00:00 In this episode, the host discusses the purpose of the premium subscriber channel and the funding it generates for mental health, physical health, and human performance research.

03:05 The distinction between true obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and non-clinical OCD-like behaviors is important, as true OCD is characterized by increasing anxiety and disruption of daily life, while non-clinical OCD-like behaviors may provide relief and calmness.

06:01 Abstaining from addictive thoughts and narratives can be approached by understanding that thoughts are perceptions that include data from the past, present, or future.

09:24 To abstain from intrusive thoughts that are not particularly disturbing, try anchoring your thoughts to an external stimulus or engaging in activities that draw your attention away from the thoughts.

12:34 To deal with intrusive thoughts that are disturbing and traumatic, it is helpful to get clear about the narrative surrounding those thoughts, and one effective way to do this is by journaling extensively about the specific thought and its details.

15:49 Writing down intrusive thoughts in detail can help reduce their emotional impact and frequency over time, allowing individuals to turn a disturbing and emotionally charged story into a repetitive and less emotionally loaded narrative.

18:56 Getting sufficient rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is crucial for reducing the emotional load of traumatic experiences and intrusive thoughts, and there are free resources available at hubermanlab.com to help improve sleep quality, including REM sleep; for dealing with intrusive thoughts, it is important to determine if they are OCD-related, disturbing, or merely repetitive and intrusive, and seek appropriate tools or therapies such as mindfulness meditation or writing out the thoughts in detail to diminish their emotional impact.

21:54 The premium channel of the Huberman Lab podcast offers in-depth information, the opportunity to support research, and a dollar-for-dollar match on funds raised for mental health, physical health, and performance research.