What it is wish to have intrusive ideas — and tips on how to cope : NPR

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LA Johnson/NPR Have you ever ever had scary ideas pop into your head that you just simply could not cease excited about?

They're known as intrusive ideas, and they're distressing, repetitive and undesirable. They are often triggered by large life modifications or psychological well being points.

Life Package Methods to take care of intrusive ideas Methods to take care of intrusive ideas <div class="audio-module-controls-wrap" data-audio="{"uid":"nx-s1-5511437:nx-s1-mx-5684714","available":true,"duration":1246,"title":"How to deal with intrusive thoughts","audioUrl":"https://chrt.fm/track/138C95/prfx.byspotify.com/e/play.podtrac.com/npr-510338/traffic.megaphone.fm/NPR5010616716.mp3?t=podcast&e=nx-s1-5511437&p=510338&d=1246&size=19942967&sc=siteplayer&aw_0_1st.playerid=siteplayer","storyUrl":"https://www.npr.org/2025/08/25/nx-s1-5511437/how-to-deal-with-intrusive-thoughts","slug":"","program":"Life Kit","affiliation":"","song":"","artist":"","album":"","track":0,"type":"segment","subtype":"other","skipSponsorship":true,"hasAdsWizz":true,"isStreamAudioType":false}" data-audio-metrics="[]"> Hear · 20:46

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NPR's senior visuals producer LA Johnson, who struggled with these ideas after giving beginning to her second youngster, talks to psychological well being professionals U'nek Clarke and Brooke Smith about tips on how to handle them. She illustrates her expertise and the knowledgeable recommendation in a comic book.

Editor's word: This comedian will talk about psychological well being matters and suicidal ideation. In case you are in disaster, name or textual content the 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline to attach with a counselor.

LA Johnson/NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2550+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd9%2F56%2F5e49a9e14b7fbef0f0f26a425dc7%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp1-lkpage-2.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2550+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd9%2F56%2F5e49a9e14b7fbef0f0f26a425dc7%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp1-lkpage-2.jpg" class="img" alt="LAJohnson-Intrusive-thoughts-comicp1-LKPage 2.jpg" loading="lazy"/>

LA Johnson/NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F58%2Fb5%2F80ad9ec94297a1426112192af01c%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp1-lkpage-4.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F58%2Fb5%2F80ad9ec94297a1426112192af01c%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp1-lkpage-4.jpg" class="img" alt="LAJohnson-Intrusive-thoughts-comicp1-LKPage 4.jpg" loading="lazy"/>

LA Johnson/NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2545+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5e%2Ff2%2Fa6351c764279ac940dd8c80fafae%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp1-lkpage-3.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2545+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5e%2Ff2%2Fa6351c764279ac940dd8c80fafae%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp1-lkpage-3.jpg" class="img" alt="LAJohnson-Intrusive-thoughts-comicp1-LKPage 3.jpg" loading="lazy"/>

LA Johnson/NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff8%2F02%2F79100d914e79865ed57c489059a1%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-lkpage-5.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff8%2F02%2F79100d914e79865ed57c489059a1%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-lkpage-5.jpg" class="img" alt="LAJohnson-Intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-LKPage 5.jpg" loading="lazy"/>

LA Johnson/NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc0%2F52%2F9b20411a48e99dbe2ca957869c8d%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-lkpage-7.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc0%2F52%2F9b20411a48e99dbe2ca957869c8d%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-lkpage-7.jpg" class="img" alt="LAJohnson-Intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-LKPage 7.jpg" loading="lazy"/>

LA Johnson/NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F5e%2F13ac3bb74c6d9206424f16c3945e%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-lkpage-6.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fef%2F5e%2F13ac3bb74c6d9206424f16c3945e%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-lkpage-6.jpg" class="img" alt="LAJohnson-Intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-LKPage 6.jpg" loading="lazy"/>

LA Johnson/NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F64%2F84%2F9b333d6a43f7a60110fc78e2ea39%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-lkpage-8.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F64%2F84%2F9b333d6a43f7a60110fc78e2ea39%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-lkpage-8.jpg" class="img" alt="LAJohnson-Intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-LKPage 8.jpg" loading="lazy"/>

LA Johnson/NPR <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa8%2F8f%2Fba27505d4d46ab187db46a5546e2%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-lkpage-9.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2550x2547+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa8%2F8f%2Fba27505d4d46ab187db46a5546e2%2Flajohnson-intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-lkpage-9.jpg" class="img" alt="LAJohnson-Intrusive-thoughts-comicp2-LKpage 9.jpg" loading="lazy"/>

LA Johnson/NPR This story was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visible editor is Beck Harlan. We would love to listen to from you. Depart us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or e mail us at LifeKit@npr.org.