logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2015
56m 26s

The Secret History of Thoughts

NPR
About this episode
In "The Secret History of Thoughts," co-hosts Alix Spiegel and Lulu Miller ask the question, "Are my thoughts related to my inner wishes, do they reveal who I really am?" The answer can have profound consequences for your life. Hear the story of a man gripped by violent thoughts, and explore how various psychologists make sense of his experience. Also, meet a man trapped inside his head for 13 years with thoughts as his only companion.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Jul 2025
"The Network" from NPR's Embedded
New from NPR's Embedded: Hosts Victoria Estrada and Marta Martinez travel across Latin America and within the U.S. to understand how women in Brazil discovered one of the medications that's used for self-managed abortions, the spread of this method across the world, and how this ... Show More
42m 6s
Feb 2025
Alternate Realities from NPR's Embedded
New from NPR's Embedded: Reporter Zach Mack thinks his dad has gone all in on conspiracy theories, while his father thinks that Zach is the one being brainwashed. In 2024, after the latest round of circular arguments, they decided to try something new, an attempt to pull each oth ... Show More
25m 53s
Aug 2024
Tested (Ep 2): Questions of a Physical Nature
We go back almost 100 years, to the beginning of women's inclusion in elite sports. It turns out that men had an odd variety of concerns about women athletes. Some doubted these athletes were even women at all. And their skepticism resulted in the first policies requiring sex tes ... Show More
34m 26s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
179 - Notice Your Thoughts
"All experience is preceded by mind"; that is to say, our mind determines whether or not we suffer. Knowing that we can't escape the consequences of our actions and that actions originate with thoughts, this episode will explore how and why we should practice noticing our thought ... Show More
32m 39s
Jan 2024
Disturbing Thoughts in Schizophrenia
Impulsive thoughts to harm yourself or others, confusing delusional thoughts, thoughts commanding you to do things — all of these are terrifying to experience. A breakdown in the thought process is a hallmark of schizophrenia. When does an intrusive thought become delusional and ... Show More
53m 40s
Jan 2023
The Shift: From Thinking to Awareness
In this podcast Eckhart asks his audience, “What are you certain of?” After some discussion, they conclude very little. He references philosophers throughout history who have said life is a dream and our individual lives fleeting. Eckhart explains there is a deeper consciousness ... Show More
41m 31s
Aug 2023
The seduction of thought | Miranda Keeling, Steve Taylor, Andy West
tail spinning
48m 32s
Jan 2016
8 // Mindfulness and Letting Go of Critical Thoughts
Episode 8 of The Mindful Kind podcast is about using mindfulness to be more self-loving and decrease the influence of critical thoughts.  This is a really special episode because I've shared how I overcame my own critical thoughts about public speaking to create a podcast!  Being ... Show More
11m 32s
Jun 2021
The Stories of Our Minds
Our minds are uncomfortable with uncertainty, so we innately try to predict the future to protect ourselves from disappointment. With that, we draw conclusions and form hypotheses around the thoughts and beliefs that come from past experience. We have to remember that every exper ... Show More
6m 22s
Apr 2023
#317 — What Do We Know About Our Minds?
<p>Sam Harris speaks with Paul Bloom about the state of psychological science. They discuss fiction as a window onto the mind, recent developments in AI, the tension between misinformation and free speech, bullshitting vs lying, truth vs belonging, reliance on scientific authorit ... Show More
1h 7m
Oct 2019
Why It's So Hard to Stop Intrusive Thoughts—And What Actually Helps
How many times have you tried to suppress an unwanted thought, only to ruminate on it even more? Research shows that the brain reacts to attempts at thought suppression by repeatedly checking for the thought, making it stronger and increasing our distress. Dr. Laurie explains why ... Show More
38m 48s