OCD and Intrusive Thoughts: What They Are and How Therapy Can Help

Many people experience unwanted or disturbing thoughts from time to time. But for those with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), these thoughts can become overwhelming, constant, and deeply distressing. If you’re caught in a cycle of intrusive thoughts and mental rituals, you’re not alone, and you’re not “crazy.”

With the proper therapeutic support, you can break free from the loop of fear and control and start reclaiming your peace of mind.

What Are Intrusive Thoughts?

Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, involuntary thoughts, images, or impulses that can feel intense, disturbing, or even shameful. They often pop into your mind without warning and feel completely at odds with your values.

Examples include:

• “What if I hurt someone I love?”

• “Did I lock the door—or did I just imagine it?”

• “What if I accidentally did something terrible and forgot?”

• “What if I’m a bad person because I had that thought?”

These thoughts aren’t a reflection of who you are. People with OCD often have a heightened sense of responsibility and morality, which is why the thoughts feel so distressing.

What Is OCD?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a mental health condition characterized by:

• Obsessions: persistent, unwanted thoughts or urges (like the examples above)

• Compulsions: behaviors or mental rituals used to try to neutralize the anxiety (like checking, counting, or avoiding triggers)

OCD is not just about neatness or organization. It’s a complex anxiety disorder that affects how you think, feel, and function in daily life.

You might find yourself:

• Replaying conversations in your head to make sure you didn’t offend someone

• Mentally reviewing past actions “just in case”

• Avoiding situations that might trigger disturbing thoughts

• Seeking reassurance from loved ones over and over

Over time, these patterns can become exhausting and interfere with your ability to live freely.

How Therapy Helps with OCD and Intrusive Thoughts

The good news? OCD is highly treatable with the right approach.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), especially a technique called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), is one of the most effective treatments. It helps you gradually face the fear without performing the compulsion, so your brain can learn: the thought isn’t dangerous, and I don’t need to neutralize it.

In therapy, you’ll learn to:

• Understand how OCD works and what keeps it going

• Face intrusive thoughts with less fear and judgment

• Stop compulsions and mental rituals from running your life

• Build tolerance for uncertainty and discomfort

• Reconnect with your values, not your fears

You don’t need to “control” your mind; you need tools to relate to it differently.

Kristin Rice, DBH, and OCD Therapy at Dreavita

Kristin Rice, DBH, specializes in treating OCD and anxiety-related disorders using evidence-based techniques like CBT and ERP. She also facilitates a structured OCD therapy group for adults who want to reduce compulsions, regain focus, and feel less alone in their experience.

Her approach is direct, supportive, and personalized, designed to help you feel understood and challenged in the ways that matter most.

Freedom Is Possible, One Step at a Time

If you’re ready to stop letting intrusive thoughts control your life, therapy can help. Kristin is currently accepting new clients for virtual therapy in Connecticut.

Book a consultation to get started.