Intrusive thoughts are a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a mental health condition in which a person experiences involuntary obsessions and compulsions that may cause distress.

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 vs. intrusive thoughts, ...

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 ...

The mind can wander to strange places. Sometimes those places and the images that come with them are unwanted, dangerous and negative. We all have intrusive thoughts, but some of us deal with them ...

Intrusive thoughts and psychotic-like experiences among new parents are far more common than previously thought, according to new research. In a survey where over 300 parents who had a baby in the ...

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 ...

Intrusive thoughts often feel stronger during periods of overload because stress narrows attention and raises the brain's threat response. When someone is feeling overwhelmed, emotionally overloaded, ...

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with upsetting thoughts spinning through your head? Maybe you argued with your partner and you’re reliving the fight in agonizing detail. Perhaps you ...