Magical Thinking OCD is actually a cognitive distortion, which is a thought pattern that can increase anxiety, overwhelm, and depression. Therefore, although this subtype of OCD has grown in popularity online, it is really a way of performing compulsive behaviors for a lot of people suffering from OCD. A lot of times, the main subtype affecting individuals suffering from this type of compulsive behavior are Harm OCD, Self-Harm OCD, Morality OCD, Religious OCD, or Contamination OCD. It is not uncommon for Magical Thinking to accompany other forms of OCD as well. When people experience Magical Thinking, they tend to have an overwhelming sense of responsibility to save others from something they did or could have done in the past, or will do in the future. They can also have the belief that your thoughts can stop something bad from happening. It is not uncommon for these individuals to have a preoccupation with connecting the dots from situations or events from the past, or trying to control future catastrophic events from happening. Physical compulsions can include completing mental and physical actions to try and stop something catastrophic from happening. Often times individuals suffering from this form of OCD will talk about “six-degrees of separation,” meaning they can connect the dots that lead from one geographical location to another, or will ruminate about their perceived connection to possible disaster, or how their actions (however small or big) can impact someone they don’t even know.
