I've come to realize over the years that keeping myself busy really helps to keep me from having bad thoughts. My days start at 4:30 a.m. or earlier (every single day) and go all the way through 9:00 p.m. when I pass out. Turning myself into a workaholic has been the only way for me to control my intrusive thoughts. Sitting around being bored with nothing to do is bad for me. That's when they are the worst.