None of us can escape intrusive thoughts, the random and usually off-putting musings that include visions of shoving your hand through the center of a beautifully decorated cake or a bridge collapsing ...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by repetitive, unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and irrational, excessive urges to do certain actions (compulsions).

Everyone has passing intrusive thoughts that seem to come from outside their control: The content may feel alien, absurd, or threatening, and may pass after a few weird moments. Intrusive thoughts can ...

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.

Emily Laurence is a journalist, freelance writer and certified health coach living in Raleigh, North Carolina. She specializes in writing about mental health, healthy aging and overall wellness. For ...

Sign up for CNN’s Stress, But Less newsletter. Our six-part mindfulness guide will inform and inspire you to reduce stress while learning how to harness it. Have ...

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 ...

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, ...

I started having intrusive thoughts as a teenager. It always worsens around Christmas because it's a religious holiday, and I feel inadequate. Therapy helped me control some of my thoughts, and I'm ...

(CNN) — Have you ever been hiking with your partner when you suddenly imagine pushing them off a cliff? Or on your way home from work, you can’t shake the feeling that you hit someone with your car ...

(CNN) — Have you ever been hiking with your partner when you suddenly imagine pushing them off a cliff? Or on your way home from work, you can’t shake the feeling that you hit someone with your car ...