet in those days was a substantial fuel load.
ETA: Dropped this without thinking much, came back two-thirds of a day later to find it my most upvoted comment in years. More importantly, I've got vast enjoyment and amusement out of your replies, and no. I didn't consider any of them condescending. I fully intend to live for another century or so.
No, I didn't get beat or whipped. I was never physically punished, something rather remarkable, looking back. I did get a stern lecture from my mother, of the "more disappointed than angry" type.
Must have worked, because it curbed (but did not totally cure) my youthful pyromaniac tendency.
#3
My parents had a blender I’d use every day to make a smoothie, and it always slowed down with ice, I was annoyed at it not being powerful enough to just smash it. I thought “I bet I’d be able to stop it with my finger if I pushed down on the middle bit”.
Honestly even typing it out 30 years later feels stupid. I didn’t lose any fingers but the end of one of them is all scar tissue and I can’t feel anything in the end of two fingers. So in a way I’m like a superhero. In another, more accurate way I’m an idiot.
Ever had an intrusive thought? You know, those sudden outlandish ideas that pop into your head uninvited. Think: “What if I run this red light?” or “What if I yell in this quiet room?” Most people have them, and they’re totally normal—but they can be disturbing, especially when they’re violent, inappropriate, or go against your core values.
Intrusive thoughts often feel like they come out of the blue. You might be chopping vegetables and suddenly imagine hurting someone or picture slapping your boss at the same time you’re hugging them. Not to worry, you’re not crazy—our brains just have a weird sense of humor, and intrusive thoughts are its awkward punchlines.
#4
Not my intrusive thought but when I was a kid my friend and I were sitting in a sauna when he said "what would happen if I p**s on the hot rocks" and it turns out it just makes the entire complex smell like burnt p**s and permanently bans you from the pool.
#5
I was left alone for a couple minutes in a friend's house, and licked one of those pink salt lamps. It was exactly like I was hoping, and I know I won't be able to buy one for myself now.
Uncle Panda 7 months ago
First thing I did the first time someone gave me a salt lamp was lick it. It's salty.
#6
Spent ten years traveling around the world not giving a f**k. Literally left for a ten day vacation and didn't come back.
detective miller's hat 7 months ago
My cousin did that. He's still living in Thailand 12 years later.
Too many thoughts like these have been linked to anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and even depression. They're not dangerous (unless you believe they are) but the fear of having them—or what they “say” about you—can be disturbing. However, spoiler alert: having an odd thought doesn’t mean you’ll act on it or that it reflects who you really are.
In fact, resisting or overthinking intrusive thoughts tends to make them louder. It’s like someone yelling, “Don’t think of a pink elephant!”—suddenly, you’re thinking of nothing but pink elephants. Mental health experts agree trying to suppress the thought only gives it power, but observing it without judgment helps it fade on its own.
#7
There was a tube of mayonaise laying on the path near our local lake. Closed cap and still completely full and all.
I was ten years old, didn’t think twice and just jumped as high as i could, landing with two feet on that tube, causing a 3 meter string of mayonaise flying around. It was busy at that moment, but no one got mayonaised. There was a long trail of mayonaise on the path, and I was extremely proud.
It’s of the few memories I have in which I wasn’t always thinking about what others might have thought. And one of the even fewer memories in which a stupid thing occurred, and when looking back at it now, I’m not having any regrets.
Bi.Felicia 7 months ago
I remember having finished drinking a juice box as a kid and I blew up the empty box with as much air as I could and then placed it on the ground, in front of my swing set. I got on a swing and was swinging as high as I could go, while keeping an eye on the bloated juice box. As I was swinging back, I would jump from the highest point and land on the juice box to hear it explode. The good ole days.
#8
I put my foot in front of the girl I liked during english class, she stumbled on it and hated me forever.
Thanks brain.
Ell Bee 7 months ago
Lol Oh no! Did something similar. I had poor impulse control when young. Stuck my foot out in front of a boy I liked as he was running. He went flying and I'm pretty sure he would have liked to punch me in the face. Barbara Stanwyck did it to Henry Fonda in "The Lady Eve" and it worked for her. But not so much in real life.
Sometimes, though, people give into these thoughts—that’s when it gets dangerous. Most of us don’t act on them, but in rare cases where someone has poor impulse control, intense distress, or mental health issues, they might. Intrusive doesn’t always mean harmless. Recognizing that line is key to keeping yourself (and others) safe.
The good news? There are tools for managing intrusive thoughts. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and exposure response prevention (ERP) are proven to help. Instead of spiraling into panic, these methods teach your brain to say, “Yep, weird thought. Moving on.” It's almost like background noise instead of a blaring alarm.
#10
I licked the back wall of an empty fridge, got my tongue stuck, panicked, and then pulled my head back and ripped off the tip of my tongue. Bleeding prufusely, my grandfather gave me a cup of warm saltwater to soak it in. Ouch.
#11
After my husband cheated, I grilled some of his football memorabilia. Don’t worry, the grill was unharmed.
Took his phone out of his pocket and texted his girlfriend as him. Told her to quit her job. She did.
#12
I had taken a way too big drink of water during class and my friend a few rows ahead turned around and looked at me right while my mouth was still full so I just smacked both of my cheeks and spat water like everywhere.
So, what should you do when an intrusive thought shows up? First, breathe. Second, label it. Third, remind yourself that a thought is not a plan or desire. It’s mental static, and you are not your thoughts, even if they’re violent. If they persist to the point of rumination, a licensed therapist can help you unpack what’s going on.
Bottom line: intrusive thoughts are part of the human experience. They don’t mean you’re broken or bad. They’re just a reflection of how complex and creative our brains can be—even if they’re sometimes a little too creative!
#13
When young I filled the cleaner's orange window cleaner with Fanta.
The cleaners then went around my uncle's house spraying Fanta on the windows instead of cleaning them.
Everyone saw the humor even if they were less than impressed.
#14
Drank a mixture of fruit juice, instant noodles powder sauce, hot water and i think soy sauce. This caused me to vomit like crazy the following night. I couldn't smellchicken flavoured noodles for years after that without gagging.
Uncle Panda 7 months ago (edited)
Memo to self - you already knew not to do this. Kudos for being ahead of the game for a change!
#15
I put a few Jaffa cakes in an electric kettle and boiled them.
Edit: Of all the comments I've made on Reddit over the years, I would never have expected this one to garner so many upvotes and comments. Cheers? I suppose? You beautiful bunch.
So, there you have it, folks. Intrusive thoughts are as normal as the sky is blue. What do you think of the stories in this list? Do any of them have you thinking, “Yeah, I’ve thought that”? Upvote your favorites and leave a comment on the ones you found most absurd.
Have you ever followed through on an irrational thought in the heat of the moment? Or denied one you really felt like giving in to? Share your story in the comments!
#16
Cut my waist length hair into a pixie cut. Took 3 years to grow back lol.
Sara Frazer 7 months ago (edited)
I've been feeling this lately. I've had shorter hair most of my life, now it's the longest I've ever had it (mid-back, haven't cut it in about 3.5 years). It's in good shape and shiny and I enjoy being able to do more styles, but, sometimes it's really annoying and just p¡sses me off... 😅😂
#17
Broke up with someone because I felt that I didn't deserve her presence in my life and thought I would eventually do something to hurt her.
Well it turns out this was the thing I did that hurt her. I regret it every day and wish I could go back in time and prevent myself from self-sabotaging in this manner if only because I involved someone else in it.
Bewarethere@gmail.com 7 months ago
Oh honey I'm so so sorry for what you have both been through
#18
I put in the ends of copper wire in an electrical outlet.
It sparked and popped. Otherwise I'm unharmed.
Bonus: As a kid, I saw a mug my aunt put in the microwave and thought, wow that spinning mug must be having fun. So I spun too, ended up becoming dizzy, falling, and hitting my head on a door. I needed stitches.
#19
Kicked a large mushroom.
It went SPLAT in a satisfactory way, and then my shoe was all gross.
Pandaodboredem22 7 months ago
That's dryad's saddle in the picture. When it's still young and small it's quite tasty- it smells like watermelon before you cook it.
#22
Snorted packet chicken noodle seasoning in highschool one time.
Lost the use of a nostril for a week - everything smelt like chicken soup too.
#23
Threw a full slushie through the drivers window of an oncoming car. They chased me for about 10 minutes then filed a police report. The police made me pay to have the car cleaned. The innocent victim actually worked in a car detailing place and I got to pay the employee rate to have the car cleaned.
BookFanatic 7 months ago
We used to throw slush balls at cars during recess. One of them, unfortunately, turned out to be a little playmate's daddy. Allllll our parents knew about it by the time we got home. Punishments were widespread that night.
#24
Not me, but my Marine Biology teacher in high school once licked my hand… to this day I still don’t know why. He was a kooky kind of guy so it wasn’t too off base for him…but definitely was one of those moments where after he seemed embarrassed even at himself, like wait… what did I just do?
#25
I was about five years old, being raised by my grandparents. Grandma was lenient on discipline, Grandpa was not. I did something that I knew deserved a spanking, so my brilliant strategy to prevent him from entering my room was to slather the outside doorknob of my bedroom with Vaseline petroleum jelly.
Final score:
15points
#26
I swung at my sergeant. Unfortunately I missed him.
#28
I used to take the cat into my parent's office and spin her in the office chair and spin her until she puked.
Final score:
-22points
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What do you think ?
Otto Katz 7 months ago
A lot of women get intrusive thoughts after giving birth, thoughts of hurting themselves, or their babies. And then they freak out thinking they're bad mothers, and they're afraid to tell their doctors. They don't know this is a very common thing. If they told the doc, they could get reassured that this is perfectly normal. Instead they go on thinking they are a monster.
Roxy222uk 7 months ago
It's like looking down from a height and briefly imaging jumping off. Our brains test out possible actions and works out they are not appropriate, then puts them aside.
Load More Replies...
T'Mar of Vulcan 7 months ago
I slapped my cousin through the face one day when she was annoying me, then hid in my cupboard (closet) in my bedroom. My mother hauled me out and gave me a bloody good hiding.
Otto Katz 7 months ago
A lot of women get intrusive thoughts after giving birth, thoughts of hurting themselves, or their babies. And then they freak out thinking they're bad mothers, and they're afraid to tell their doctors. They don't know this is a very common thing. If they told the doc, they could get reassured that this is perfectly normal. Instead they go on thinking they are a monster.
Roxy222uk 7 months ago
It's like looking down from a height and briefly imaging jumping off. Our brains test out possible actions and works out they are not appropriate, then puts them aside.
Load More Replies... T'Mar of Vulcan 7 months ago
I slapped my cousin through the face one day when she was annoying me, then hid in my cupboard (closet) in my bedroom. My mother hauled me out and gave me a bloody good hiding.
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