Why do we feel urges to act on a thought? Where exactly does it come from and how to make it less frequent?

It’s actually because we misinterpret the instrinctual “safety signal”, and interpret it as a desire to act on a thought. The safety signal happens when we try to suppress a bad thought, and so it creates a sense of anxiety and feeling of what it might be like to do the act. The brain is basically processing what we are afraid of and responding by making it feel like we could do it. But in actuality, if you get this urge it means you won’t do it, because it’s a signal that you’re under high distress from it.

Is there a way to prevent the urge from arising?

@PolarisJoy No, that would mean suppression. And suppression is the exact thing that makes it stronger. The only way to weaken the urge is by exposing yourself to the thought without reacting to it. Allowing the thought and feeling to pass, will weaken it. Eventually the urge might go away. But that’s not up to you to decide. It’s not about taking the urge away. It’s about changing our relationship with the urge.

@Sasha Spot on. I completely agree