For years while I suffered in silence, it never occurred to me that talking about these thoughts publicly on the internet for everyone to see would be the secret to finally getting them to quieten down. When those intrusive thoughts were at their loudest, I was far too afraid to tell a therapist about them. But it turns out that if I had, I would have been free of them a lot earlier.

It’s been three years since I posted that video and the intrusive thoughts are like a faint whisper to me now. They still appear from time to time, but only when I’m especially stressed or anxious. They hold no power over me anymore. What I’ve found helpful is to look for the funny in those thoughts. That in itself can be hard to do in the beginning, but when you imagine they’re coming from a menacing-looking characterisation of your brain, it’s hard not to laugh. The videos I’ve posted online have shown me that no matter how different we all may feel, it turns out that most of our brains are wired the same way. That said, if your intrusive thoughts are interfering with your ability to go about your normal daily life or frightening you, you should seek professional help.

Something that helped me is realising that all thoughts are just that: thoughts. They aren’t you and they aren’t something to be afraid of. Most importantly, briefly having those thoughts doesn’t make you a bad person. If you’re worried you might act on your thoughts, then definitely talk to someone about it – a friend, a family member, a doctor. And remember, intrusive thoughts are not an actual representation of who you are, what you want or what you believe.

Every time I have a moment where I feel alone in something, I remind myself that there are 8 billion people in the world and I’m sure at least 1 million of those have imagined their elderly neighbours 69-ing. Intrusive thinkers, you are not alone.

Me vs Brain: An Overthinker’s Guide to Life by Hayley Morris (Century; £18.99) is out now.

“My intrusive thoughts made me feel afraid and alone – until I started talking about them”