Intrusive thoughts are a defining characteristic of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While anyone can have upsetting and unwanted thoughts from time to time, intrusive thoughts are especially disruptive as OCD symptoms because the more you focus on them or try to fight them, the more they disrupt your focus. 

We can’t always control the thoughts that pop into our minds, so intrusive thoughts aren’t an indicator of your character or your personality. We can, however, decide how we respond, and this is where coping strategies can make a meaningful difference. 

The coping strategies we’ll talk about in this article involve thought labeling, cognitive distancing and ways to change your relationship to your thoughts. Some of them are based on OCD treatment approaches, and some are mindfulness techniques. Working on coping skills at home is important for your mental well-being, but it’s not a replacement for treatment with a licensed clinician.

In this article, we’ll share six coping strategies to help you manage intrusive thoughts related to OCD.

The 6 coping strategies for OCD intrusive thoughts 

OCD looks and feels a bit different for everyone. The most effective coping skills for you will depend on your experience of your symptoms. You may need different techniques to help you manage distress, resist compulsions, ground yourself in the present moment, “turn down the volume” on your intrusive thoughts so you can focus on other things, or manipulate them in other ways to make them more manageable. A licensed clinician can help you learn and practice these strategies in a structured way for long-term relief. 

Try these six coping strategies to help reduce and manage intrusive thoughts related to OCD:

• Name it to tame it

Taking a step back to recognize intrusive thoughts for what they are and labeling them can help create some distance between you and your thoughts’ content. You might name your OCD, and then when intrusive thoughts come up, you can say to yourself, “That’s just Brenda talking, don’t listen to her.”

• Surf the wave, don’t fight the current

Trying to argue with your intrusive thoughts or disprove them can make them more persistent. You may end up making yourself more upset. Accepting the thoughts for what they are doesn’t mean agreeing with them. 

It just means acknowledging them and responding with neutrality. If you don’t “feed” your intrusive thoughts by fighting them, they’ll be more likely to pass without disruption. Try thinking of them as weather patterns, like passing storms. 

• Ground yourself in the present moment

Intrusive thoughts are usually worries about hypothetical things that may happen in the future or things that may or may not be true. Because they’re literally “in your head,” getting into your body and grounding yourself in the here and now can help you loosen their grip. 

Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique: name five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can touch, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste. Getting them in the right order doesn’t matter as much as engaging with your senses and what’s around you.

• Challenge the thought’s importance, not its content

Intrusive thoughts have a way of making themselves your number one priority — to the detriment of all others. Questioning the thought’s significance or helpfulness can help put things into perspective so it feels less urgent. 

You might ask yourself, “Is this really helping me right now?,” or, “Can this wait until later?” If you’re feeling the urge to ask others for reassurance, challenging the importance of those thoughts can help you release them more easily.

• Schedule “worry time”

Making an appointment with yourself to worry about certain obsessions can help you compartmentalize these thoughts and limit them to a specific time frame. This is a great way to practice setting an internal boundary around thought engagement. 

Try creating a calendar event on your phone or set an alarm at the beginning and end of your worry time. When the time is up, remind yourself that you’ve done what you can, and more worrying is unlikely to help.

• Practice self-compassion

Intrusive thoughts aren’t something anyone chooses for themselves, and they’re not a consequence of anything you did. Being hard on yourself for having intrusive thoughts isn’t fair — and it won’t help them go away. 

Try practicing self-compassion by coming up with some phrases you can say to yourself when you’re frustrated or upset. Something like, “Deep down, I am a caring person, and my thoughts are not going to change that.” Try to talk to yourself as you would a good friend. Focus on the meaning of the words and the feelings you want to cultivate.

Get help building your coping strategies for intrusive thoughts 

Intrusive thoughts are like uninvited guests at a party — you can’t control their arrival, but you can control how much attention you give them. It may take a combination of different strategies to manage them effectively. Try practicing different techniques one by one to see what helps. Most people who have OCD may need a combination of treatments, including medication and therapy, to manage their symptoms. 

At Lightfully, our licensed clinicians provide higher levels of mental health care that go beyond what you get with outpatient therapy. Our programs range from ones that only take a few hours out of your day to ones that provide support around-the-clock care. Our Precision Care Model (PCM) ensures each person receives a personalized treatment plan, and clients and their families work with their care teams to make decisions. These core processes — your thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and relationships — are central to our Precision Care Model and play a key role in supporting your mental well-being. 

If you’re seeking mental health care for OCD, we can help. Please reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team or contact us today.