Magical Thinking OCD is a form of OCD that involves various superstitious obsessions and compulsions. Some examples of the compulsions and behaviors related to this type of OCD are as follows:
- Avoiding “unlucky numbers” (e.g. the number 13)
- Avoiding saying certain words
- Engaging in superstitious behaviors such as knocking on wood, avoiding walking under ladders or avoiding cracks in the sidewalk
- Rituals such as repeating a phrase a specific amount of times, touching a certain object a specific amount of times or saying words in reverse
- Rituals meant to ward off evil or bad omens
- Rituals meant to ensure good luck (e.g., saying or doing something specific to make sure that you do well on an exam)
Please keep in mind that our platform is not meant for reassuring one’s compulsions or behaviors; instead, we are a community that helps and supports each other in terms of recovery.
If you would like to read more about Magical Thinking OCD, please check out this article.