Thoughts, to us emotionally driven human beings, on the basic level, act as catalysts in our everyday activities according to how we perceive the occurrences- behavioral, ethical, political, social, or psychological. Our thoughts can control us if we do not control them.

To consider thoughts, we need to first consider consciousness. which begins right when we wake up and continues throughout the day until we fall asleep. Even in sleep, we dream. The point is, as long as the human mind is conscious, it keeps thinking; all these thoughts framed and re-framed, often through projections and outside influences.

One thinks what society wants them to think, even if not intentionally, hurting their feelings by depending their choices on other people’s reception of the same, fearing judgments. If they fail to live up to the expectations of the people they want acceptance from, intrusive thought(s) control their subsequent actions. 

It happens to varied extents according to varied personalities of people framed since childhood through interactions and influences. Yet, these thoughts can be controlled by the self, if one works on it, with time. Realising the root of these controlling thoughts and working on controlling them instead, is possible for sure.