Ever had a scary or weird thought pop into your head that you just can’t shake? These are called intrusive thoughts, and almost everyone gets them sometimes. They can feel scary or make you worry ...

Rates of stress are seemingly going up for large numbers of people at an alarming rate. But what is stress — really? It’s a label. Beneath the label, what are we looking at? Is my stress the same as ...

Everybody has an occasional upsetting or shameful thought. For some people, the thoughts feel uncontrollable. It doesn't take long for someone to worry they're going "crazy" or wonder if they're just ...

Have you ever had a disturbing thought pop up into your head? Thoughts that are distressing, repetitive and unwanted are called intrusive thoughts. NPR's Senior Visuals producer LA Johnson talks with ...

Roughly 163 million people experience obsessive-compulsive disorder and its associated cycles of obsessions and compulsions. They have unwanted intrusive thoughts, images or urges; they also do ...

Intrusive thoughts are unwanted and distressing ideas or images that can appear suddenly and feel impossible to control. With obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), intrusive thoughts can become ...

Too often, people say they “let their intrusive thoughts win” after spontaneously dyeing their hair or making a late-night purchase. There’s a difference between impulsive and intrusive thoughts, ...

You’re holding your new baby, and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, you think, “What if I drop her?” The thought leaves you feeling shaken. They told you how tired you would feel, but no one ever ...

The only person who can manage your stress is you, but these thoughts can give you a boost. Rates of stress are seemingly going up for large numbers of people at an alarming rate. But what is stress — ...