What Is Magical Thinking OCD? - Superstitious OCD - Stop Something Bad From Happening

[@lenas5613]

Being exposed to superstitions as a child has influenced me in developing this type of OCD. Thank you for this video. It has helped to know that I'm not alone.

[@alpha4968]

Hello do you the solution

[@samanthamishell2000]

me too :( I think religion played a huge part

[@003你好]

​@@samanthamishell2000i agree

[@lovemychildren61]

❤u r not alone

[@sarweenabdulla6243]

So do I

[@AnabolicTrain]

I just want to say. You are not alone! We are together with this disorder!

[@darkwarrior1608]

😭😭

[@gamecocks1150]

@@darkwarrior1608 Oh you are so cool!! Do that to an individual in real life and find out quick who is crying!! 😜

[@madaxgaming6405]

I tought i was the only one

[@julbas2113]

Thank you very much! Hope you successfully battling this!

[@evie2076]

Thank you ❤

[@ThisOffendsMeTV]

I actually suffer from this and have my whole life, so this video was nice seeing. Makes me feel normal. Only a few people know this about me. Now including you and anyone who sees this comment, but it’s nice. Thank you for this.

[@filthyshamrock]

Hell yeah bro

[@jakeh5463]

I have this too

[@SteinerTheShriner]

Fucking hell, been dealing with this for a while also. It’s really fucking annoying especially when you’re constantly thinking about someone instead of something. I count down from 100 if I lose myself for too long..

[@frappalina]

I also have this, albeit in a mild form. I find that NAC (N-acetylcysteine) makes it better. Maybe ask your doctor. Good luck

[@allisonwaters716]

I have this as well:(

[@chrisboord53]

I’ve had this type of OCD for many years now. Your video practically summed up 24 years of my life(got OCD around 12/13). Keep this up because it is so helpful to realize I didn’t discover some secret to the universe and instead have a simple diagnosable condition that many others have.

[@lay6760]

HELP IM NOT ALONE IN THINKING THIS

[@celiawhite4355]

I have lived with this since I was so little, and I've never had anyone recognize that logic doesn't help, or recognize how deep the belief and fear goes. People usually react like I'm just not trying hard enough or not thinking clearly. Thank you so much for this, it helps a lot

[@MaSTerKNivEE]

Thats becouse they have no idea what you are going through. Jesus Christ delivered me from alcoholism and he gave me eternal life through faith alone in him not by my effort at all. I think that ocd often may not only lies planted by devil but actual demonization. Belive in Jesus Christ Son od God and seek help in him.

[@lilastevcic361]

no matter how hard I try and convince myself it won't cause bad luck I just can't, I know it's not related but deep down I truly feel it is. everyone tells me it's not real so it doesn't matter.

[@MaSTerKNivEE]

@@lilastevcic361 OCD sucks. But ill give you advice, try to Focus on what you know is true and not on feelings, toughts of beeing unsettled and better don't even start 'playing' with this toughts becouse it only gets worse, just piss them off. I know it is easier said then done becouse sometimes I could struggle all Day becouse of some unsettled tought that I had or some regret. Also belive in our savior Jesus Christ, He died for all our sins was burried and resurected on third day and Then seen by many, He is Son of God and promises eternal life to whoever belives in him, you belive in Him once and Then you are secured by Him forever and given Holy Spirit so if you belive in Him talk to Him talk to The Father and ask Him to deliver you.

[@cj222100]

Thank you for this video-I have OCD & I feel like the type of OCD that's talked about more is the organizing, washing, etc., & that's not how I have it. Mine is the intrusive thoughts, magical thinking, irrational phobias (usually involving numbers in some way), & doing things in multiples of certain numbers or patterns. And it's weird, because I know it's irrational, but I can't help it. Or something actually bad does happen & I think I caused it. Then (and I'm fully aware of how ridiculous this is) I start thinking but what if it isn't really OCD & I have some sort of psychic ability & I could have prevented such and such. Again, I know that's ridiculous, but that's a thought that pops in a lot.

[@ocdandanxiety]

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

[@Jess-hf9me]

cj222100 totally relate to your experience

[@priyamohammed8568]

I've had OCD since childhood, and I totally relate to this.

[@fluidmind3900]

I start thinking but what if it isn't really OCD & I have some sort of psychic ability & I could have prevented such and such. Again, I know that's ridiculous, but that's a thought that pops in a lot. The same...

[@cyclonemt]

same, totally relate. I have this OCD and scrupolosity ocd. i remember ever since I was 11 or 12 years sometimes I would be stuck flicking a light switch on and off until it felt okay to move on. There were periods of time without ocd issues, but around 20+ years old then it became all the time, very difficult to deal with, but thank God now in my 30s I started to get about 80% better, still sometimes there is periods of time where it gets real difficult and zaps all my energy. Just getting better and better at it tho. hope and pray the best for you

[@sizarsultana3300]

But its sooo scary taking those risks but this motivated me to get back into treatment!

[@shivang888]

Did it help?

[@AhmedSalem-ur5bp]

Exactly. That's what I always say to myself, like "It wouldn't hurt, right? Just to be safe. Just in case"

[@ThisOffendsMeTV]

Been a year since I’ve popped up on this video. I appreciate you Nathan. Last year I was genuinely more lost than I ever have been. This video alone changed a lot for me and got me to take a look back and live a lot more uncertain. It’s mainly protecting my loved ones that worries me the most. Thoughts of them being hurt or harmed always has given me so much anxiety. I’ve grown a lot stronger mentally and a massive reason is because I stumbled onto your channel. Thank you my friend!

[@davidos872000]

Heyy I saw your comments under some of these amazing videos and I want to tell you that reading some of them made me hapier. I think we have similar issues with our OCD. I'm just watching these videos over and over to make sure that my thoughts are really harmless and seeing all these awesome comments from this community helps a lot. I hope our OCD will be better and better !

[@ThisOffendsMeTV]

@@davidos872000 I appreciate your comment man. Just know thoughts are thoughts. They’re harmless. If you’re anxious about thoughts, you just don’t want them to happen. This channel is a great help and I’m glad you somehow found it. We’re unlucky for having the wiring we’ve got in our brains, but life is still a beautiful thing my friend.

[@carolinalourenco2259]

It's the same with me, I'm so lost rn. How did you manage to get over it?

[@ThisOffendsMeTV]

@@carolinalourenco2259 not over it, just learned to deal with it a lot better. This channel helped a ton.

[@emily9889]

OMG I can relate so much. I’ve always had these weird thoughts like if I don’t say a prayer at 9:55 every night, something bad will happen or I won’t be able to sleep. I’ve always been this way and I never knew it was OCD.

[@angelqui4522]

Same

[@Javster]

I can relate 💯

[@kent4239]

Like others in the comments are saying, it's amazing how similar this is for everyone. Even down to the exact compulsions he described for me.

[@ianlawrence5819]

I have this type of OCD. The problem I find with the ERP therapy theory, which I've tried alone, is that I am fighting these magical thinking situations non-stop. To stop and deal with each of them one at a time is totally exhausting and impractical. However, I appreciate the concept and it has potential if I single out a few instances each day as opposed to trying to battle with them all at once. I've had OCD for 33 years so I'm an expert at countering my problems. Thank you for this thoughtful and helpful video.

[@cyclonemt]

I think like what you said, just doing one small step of ERP at a time, and gradually increasing it, slowly slowly that will help to rewire your brain. Also don't forget making changes in lifestyle, addictions, following your values, step by step improving those areas of life. Also meditation daily for 5-10 minutes.... I also have that "non-stop" situation going on with my ocd and I felt the same way as you about it. We can only do what we can do, but I think a large part of it is also "cognitive" in that we have to retrain our thinking too to stop believing that things can be perfect or should be perfect. We have to accept uncertainty and the anxiety it brings into our life. We cannot give ourselves total certainty about whether something will or will not occur or whether our deeds will be pure and accepted (if you have religious ocd). We have to "live life on life's terms" and submit to the fact that some level of anxiety will be there...

[@shahikalam3754]

​@@cyclonemt The way you explained is excellent. Where are you from...?

[@cyclonemt]

@@shahikalam3754 hey Shahik. I'm glad you found it helpful. I'm from USA. Originally from Pakistan.

[@shahikalam3754]

@@cyclonemt Glad to know that... I am also from Pakistan...

[@shahikalam3754]

@@cyclonemt How can we communicate...?

[@muhammadowais3676]

MAN JUST DON'T GIVE MY OCD MORE IDEAS OMG 😭😭😭😭😭😭🙏🏻🙏🏻 xD

[@GeneralKenobi75]

My OCD has gotten so out of control this year due to all the craziness that's going on the world. I have been engaging in ritualized behavior to try and keep things from getting worse and it's driving me crazy.

[@LisaMavi-e7q]

I have this. When It was my first time I didn’t worry to much I just thought I’m smart but this has been happening for months now and I’m thinking it’s not cause of me being smart so I searched this one KZbin now I’m shocked.

[@Slickmickyoyo97]

I absolutely LOVE the way you describe, in detail, the experiences of patients you've witnessed as a therapist regarding magical thinking. So many other OCD videos on KZbin focus primarily on cleanliness and organizing, which certainly pertains little to me, ha ha. I do, however, engage in compulsive behaviors (eg, avoiding the color black, knocking on wood in very repetitive, set manners at certain times during the day) to ward off thoughts of doom that I associate with myself and my family members. Feels good just to see I'm not alone.

[@ocdandanxiety]

Thanks for the kind words! I'm hoping to give the world a better view of what OCD really is. 😃

[@rosetea1267]

One of my worst magical thoughts involved not watching certain shows and movies with supernatural elements because bad things may happen. I'm recovering from that as I continue to challenge myself by facing my triggers and monitoring my anxiety. By writing down my worries and events, I finally learned that I can't change reality with an action like watching a "forbidden" show/movie and I accept that coincidences are real and well...stuff happens without my control.

[@shivamkumarmishra4572]

Hey Rose tea Pls reply I have a question pls pls plss😢

[@filisonic]

I didnt sleep yesterday properly due to this happening yesterday. Got up and wrote a page to get it out of me. So relieved to know i am not alone in this

[@deanpulpas]

It's so great to see this video, that's exactly the kind of OCD i suffer from. It started in my early adolescence and lasted a few years, until strangely enough it dissapeared almost completely during 25 years. Now it's back and it's pretty severe, but I'm seeing a therapist and I'm on the path to recovery. Seeing videos like this where it's so well explained really helps!

[@ocdandanxiety]

I am so glad that you were able to find support from this video!!

[@AidenMLynch]

This actually brought a tear to my eye because after having to deal with this since I was a kid (im 30 now) , Im just now looking up what its about. And to have someone actually say everything that Im thinking about while doing these things is a lot. I've never mentioned it to my family because it seems to odd of thing to try and explain. It getting really bad now, really overwhelming and Im kind of stuck because I have no money to go to the doctors for it, so im trying to figure out how to deal with it myself.

[@raushanm9694]

Hi, Nathan (the speaker) not only has videos on KZbin but he also has an OCD Online Program which might help you deal with OCD and which is not expensive at all. Maybe you should try it? 😊

[@Chanbro4]

Just ignore the unwanted thoughts

[@jayburton1387]

Tyler, you're not alone. There are a lot of us out here trying to connect to each other. It's difficult and even though sometimes things don't make any sense at all, don't give up. Super Droid is an idiot.

[@blessed6395]

​​@@Chanbro4 Why didn't we all think of that!?

[@kylebeschler03]

I've dealt with this specific kind of OCD since like age 12. Since then I've made progress with it. But I can't tell you how much I relate to most of what you said. In the past I did not know how to describe it without feeling weird about it or others thinking I'm nuts about it lol. Thank you so much for making this video! I've watched a few videos of yours on intrusive thoughts and that's also helped really well and I feel like I've gained more control of it. But the superstitious OCD has been basically my biggest mental health problem for close to half my life. Besides picking at a few of my fingers. That kind of goes off and on.

[@vinishadesouza6818]

Am so happy I came across this video! I have this thought process with phone covers, nail paint shades, where I sit to work, which direction I face when I work. It is exhausting ! I appreciate this video. Requesting for more similar content to help us folks!

[@ThisOffendsMeTV]

Almost 4 years later, thank you for everything Nathan. Truly.

[@fibee8324]

Thank you for this! My life is very dictated by magical thinking and it makes it extremely stressful. I know I need to start doing what you said in the video - do things on purpose to screw with my brain! It's learning to sit with the anxiety that causes, which is hard, but I'm learning ways to try to deal with this.

[@fibee8324]

I think your approach makes so much sense. It's kind of fun to stand up to the OCD bully!

[@cyclonemt]

oh wow. The body movements thing and the symmetry were spot on for me. For the longest time I couldn't have anything touching my neck and if it did (especailly ike a collared shirt), I'd have to constantly be doing strange movements and tapping, otherwise I had crippling anxiety. I avoided collared shirts as often as I could, but sometimes you just can't get out of it, but thankfully now that doesn't happen to me anymore, but still struggling with ocd. hope and pray the best for everyone's struggles here

[@SuperMrsbowen]

You are very good at what you do. You know your stuff. I have suffered from this type of OCD my whole life - I'm 62 now. Largely recovered. Thank you for making helping people your calling.

[@lionhovestadt791]

I have actually had OCD for most of my life. I am 21 years old now and nobody ever diagnosed it. As a child I always had intrusive thoughts about family members dying in brutal accidents and I used to cry every day because I was so scared that was actually going to happen. Magical thinking OCD also was there for a long time. I always thought I would probably get attacked on the street and killed if I would not sing a certain song and make no mistakes with the lyrics. Recently I have started suffering from existential OCD. I am thinking about the purpose of life and wether or not I and the people around me are real all day and all the anxiety triggered derealisation which feels like proof to my OCD, that it is important to answer the question. It is insane, how I have been suffering from OCD most my life and yet nobody ever diagnosed it. At points when I was a child the brutal thoughts of my parents stabbing me or other things became so horrible to me, that I got suicidal and tried to silence my thoughts by making myself go unconscious. I am glad, that the awareness about OCD spreads. But I am not happy about the trend on social media where everybody who likes neatness has OCD.

[@lsimon9692]

I lost so many opportunities cause of this disorder, its so stressful. I pray for me and for everyone who goes through this, i hope everything gets better.

[@elephantear7659]

My OCD developed into thinking that if I think a bad thought that its now a part of me or might be true so I have to FULLY eradicate it from my brain to keep it from actually being reality. So on a date, if I am doing well and I think, 'what if I just stop thinking,' I am hit with the fear that it might be true since I thought it. Then I cant prove that it isnt true, so I fall to it and cant go back. I think it is like the fear of 'jynxing it,' I dont want to be happy for my success bc if I am too happy I might be partying too soon and then regret having partied when I failed. I think knowing the reasons why I do these things, as the video shows, will help me identify what the OCD is doing so I can laugh at it and forget it. I suspect that it was caused by my argumentative parents growing up. I lived in a verbally abusive home and I remember the moment I started writhing my hands after one of my parents arguments, I think I just needed some kind of control. My parents were easily agitated so I couldnt logically put cause to effect. I think the biggest reason for OCD is the fear of the loss of love. If your parents scold you (for a stupid reason) and then dont reassure the relationship afterwards, the message sent is that, 'things arent ok bc you messed up.' So if you mess up, you dont deserve love. Years of living under that kind of training as a child with a brain still in development will change your brain to mold to it. Perhaps thats why its so hard to stop the habit now. Thank you so much for this video, I see that just by doing this training you mention, you will train your brain and it will change on its own. When I get my business established I will get this training.

[@LeesLove]

NO!!! I thought I was the only one (The first sentence )

[@azrafmozumdar7894]

I want to give you a big thank you, this is exactly what been happening to me and it's affecting me everyday in my life. Its crazy but it's helping me to change it

[@alpha4968]

Hello

[@yungchun8121]

no words...just a big thank you 💖

[@ek9850]

Thank you for this video - when I was a child (around age 9), I had magical thinking that came with physical compulsions such as not being able to blink on people's faces out of fear that they would die, and rituals that I would do every night to ensure that my mum specifically wouldn't die. When I was about to start university, I told myself that I needed to stop these behaviours (partly because the rituals revolved around things in my childhood bedroom and how would I possibly move to uni if I couldn't perform the rituals anywhere else), and so I just went cold turkey and stopped the main ritual. I saw that nothing bad happened immediately, but then my brain said "but what if instead of not doing this ritual causing her to die right away, what if it takes a year off of her life every night you don't perform it?" So that was tough but I finally managed to stop it completely and thought I had "cured" myself. Oh boy. However, I was still doing compulsions like the blinking, and other ones such as saying the opposite word when I heard a word related to death. Anyway, since up until a few months ago, I had thought I had generalised anxiety disorder because I was anxious all of the time, but I didn't know why. I think what happened is I just suppressed anything to do with thinking about the compulsions or any of that. I actively tried to block it out. But then I told a friend about all of this for the first time in my life and once I started to think about it, I realised that perhaps this is why I felt so anxious all of the time. I got diagnosed with OCD very quickly after that (that was only in May this year, and I'm 23 now). I realised only recently that mostly I deal with magical thinking OCD and that it may not be in the same way as when I was a child, but it has morphed into other things. But now it feels harder to deal with because a lot of the compulsions are mental. I have a fear of feeling strong emotions because I'm scared that if I feel negative emotions that something terrible will happen, as if to say "oh you thought that was bad, try this out for size", so it's safer in my head to suppress any emotions. Same with feeling happy, I think if you feel happy, something bad will happen, so I immediately suppress it. I don't know how to deal with that, but I'm hoping to try to get some help soon.

[@zestooo6932]

Oh my gosh. You just explained my whole thing. Please tell me about how you get help so I can too. Thank you

[@TheVaultOfRemembrance]

Wow me to a tee especially that last part

[@zahkeyes1177]

I totally feel you and hope you get the help you need !! It sucks. I feel like I can’t do anything I used to do anymore, every time I sing my brain tells me ima loose my voice and that scares me because I love my voice. And it happens every time, when I look in the mirror it tells me things like I’m gonna get to ____ size and that my teeth will change and all sorts of things. It’s became so hard to even look at myself.

[@flower7939]

did you find effective ways to overcome this??

[@rohankulkarni4458]

This helps so much, I got this thought the other day and I felt like I caused it and wanted it. Then that bad thing did happen. And the bad thing was also unlikely And now I so fearful that I actually made a deal with a evil supernatural being.

[@princepandit8916]

What are u suffering from like I am also suffering from this same Rohan pls reply Rohan pls

[@michaeldeglory777]

You're a lifesaver you know. God bless you man for giving all this important information for free

[@TINTEDPR1VACY]

My ocd makes me wish bad things on others in my head even though I don’t mean it

[@kristiant96]

I have that as well from time to time and it sometimes bothers me because I am not that kind of person if I have something I want to say I say it I don't wish you bad stuff but I think these negative thoughts or wishes are part of this condition (ocd).

[@faeinacup]

I get how you feel, I have this type of ocd. Please know these thoughts dont define you or will even happen. I know that its scary and horrible and its hard to get out of youre own head but (this may sound hard to believe cos i find it hard to believe sometimes) those thoughts are just thought. If those things are getting too much, please reach out to a doctor. I hope youre doing well, youre strong enough to get through this

[@TINTEDPR1VACY]

@@faeinacup yeah thank you I have been doing way better than 6 months ago

[@faeinacup]

@@TINTEDPR1VACY that's awesome

[@zahkeyes1177]

I totally have the same thing !! I’m going threew and episode and it tortures me

[@scwc2308]

A few months ago I had really bad health anxiety and after it started getting better I started doing exactly what you explained but instead of worrying about family which it would be them on the line from time to time it was mostly about me getting sick. I just wanna say I’m so grateful to you for making this video and I’m so happy I found it❤

[@ricknology8266]

This is what I'm experiencing every time, I'm overwhelmed with my feelings, I'm doing a compulsion to relieve the fear, but it's hard to control it, once it begins, even though you know that it is magical thinking caused by ocd, still it will go back. I often feel my energy is draining. The burden part is when you realize that daily things you are doing are affecting this disorder. It seems you can't do something fightback in order to help yourself with being trapped in this situation, according to some comments in certain videos I've watched it, ocd is just like a monster commanding you to do something that is opposite in your desire, once dis abide it, immediately process in your mind that something will happen. That moment you felt it. It is also the start to disturbed your mind, thinking too much, it is a cycle, intrusive thoughts will follow execute compulsion, relieve again, and again intrusive thoughts, compulsion, oh! I can't escape it but thank you sir Nathan for sharing your expertise to help other people like us. Searching, exploring and trying convinced ourselves that this magical thinking is just a negative thought robbed our peace of mind🙏

[@bruinpaul4920]

Stay strong brother.

[@ricknology8266]

@@bruinpaul4920 thank you sir🙏

[@ari_del_rey]

I was like “I’m just imagining things” but this described my life

[@karolinalux2977]

Hi fellow OCD people! We are not crazy! (It's taken me a while to realize that...and videos like this help! Thanks!) One of the biggest fears for my "magical thoughts" OCD is when I stop doing them....I feel this terrifying alone feeling...like "Now what do I have to ensure I succeed/keep me safe/protect me?". Its so scary because you realize how these things you were doing to "protect" you...well, if they are not "Real"...then what is "protecting you any more"? I feel so helpless. It makes me have to re-align w the truth that we as humans have such autonomy. Our fate is our own. This is SO scary (because..for example...if I can't tap the door 3 times to make sure I succeed in work...what is to make sure I actually do succeed?), but also it is liberating. You realize, you have been the one making YOU succeed all along anyway. If you work hard, take care of yourself, and stay focused and grounded..THAT is actually what will keep you happy/safe/successful. So the task and the duty of our happiness is in our own hands (no mysterious beings or set of random compulsive tasks), which is terrifying...but also FREEING! There is no "ultimate control" in life. But, either way, we do our best with what we have! When we are focused, conscious, compassionate...we can grow in any way we choose! Thanks for reading. And I hope you find some peace with all of this pain. xoxo

[@Panda_Leo_08]

Thank you sm.. really needed this ❤️

[@johnubal2825]

I would like to thank you for your time in doing this video. I did not know about this OCD until today when I mustered the energy to google up the symptoms I myself have been having for some time now and, gladly, that led me to your video that has helped me begin to understand this condition. The mental stress can be overwhelming and frustrating beyond description ... From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

[@dog90000]

1:48 Woah...when I was younger (even now tbh) I'd never wear the color red, because I'd be afraid that I'd get in trouble or something really bad would happen. If I was forced to wear red, I'd have a mini internal meltdown.

[@klumaverik]

Awwwwww

[@SallyJoeTimestamps]

Same with me!!! Mine was orange though, hahaha

[@dkakxkdkskzlxlslskzkskd9686]

I'm 13 and for me pink means ill be caught doing something purple means something bad happens to me and green means ill get sick and yellow means ill be cautious and orange means normal its normally with wearing clothing

[@ABARANOWSKISKI]

I have this. Thanks for the video, it was very helpful. Good to know that I'm not alone. I sometimes feel that I'm crazy. But I know the things I do are irrational. I understand that intellectually. But I cannot help it sometimes. The feeling is so overwhelming that I give in to it. But I would like to be free of it.

[@bdave2049]

Thank you for posting this video. It quite accurately describes what I've been struggling with for a large part of my fifty-five years. I was free of it for about twelve years, from the mid eighties to the late late nineties. But unfortunately it came back in 1998. I hoping to get free of it. I've done it before, so I'm confident I can do it again.

[@StrappedPete]

I've had this same exact experience. Also been struggling with this for about 50 years and mine also seemed to go away in the 80s to late 90s. I joined the military in 1982 and my OCD seemed to go away for years but then came back after I had settled down and started a family in the late 90s...🤔

[@we_fishy_fishy_like0816]

I can’t believe that I found this out after a year and a half later. Not because I denied it or anything but more of because I wasn’t interested in actually searching it up…until yesterday. I was so amused by the fact that people with the same OCD explained their situation and it was so so so so so so similar to my situation. You learn something new about yourself at times!! Lol I wanted to add that what I notice that helps me stop is focus on the present moment. What I like to do is saying what I’m doing at the moment instead of letting my brain sit quiet. Idk if that’s like a “good” way to deal with it but it’s been helping. The only problem is that a lot of the times I forget to remember to do it…

[@firstnamelastname702]

This is soo hard for me. Bad things have happened in the past, and my OCD has manipulated them into being caused by something I did. I can’t do certain things. I can’t face being uncomfortable in case

[@jillianmacie8173]

me too and it sucks. it’s so annoying :(

[@hossainimran6764]

Same here...it made me do things that I can never fix and suffer whole life

[@laurabraniganwas33intheyea25]

@@hossainimran6764 Well, lat's fix the OCd together. Who's in?

[@notyet108]

@@laurabraniganwas33intheyea25 today?

[@joangillette476]

Oh my thus is me since I was a child...it has gotten better but still a fight. Thank you for this video!

[@mallowjim1107]

This subtype is pretty special to me in a short of good way. It is the first subtype of OCD I ever had and I had it when I was 14 years old. Now I am 20 and looking at it now and not being affected by it at all is so emotional to say the least. Stay strong, do the therapy, you have no idea how good it feels

[@Arrakeen77]

Hearing this honestly helps a lot.

[@emanuelbarbosadossantos3626]

Seriously so helpful! 😍Ive heard of exposures but had no idea how to do it with these until now.

[@melina6526]

Wow I've been dealing with this SO MUCH lately, it's insane. This disorder is insane, like every other disorder. I can't even look in certain directions. If I look to my left something bad will happen. If I look behind me, someone will die. If I look to my right, my boyfriend will die. My biggest OCD trigger is about my boyfriend since I love him and don't want to loose him more than anything. So I always think, don't turn that way or say that or else he'll die. I've been dealing with this for years now, ever since I was eleven. Also certain numbers are bad, okay and good. 1 is an okay number, 2 is a bad number, 3 is a good number, 4 is both a good and bad number, 5 is a okay number, six is a bad number. Some moments I can catch a break, but then I get a thought and go right back to it. Every single day, almost all day it controls me. I'm so tired of it. I could go on about all the things my brain tells me I need to do. And on top of this, I believe I have borderline personality disorder and maybe social anxiety but it's not nearly as bad as it use to be. I've never been able to do homework and stuff like that, maybe because it would be too much stress on top of all I go through. But I don't know, I've never been hard working in school besides in elementary school when it was easy.

[@ocdandanxiety]

Oh no! I'm sorry for what you're going through. It sounds awful! You're amazing for sharing! I hope you can find some relief soon! Doing treatment really can help with this! 😃

[@sciencefacts5]

Then how you cure your OCD plz explain

[@cyclonemt]

God help you and bless you always. I relate very much to some of the things you are going through. It's manifested in different ways like tapping my body in certain places to feel safe, and doing things in symmetry all the time, and never having certain thoughts and constantly battling them... like you said with studying, it makes studying cripplingly difficult if not impossible. I remember trying to study for a major exam that required me to study a 500 page book, and I spent 3 months staring at just one page everyday because I'd end up with all these rituals for reading words and sentences with certain feelings. It's an energy zapper and can't concentrate for longer periods of time because of it. Though now I've gotten about 80% better most of the time, by exposure response therpay and also by implementing a plan to improve my spirituality, family relatinoships, friendships, job/career, one step at a time each day. It put my focus on at the very least getting the important things done in one tiny manageable step at a time and helped me to learn to wait for good things to come from my efforts, rather than expecting it immediately. That retrained my brain. Along with meditation daily too, and improving my mental health by removing addictions from my life.

[@karolinalux2977]

Thank you for sharing this..it helps other OCD people feel less alone!

[@elephantear7659]

@@cyclonemt Perhaps, like me, you expected reward immediately bc you were previously starved of it and felt it was overdue. Thanks for sharing!

[@N0lemts]

I just did exposure and avoided reassurance because my OCD and anxiety kicked in after I heard you talk about a year from now. Still feel some anxiety but this comment right here is me an exposure.

[@annaguzman8140]

so you did not have OCD before watching these videos?

[@jairoz5412]

I no longer perform any ocd rituals I used to do at my teenager years, I managed to get rid of them by myself, but anxiety is still there.

[@kimbo1414]

Hi Nathan, thank you so much for covering this part of OCD, I have done so many groups on ERP and this rarely gets covered, so I’m still doing these things so much it’s taken over everything! Does anyone else get these thoughts on here? I’m grateful for your video. I think it’s the first one on KZbin that describes magical thinking ocd perfectly, I applaud you 👏🏻. I struggle to tolerate the anxiety 🙁. Wish I could do the exposures but I get so worried I give in to my compulsions

[@tammiclarke1855]

I have this form of OCD and it is horrendous, it controls my life and it's only now that I am 39 that I realise just how much of my life it has robbed . As my OCD is primarily concerned with a fear of my children dying if i don't perform a certain ritual a certain way or number of times, I can not perform exposure techniques as it's just not worth the risk! It makes me really sad that I will never be free of this horrible monster in my head but iv lived with it this long, I guess I am just going to have to keep putting up with it! I am currently studying psychology and I consider myself to be very logical in my thinking so it baffles me how I can let this irrational fear take over my life!

[@lenas5613]

Please look into therapy for yourself. There's hope!

[@christie_quite_contrary1657]

I’m starting exposure response prevention therapy for the second time soon. I’m really nervous but hopeful at the same time. I’m glad help is available. I wish all of you suffering with ocd healing.

[@keshavc2296]

U literally saved my life Glad that someone understood my pain🥺🥺 I have no words to Express just I want to say u cured my illness

[@nvmsneha_]

I suffer from this type of OCD!! For me it's so irritating and frustrating like whenever I tap on something and it doesn't goes in a "right" way I keep on tapping it because I feel like if I don't do it in a right way something bad might happen to my loved ones! (I have never feared about myself, it's always about my loved ones) I know that nothing is gonna happen if I don't do that thing but I can't help it. I got OCD when I was so small but with time it only increased now am 16 and I'm so diagnosed with ocd it makes my day to day living very hard/difficult. I don't have literally anyone to whom I can share my problem but after watching this video I got to know that I'm not alone. And this video itself has given me so much relaxation, I felt a bit relief. Thank you so much!!

[@ohthaterin]

. i had the thought enter my mind about 12 years old that i would die at 35. i never saved money, was terrible with money too; never took my jobs seriously or my friends and family as i thought i’d be dead so no point. leading up to my 35th bay was terrifying. i really felt i was going to die. i still can feel that moment today. i’d carried this exact day with me for so long that i believed it was going to happen. at midnight and when i was alive, i felt like i went into borrowed time. so i still turned it to a negative feeling. i turn 40 in 4 months and while i’m more stable with money and work and, i still worry about having no control over when i die so live very much day to day. i also struggle in relationships because i don’t want to be responsible for the other persons feelings when i die so don’t get close to anyone to avoid that happening. can’t believe how just by me writing this out - has been a lightbulb moment to accept my behaviours and how i’ve treated people in the past as present. it’s really shaped how i live my life subconsciously but always been something i’d known was noodling around up there for 28 years wow this was eye opening

[@sahilthapar3168]

I am suffering from this from last 8 years. Its very swere and its killing me inside

[@Chanbro4]

Thank you so much. I thought I am the only one in the whole world suffering with magical ocd. You gave me a hope

[@lorenzooay1540]

as a kid it was TORTURING me, now im almost 16 and it rarely happens but it's still not gone completely

[@js5791]

Agh it started getting really bad the start of this year then went away but now it’s coming back and I have so many intrusive thoughts whenever my brain thinks of something I don’t like it torments me and tells me that some sort of demon will kill me if I don’ dignify them and they are often inappropriate thought (not the same as you think) and it makes me want to puke

[@lorenzooay1540]

@@js5791 same man rn it's worse than when I made that comment

[@akshatjain2778]

Idk if i should be happy about knowing that many people go through this mind bluff but again there is smth asking me to not write this message and don’t share because if i do it smth bad might happen and maybe it is through this way some powers are indicating me about bad happening idk it is complicated and difficult.

[@N92Milan]

This type of OCD needs more to be talked about.

[@mozzzca]

I've started with knocking on wood 3 times for bad luck and ended up creating random rituals that I must follow, or else some specific things that are worrying me would happen. It is so ridiculous, I know there's any logic involved, nor I am some sort of religious os superstitious person when it comes to supernatural things and stuff. My brain just automatically connects random events to bad things that worry me, even though there's not correlation at all. Anyway, watching your videos is helping me a lot, I am detoxing myself from all those rituals and obsessions, but the toughest part for me is stop overthinking and ruminating over things. But I'll get there!

[@ricknology8266]

Yes sir, I can not disengaged with this anxiety, even though I'm aware with it, I can't overcome it and it becomes my daily routine to think something might happen if I will do this thing, a lot of things that I want to do but, my body can not move normally it's because my brain wants me not to do that things, again in again because something might happen not good, this video is absolutely helpful, God Bless us🙏

[@ocdandanxiety]

I am so glad it helped!

[@TheCrayonMan529]

My mind would go "what if you get in a car accident" or "what if you get into a plane crash". Cause I thought it, I thought it must be true and will happen. I always had to respond by repeating it, and if I didn't or I said "no I won't", I thought it would come true.

[@biniget3734]

WOW just WOW thank you very much brother...i didn't know this was a mental disorder i have all the things u said and much much more :'(

[@ranjanudayashankar1569]

This is me. I’m working on this with neutral thoughts and it’s helped reduced the intensity so far.

[@AlexVicarregui]

The funniest part comes when you get to challenge your "idiotic thoughts" (because they ARE idiotic and you know it, but at the same time they FEEL like very real), and when you improve your mind switches tactics to give you a superstitious thought that says "if you do this, THAT will happen but if you dont it will happen either". That's the moment when you start to laught at idiotic thougts (wich is what they are, just dumb occurences) and they become a source of self amusement and feel like what really are, brain glitches due to too much stress or tiredness.

[@we_fishy_fishy_like0816]

Right!? I love it because there’s been times where I’m like “nope, I won’t listen to you” and then my brain gets all mad and goes “well it’s going to happens whether you do it or not haha”. The haha really goes to my brain at that point because I was able to actually dodge it and it knows it can’t convince me anymore :>

[@turquoiseheart03]

Created on my birthday. I needed to see videos like this when I was 12

[@ashnikfield4224]

I have a little bit of this. I believe if I don’t say “knock on wood” after saying something that may potentially jinx me, then it will actually happen. Like if I say “my boyfriend and I have always made up with each other after fights and never broke up like other couples would!” I have to say knock on wood after every time cause I don’t want us to break up ever especially if it was because of what I said and I jinxed everything.

[@lovemychildren61]

I'm surprised that anyone understood exactly what I am talking about. Thank u

[@colingraham1071]

I needed to hear this today because for years it's exactly what I go thru daily especially at work I feel impending doom that am gonna be taken away or kidnapped or locked away somewhere with no way to escape that's my fear and it's messed me up that much that I was admitted to hospital on 3 occasions under a section I was diagnosed with eupd with severe chronic depression with psychosis but I ended up getting better for a while but now it's coming back and if I don't do certain things by 5 am then I feel like something is gonna happen I get a message everyday to have reassurance but I have to read it over and over and if I don't read it a certain way aloud it triggers me that I had to repeat it over and over or i have to be told repeatedly that I'm OK and then because of this I start repeating conversaios daily with my partner it's awful

[@meghmapaul7343]

This is so relatable, thank you so much for this video

[@ocdandanxiety]

You're so welcome!

[@lumwong7237]

Nate thank you so much! I am actually suffering from these magical thinking for 20 years and it’s getting serious lately. I just can’t do anything now!! So anxious!! I’m not sure if I can go on anymore!! I’m not sure if I can sustain what Nate told us! Nate is so good!! I’ll keep trying😊

[@ggmanu7504]

Bruh I can't believe i actually have this, and it's obstructing my life! Today I plucked 4 of my eyelashes to blow just to make sure this one negative thought doesn't bother me

[@tammigilbert5630]

This is the most accurate description of Magical thinking that i have come across since i was diagnosed with the illness 2 years ago. I have suffered with Magical thinking OCD and GAD my whole life , i didn't realise this until i had my first child at 18 years of age. I am now 37 and it took all that time for me to go and seek help. Unfortunately my fear, my obsessions and rituals are to do with my children. Although i know it makes no logical sense to say that specific phrase over and over or touch wood to stop something happening to my children , why would i risk it for a few minutes (although this tends to turn into a much longer time) of my life. My children are worth suffering daily for! I was asked by a therapist to try saying to myself that my kids would die, something bad was going to happen and i was asked to not do anything about it, to not preform my rituals and actions. I could not do this , how can i even think them words. Its ok therapists saying when it doesn't happen your brain will learn, but as an OCD sufferer and specifically a magical thinker the first thing i think and will say to them is 'what if it does?'. I cant risk that! So i left therapy and have not been back since. I dont want to suffer anymore but if there is even the smallest chance it keeps my children safe how can i stop!

[@NuggingTheDumb]

Ditto.

[@mfam2371]

I'd love for some of you who have this type of OCD to post about times you did erp and nothing happened and maybe even your life got better. It would really help others

[@embroideredragdoll]

I don’t know if I have OCD or not but I remember my problems starting when I was fifteen and started developing this fear of stepping on people’s shadows. Edit: it’s not the easiest thing but I’ve learned that spirituality/ religion is solely meant to help and heal and try not to pay attention to it when it causes stress.

[@VGOTH777]

I have this and I have had this for a long time. Thank you for clarifying I’m not actually crazy

[@dianagrinkas9674]

Such a helpful video. Now I know these simptoms has a name. I am struggling with it every day for years🙄I will be watching your videos from now on. Thank you

[@XLexieXBabyX]

i have a bad opiate addiction to Suboxone, and my OCD "tells me" that if i dont tap certain things exactly in 4 number increments up to 16 times, ill run out of my medicine and go through horrifying and crippling withdrawls, its really bad for me, i literally just said "i had enough of this OCD crap and i looked up videos and found this so im on my very first step to "trying" to stop this

[@lawrencedupont6063]

Thank you for this. I’ve had this for years and it effected my life too much.

[@sarahkirbach5040]

I have always always always had this problem - also with something bad happening in general. Not just to a loved one.

[@briarrose4747]

Is there a difference between magical thinking ocd and scrupulosity?Sometimes lm afraid having a bad thought will make something bad happen to someone,ever since i read about the law of attraction it really messed me up and lead to a psychotic episode.

[@mallowjim1107]

I just came here to relax my brain after my Magical Thinking OCD told me to not post an instagram story because something bad will happen to my dad

[@flower7939]

i have thought like this too.. if i post ig story then my depression might get worse or i fail in exam and the list goes on..

[@MSM12111]

I sometimes have to knock on a table 3 times or something terrible is going to happen.I also have trouble with the number 13.If I have a thought and I see a clock say 13 minutes after, 13 is associated with that thought andsomething terrible is going to happen. I also have a problem with stepping on lines and cracks. I'm on an ssri to try and treat it but I need to continue working through it with my therapist.Thank you for posting the video I can really relate to everything you said.

[@danielleolsen4751]

Hi! I used to be scared alot! But now, I'm gonna face my fears!

[@zzzcocopepe]

Philip Pullman kind of touches on this in his series, his dark materials. (The golden compass). It's kind of ironic because his story actually promotes magical thinking. But at the same time Will's mother suffers from it. Because the Golden Compass is an artifact that allows someone to find out secret knowledge. It's similar to the idea of Tarot. You look at the alethiometer and you ask it a question and the arrows will point to different symbols and those are supposed to tell you some kind of answer to your question. It's supposed to be connected to the spirits or the Angels or whatever. And then in the series they talked about the i-ching and science vs religion things like that. And then there's will, he has another one of the Dark Materials, a knife that allows him to pass through dimensions. And he inherits it from his father. So his mother is labeled as a crazy lady, probably because she had some kind of interdimensional experience. So for her it's probably a self-fulfilling prophecy, which is a concept in Psychology. Similar to the placebo effect. Basically somebody thinks that things are going to go a certain way, so they behave in a way that lines things up to make that happen. Like if you think you're going to win a baseball game, you all can confidently and you feel self-assured and your swing is stronger and healthier and your throws or more confident and capable. But if you go in thinking that you're going to lose, you missed the ball sometimes and you stumble and fall. So that's a self-fulfilling prophecy. So maybe that contributes to why people have OCD sometimes. They think they're crazy and then they feed into it and they go more crazy. Like maybe they really only just had a minor disorder and then it becomes a major problem for them. And obviously that's not always the case, I'm just saying maybe that's how it happens sometimes for some people. But I just think it's kind of interesting that Philip Pullman and seems to have missed the point because his story centers around magical thinking as a good thing. But, he's just human, and humans are flawed. And it's a really good story. And it is really interesting how he talks about the church and inner spirituality versus strict rules.

[@Linda-ub3ow]

Omg! This is me. I have to touch things a certain way or tap things a certain amount of times or say certain things or else my brain says “if you don’t do it, something’s gong to happen to so and so”. And my brain will randomly pick one of my kids or family members that will be affected if I don’t do my OCD ritual. It’s so mentally and physically draining. And it causes anxiety if I don’t do it correctly or if I try to fight the urge. I hate it 🙁

[@maninform3523]

Yes same here I feel calm that I’m not alone

[@kiz7402]

Im always paranoid ill be stuck in some certain persons control for the rest of my life and that nothing is real and this video helped me calm down a little

[@Li241.]

Omg, I do this all the time. I have spoken to a Dr about it but it does get in the way of me making positive changes or trusting myself.

[@Li241.]

I have not spoken to a Dr about it but will*

[@SegaMario]

This is so me. I've developed ridiculous habits over the years, my most recent one from a couple of months ago being me looking sharply to the right behind me. Wish I could stop it. Part of me feels it was kind of a result of my anxiety that formed around the same time. I just have such a bias for the right direction as I jokingly explain to others: "Right is the right way to go; left makes me feel like I've left something behind." I also tend to avoid certain instances of the numbers 4 and 8, especially 4 - when I pause videos, the last digit of the timecode often seems to be 4, which irks me. I've looked up that some see 4 as a bad luck number, but it's just an OCD thing for me.

[@valentinachatzopoulos8544]

When I used to go to school (now everything is online) I used to sit on the same seat on the bus, and wait patiently to see the rabbits in this one specific field every morning, I know it’s totally dumb but whenever I didn’t see them I was certain I would have a bad day, whenever my seat was already taken my anxiety would go through the roof, making me convinced that that same day something horrible was going to happen. This is only one of my magical thinking compulsions, I’m going crazy now having to stay home and not get the bus anymore, my brain is just replacing the scenario with other things.

[@jillianmacie8173]

nooo it’s not dumb at all. i have to do certain things everyday and it’s literally tearing me apart lol we’re on the same page it sucks

[@nin3755]

I sent this to a ' friend' to help them

[@ErnestRama]

I have superstitious ocd,when i for e.g see the clock and it is 7:13 or 6:5 or all other possible numbers that equal to 11 (7:13 -> 7+1+3=11 in case someone didnt understand what im saying ) i enter into another dimension or reality and the only way to go out that reality is to do reverse (behaviour,words or thoughts).. its devastating,and feels so real,the urge to do these things,strikes mecso hard that i become hypnotised like,i believe it to be 100% true and if i dont do it...its going to be very discomfortable. Ps.i know it sounds crazy but its the way it is..

[@ErnestRama]

@@ocdandanxiety thank you too for offering clarity about the condition of most of us who struggle with this..it really helped me and clarified few things that i hadnt put into consideration,i will be watching your other videos,learning,growing and giving my support..Blessings and Respect

[@0davydebrycke328]

Mine are 3,6,9 234 is good~2+3+4=9 657 good~6+5+7=18=1+8=9 231 good~2+3+1=2+3+1=6 Counting words in subtitles movie, stack in poker play, page in book/any lecture This is only counting, touching, etc. has its own 'rules' Lived with it untill my 20's and after psychiatry intake for 9 months, depression, etc. Thank God I found correct help with correct diagnosis, paroxitine and cognitive clinical psychology treatment

[@haechanbaekhyun]

i have had this since i was like 8 or 9 i honestly cant remember but it was when i was a kid and i picked 8 and 9 bc they are good numbers, its crazy how i cant do anything that i want bc of this ocd. i thought i was crazy and had only found out about it a few months ago that its OCD, found videos and thought how i didnt know a lot of people would repeat their steps, have good certain numbers and colors, doesnt look at the right or left, blinking at an exact amount of good number, saying words on repeat and praying at a certain time i do all of this and thought i was crazy bc i didnt know it was OCD, i hope we can get pass through this. even searching for this video was hard for me bc my OCD kicked in

[@susanemo9811]

Am like you get stuck in prayer. Got to say it all right or start again

[@ishaqkings4482]

I'm suffering from this lot of time, I really don't know about this one, but I want to think of normal numbers as well as phone numbers which are shown in the daily routine life, I add those numbers according to my knowledge and will arrange from 1-9 using doubling and thrice formula. For example, if a number starts with 9000012345, I'll will add remaining missing letters, which are as follows 6,7,8. I'll do 123456789, 124856379. 124856379. Now the number has four zeros, four 1s to four 9s respectively. This will be illogical, but this is one of my OCD magical thinking.

[@Lees_flooring]

I actually think that if I don’t look into a persons, eyes in real person or the TV that something bad is gonna happen to me or a loved one

[@Lees_flooring]

And the list goes on and on can somebody help lol

[@opqr9772]

Anyone feels empty in any side of the brain due to continuous anxiety

[@Tyblake02]

This video was very helpful thank you

[@MahsaMahdavi-s9y]

I never knew these feelings inside me are actually not ok and that they have a name !