Andrea Dietrich | + Follow Poet |
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Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive thoughts are bothersome at night
when I’m in bed, prepared to go to sleep.
My mind keeps racing, and it’s hard to fight
those ear worms which into my brain may creep.
I’ll hear the chorus of some new hit song
unceasingly repeat, repeat, repeat,
or maybe there’s a thing that I’ve done wrong -
like something I’d said that day indiscreet.
I’ll lie there thinking why I was so dumb.
Then other thoughts kick in out of nowhere,
persisting like the beats heard on a drum.
It gets to be almost too much to bear.
Enough! There’s one sure way these thoughts will scram.
I down two capsules of Temazepam.

Copyright © Andrea Dietrich | Year Posted 2025

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Howard Kerr Date: 6/16/2025 1:47:00 AM Congratulations Andrea on your success which you richly deserved. A frank, honest, and revealing piece couched in very believable and relatable phrases Howard Login to Reply

Paula Goldsmith Date: 6/15/2025 11:49:00 AM Congratulations on your win. I enjoyed reading your very powerful write. So sorry... Have a blessed day with your win................ Login to Reply Andrea Dietrich Date: 6/15/2025 12:19:00 PM don't be sorry. My worst problems I don't mention in this sonnet!

Krishnanand Guptar Date: 6/15/2025 4:33:00 AM Congratulations poet friend on your win in this contest and for sharing your intrusive thoughts. These may happen to anyone at times, particularly if one has said something to someone and regrets thereafter..... Wishing you a peaceful day. Login to Reply Andrea Dietrich Date: 6/15/2025 9:50:00 AM Mostly my mind just wanders. Only a few times I got stuck on a dumb thing I had done. It's hard to pull examples for this topic!

Edward Ibeh Date: 6/14/2025 7:03:00 PM As someone who suffers from insomnia on occasion, I relate to this. Wonderful piece, Andrea. Heartiest congratulations on your win in my contest! Login to Reply Andrea Dietrich Date: 6/15/2025 9:49:00 AM Glad you can relate. I never even had this problem until after age 60

Duke Beaufort Date: 6/12/2025 4:24:00 AM Andrea, you are very kind to relate a story like this and admit your vulnerability to intrusive thought patterns. I've had something similar. My own breakthrough came about a year ago. It wasn't easy, but when I finally succeeded in becoming a forgiving person, that seemed to help a lot. I also started analyzing the thoughts I was having as if they were messages that needed some contemplation. The other thing I realized is that I needed no revenge for anything...life tends to take care of that on its own. Other people in our lives generally get what they give. Smiles and hope you get peace. Not easy. Login to Reply Andrea Dietrich Date: 6/12/2025 3:42:00 PM I can tell that about you. You are very kind even if I think you are misguided in politics!

Paige Hind Date: 6/11/2025 5:43:00 PM Ugh, I'm sorry you go through that. You described it quite well. Login to Reply

CayCay Jennings Date: 6/11/2025 6:27:00 AM I have posted my Virgo angst poem so I came back to see if our poems similarity would still jump out. Except for not having song lyrics along with my doubts and self-criticism bouts, or good drugs, they are indeed like-penned (like like-minded). Check it out, we're twins, even though we aren't Geminis. Oh, I read an article about the whiniest sign in the Zodiac - it's Cancer, so that's the JOE prompt crossed off. Love, nothing but ... CayCay Login to Reply Andrea Dietrich Date: 6/11/2025 12:58:00 PM well, that does not surprise about Joe and he projects this onto me saying I am the whiner. Yes, let me see your poem now!

Kim Rodrigues Date: 6/10/2025 5:31:00 PM LOL! That’s one way to relieve the thoughts! I have insomnia sometimes…and oh my couldn’t come up with the word…lol…somnia. Login to Reply

CayCay Jennings Date: 6/10/2025 4:24:00 PM You didn't read my comments in Paige's box, did you? That's the cool part, why I wrote the poem in my journal yrs ago. You must go back! Would you believe we both wrote about our true intrusive night thoughts, almost word for word in some cases! Maybe we should have included lines about 'virgo sleep'. I haven't posted my 'intrusive' yet, but I've written it. CC has no taste, darling, but I'll beat him up if you want. LOVE you - CayCay Login to Reply Andrea Dietrich Date: 6/10/2025 10:34:00 PM Thanx, Caycay. I will have to see Paige's page then.

Karen Jones Date: 6/10/2025 1:55:00 PM A great poem that many can relate to! Best wishes in the contest! And thanks for help with my haiku. It wasn’t for contest but I still made a syllable mistake. Login to Reply Andrea Dietrich Date: 6/10/2025 3:32:00 PM Thanks and you are welcome, dear.

Jan Allison Date: 6/10/2025 1:10:00 PM I think its a poem many of us can relate to Andrea, I sure can but don't resort to medication! hugs jan xx Login to Reply Andrea Dietrich Date: 6/10/2025 3:31:00 PM I tried so many natural things, Jan. I finally had to go with a drug. It's funny but I get to sleep ok. But for no reason, I just wake up two hours later. When that happens, I just lay there like an idiot unable to sleep, so I take my pills to get my last four hours of sleep. For years I was getting only 4 hrs a night and it doesn't drain me of energy. But I just really like to sleep because I love my dreams!

Ilene Bauer Date: 6/10/2025 12:44:00 PM Great poem, Andrea! I don’t know what those pills are, but I think I could use a couple myself… Login to Reply Andrea Dietrich Date: 6/10/2025 12:51:00 PM they are in the Benzo family. I didn't respond to five other prescription drugs I tried. Only temazapan, the generic name. Also, I need twice the dose as the average person to get half the amout of sleep, so Medicare won't cover what I need.