[Source: npr.org]
At least for once in somebody’s lifetime, he/she would have had a strong urge to do something bad like doing drugs, kicking people, commiting a crime, etc. Most people do not go to such extremes like the things listed above since it is morally wrong. These thoughts enter our heads and a part of us think that we should avoid this or rethink what we’re going to do, but there is also that part that keeps urging someone to do so.
If we do indeed follow through on such bad actions, the primary characteristics or emotions that enter our heads after are guilt and shame and we most likely will think after “it was an impulse” or “I wasn’t thinking at the time”. If people do not feel ashamed or upset that would make them at least seem like a psychopath.
The urge to engage in bad behavior or the guilt or shame we feel afterwards dig deeper into our environment and the people surrounding us. As humans, we will have disturbing, horrific thoughts many times. These are perfectly normal as these thoughts wedge into our heads. This might be because of books, films, and shows we read or watch. It is a response to anger or sadness.
Assumptions may be that the thoughts are actually the desires we want to commit. However, bad thoughts are typically signs of anxiety and/or when we fear something, we imagine it. It isn’t a secret desire but something we don’t want to happen. People with anxiety think the same amount of bad things as other people. The difference is that people with anxiety seem to have those thoughts linger longer and get paranoid about them. For example, if you were to study for a test for hours and get a bad mark from the teacher someone may want to hurt the teacher. This is a response to anger as they put in effort and received something they did not want.
[Source: bahaiteachings.org]
Fortunately, what people actually act on after these thoughts do not vary too much. People who usually do good things balance the good things and bad things in their head. As an example, if someone ate healthy all week they could eat a bag of chips and think, “It’s only this one time”. For good people small things like that will not bother them as they think since they had done many good things this one thing will not matter. Some may consider the thought and do it but most often it is just a thought passing through the brain.
All in all, people will have bad thoughts roam their head from time to time and that doesn’t make them bad people.
Jasmin Song, Grade 9
Academy of the Canyons
