What is magical thinking (and how is it related to anxiety)?

Stress & Anxiety

Aug 6

Written By Calm Editorial Team

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA

Magical thinking can make everyday worry feel overwhelming. Learn what magical thinking is, how it connects to certain mental health disorders, and 8 ways to cope.

Have you ever caught yourself believing that your thoughts alone could keep the people you love safe, or worse, put them in danger? Maybe you worry that thinking about a car accident or plane crash means someone you love will be in one. Or you avoid certain numbers, phrases, or even stepping on sidewalk cracks because—even if it’s silly—you don’t want to chance it.

Some level of superstitious thoughts is completely normal, and to be honest, we’ve all been there. But if it becomes a habit or a rumination, you could be veering into the territory of magical thinking.

This type of thought loop often strikes hardest for people living with anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or trauma. And even though the thoughts aren’t rooted in logic, they can feel like invisible rules you have to follow… just in case.

Similar to superstitions or good luck rituals, magical thinking is the brain’s attempt to create safety when circumstances feel out of our control. So let’s dig a little deeper, and explore exactly what magical thinking is, how it shows up in everyday life, and ways to stay out of your head when life gets chaotic.

What is magical thinking?

Magical thinking is the belief that your thoughts, actions, or words can influence outcomes in ways that aren’t logically connected. It could mean that you avoid certain actions or phrases for fear they’ll cause something terrible to happen, or you constantly make sure to do something in particular, like knock on wood before you leave the house, so that things go the way they should.

Children, in particular, display this kind of thinking often. Teddy bears can serve as guardian angels to keep a child safe at night, or a child might truly believe the superstition that stepping on a crack will break their mother’s back. But for adults—especially those navigating anxiety, OCD, or trauma—magical thinking can hang on in more subtle, persistent ways.

Maybe you avoid certain numbers or double-check the locks again (and again) just in case. Maybe you carry a quiet sense of responsibility for preventing harm, even when there’s no logical connection between your actions and the outcome.

While magical thinking can feel incredibly real, it’s actually just a coping mechanism. It’s your brain’s attempt to create a sense of safety when things feel unpredictable.

What is the link between magical thinking and mental health?

Magical thinking often surfaces in moments of stress, uncertainty, or emotional overload. For some people, these thoughts are occasional, but for others, they can become persistent and distressing.

Magical thinking isn’t a mental illness on its own, but it often overlaps with anxiety-related disorders, and can play a significant role in how those conditions show up in day-to-day life.

Here are some ways magical thinking can be connected to certain anxiety disorders.

Magical thinking and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

With generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), worry tends to be constant and wide-ranging. People with GAD often feel that if they can just think through every possible scenario or avoid thinking certain things entirely, they might be able to prevent bad outcomes.

In this disorder, magical thinking can show up as mental bargaining and may sound like, “If I worry about it enough, it won’t happen. If I don’t say it out loud, maybe it won’t be real.”

It isn’t rooted in logic but in the emotional urge to reduce risk and protect oneself or others. These patterns show up as survival strategies, built over time in response to real or perceived instability.

Magical thinking and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

For people with OCD, magical thinking can be much more intense and intrusive. It often involves compulsive behaviors (like checking, counting, or repeating) that feel necessary to prevent harm. This happens even when the person logically knows that the action won’t change the outcome.

This is the line where magical thinking can cross into obsession and compulsion. Someone might think, “If I don’t flip the light switch the right way, something bad will happen to my family.”

These kinds of thoughts can be deeply distressing and hard to interrupt. The person experiencing them usually knows they aren’t rational, either, but that awareness doesn’t make the fear any less powerful.

6 types of magical thinking (with examples)

Magical thinking can take many forms, from subtle patterns of thought to more obvious rituals or superstitions. What ties them together is that unspoken belief that one’s thoughts or actions can control outcomes.

Here are six common types of magical thinking, with real-world examples to help you recognize them:

Thought-action fusion: This is the belief that thinking about something makes it more likely to happen. Like you picture a loved one getting into a car accident and then feel responsible for their wellbeing. Your belief is that the thought alone could cause harm.
Superstitious thinking: This includes beliefs that certain objects, numbers, or routines bring luck or prevent disaster. You might avoid the number 13 or need to wear a lucky shirt in order to receive good news.
Ritualized behavior: These are repetitive actions that the person believes will prevent something bad from happening, even when there’s no logical link between the action and the behavior. One may tap a doorknob a certain number of times before leaving the house to make sure everyone stays safe.
Catastrophic prediction: In this type of magical thinking, the person assumes that not doing something a specific way will result in the worst possible outcome. One example is the belief that if the person doesn’t check the stove three times after turning it off, the house will burn down.
Moral contamination: This is the belief that having a “bad” thought makes you a bad person or that it could somehow influence your morality. You might feel guilty for having an intrusive or violent thought, even though you’d never act on it.
Magical reasoning in grief or trauma: This is when you try to explain a painful event by linking it to something you did or failed to do. You might believe a loved one died because you skipped a phone call or forgot to say “I love you” the last time you spoke.

How to cope with magical thinking: 8 tips to stay grounded

Magical thinking can feel intense, confusing, or even isolating, but once you understand what’s driving it, you can help keep it in balance. Basically, these kinds of thoughts and rituals usually show up in response to fear, uncertainty, or the need for control. The goal isn’t to force them away, but to meet them with awareness, compassion, and a few practical tools.

Here are eight gentle strategies to help you stay grounded when magical thinking starts to take hold.

1. Notice the pattern without judgment

Start by gently observing your thoughts and behaviors. Do certain phrases or routines show up when you’re stressed? Is there a specific fear behind the thought? Simply noticing the pattern—without trying to fix it—can interrupt the automatic loop.

An example could be, “I’m noticing that every time I feel anxious about work, I start checking the oven even when I haven’t used it.”

2. Label the thought as magical thinking

Giving your thought a name creates distance. It’s a way of explaining to yourself that the thought is stemming from anxiety and not an absolute truth.

To do this, try phrases such as, “That’s a magical thought,” “This is a mental habit and not a warning,” or “My brain is trying to protect me, even if it’s a bit off-track.”

This reframing can reduce the intensity and urgency of the thought almost immediately.

3. Practice grounding techniques

Magical thinking often pulls you into a future that hasn’t happened. Grounding brings you back to the present.

Try a few of the following grounding techniques whenever you feel magical thinking coming on. Even 30 seconds of grounding can disrupt a thought spiral.

The 5-4-3-2-1 method
Breathwork
Body scans

💙 Connect to your body and breath with this simple Body Scan with Tamara Levitt.

4. Connect with the emotion underneath

Magical thinking is often a surface-level expression of deeper feelings like fear, grief, guilt, or uncertainty. When you feel safe enough, try asking, “What am I really afraid of right now?” Chances are, the thought is just trying to protect you from a painful experience.

Just naming the emotion can soften its grip. You don’t have to fix it for this step to be effective.

💙 Learn to name what you’re feeling during the Emotions Check In meditation with Prof. Megan Reitz.

5. Use reality testing to determine what’s true

Reality testing is a way to check your thoughts against what’s true.

Ask yourself the following questions to base your thoughts against what’s actually happening:

“What evidence supports this thought?”
“What’s the most likely outcome, based on my experience?”
“Have I had this thought before, and what happened when I did?”

You might still feel anxious, but building a habit of questioning magical thoughts can gradually reduce their power.

6. Delay the behavior or thought

If a magical thinking ritual feels too intense to resist, try delaying it. Set a timer for five minutes and tell yourself you’ll do it once the timer goes off. Often, the urge passes in that timeframe, or it becomes easier to control the urge without acting on it.

This technique is especially helpful for compulsive checking or repeated behaviors.

💙 Learn to Distance Yourself from Anxious Thoughts during this session from the Tools for Stress and Anxiety series with Dr. Julie.

7. Talk it out with people you trust

Magical thinking thrives in silence. Sharing your thoughts with a trusted friend, therapist, or support group can help you feel less alone. It will also allow you to feel less convinced by your brain’s fear-based logic.

You might be surprised by how many people say, “I’ve had thoughts like this, too, and here’s what’s helped me.” Community can be especially powerful at times like these.

8. Seek professional support

If magical thinking is interfering with your daily life, a mental health professional—especially someone trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention, or trauma-informed care—can help you explore the roots of these thoughts, and learn how to navigate them more gently.

While it may never completely eliminate magical thinking, therapy can help you build an arsenal of tools that make you feel safer, supported, and more in charge of your inner world.

What is magical thinking FAQs

Is magical thinking always a sign of anxiety?

Not necessarily. Magical thinking can show up in anyone’s life from time to time, but it’s especially common during periods of stress, loss, or uncertainty. Someone might avoid jinxing a good outcome by not talking about it or feel uneasy about specific numbers or symbols.

These thoughts don’t always signal a mental health issue. Still, when magical thinking becomes persistent, distressing, or starts to interfere with daily life, it can be a sign of an underlying anxiety disorder or obsessive-compulsive tendencies. The difference often comes down to how frequent, intense, or disruptive the thoughts are.

Can magical thinking be harmful?

It can be, particularly when it reinforces anxiety or drives compulsive behaviors. If magical thinking leads someone to avoid important activities, repeat rituals excessively, or feel responsible for preventing harm through thought alone, it can take a real emotional toll.

In these cases, magical thinking becomes less about comfort and more about fear, and that fear can make it harder to engage with life in flexible, grounded ways. But even when it’s distressing, magical thinking can be worked with gently.

Why do I keep thinking magical thoughts even when I know better?

Magical thinking isn’t about logic, unfortunately. It’s about emotion, and these thoughts often come from a deep desire to feel safe or in control when things feel uncertain or overwhelming.

Even if you know intellectually that thinking about something specific won’t make it happen, the emotional brain can override that logic. It just means your nervous system is doing what it thinks it needs to do to protect you. The goal isn’t to shame these thoughts, but to recognize them and respond with curiosity and care.

How do I stop magical thinking habits?

There’s no quick fix for stopping magical thinking overnight, but there are gentle, evidence-based ways to shift these patterns. Working with a therapist—especially someone trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or exposure and response prevention—can help you build awareness, challenge unhelpful thoughts, and gradually reduce the urge to act on them.

Mindfulness practices can also help by creating space between a thought and a reaction, so you can observe what’s happening without getting pulled into it. Over time, it’s possible to unlearn these habits and develop more flexible ways of coping with uncertainty.

What’s an example of magical thinking with anxiety?

This is one of the most concrete examples: Imagine someone feeling convinced that if they don’t mentally rehearse a worst-case scenario, something bad will happen. So, they play out that scenario over and over again in their mind, believing it’s the only way to stay prepared or prevent it entirely.

Even though they know logically that it won’t make a difference, the fear feels too strong to ignore. That’s magical thinking. It offers a momentary sense of control or safety, but it often fuels more anxiety in the long run.

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Calm Editorial Team