Have you ever been flying down the highway and suddenly envisioned veering directly off the overpass? Or admiring the view from a beautiful oceanside cliff—when you abruptly thought about pushing your partner off?

It might feel strange to admit, but most of us have had similar variations of these unwanted thoughts, images, or urges. They’re called intrusive thoughts, and most of the time, they’re perfectly normal, experts told me. They’re also trending on TikTok right now—so I decided to find out more about why we experience them and what they mean. Among the most intriguing takeaways:

• Most of us realize our intrusive thoughts are like mental noise, and quickly let them go. But some people become tormented by the possibility that these thoughts are true or will cause them to act in a certain way. Those with obsessive-compulsive disorder, in particular, tend to experience intrusive thoughts more intensely than others and have a harder time shaking them off.
• One of the biggest misconceptions about intrusive thoughts is that people have no choice but to give in to them, as though they’re commands. But a thought is just a thought, and most people don’t act on them.
• If intrusive thoughts are causing a great deal of distress or interfering with your ability to function, it’s time to seek help. Research suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment option—and can help people learn not to assign meaning to these unwanted thoughts.

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