While magical thinking can be fun and harmless, it can become disruptive. Mental health conditions like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are often associated with disruptive types of magical thinking. This article covers the definition and examples of magical thinking, what psychology says about this phenomenon, and when magical thinking may become disruptive—especially for those with mental health disorders.
Who Engages in Magical Thinking?
Magical thinking often occurs in young children under the age of 5. Young children don’t yet understand that their mind is separate from the world around them. For instance, a young child believes that their wishing for something causes it to happen. Magical thinking is common in adolescents and adults as well—some research indicates it is normative and occurs alongside rational thinking. Magical thinking can also occur in a variety of mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders, psychosis, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and eating disorders.
Magical Thinking in GAD
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry that is difficult to control. To receive a GAD diagnosis, the excessive worry must also be accompanied by certain physical or cognitive symptoms like irritability, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, restlessness, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances. Someone with GAD might think about every potential negative outcome of a situation, and by doing so, they may believe that they are preventing the negative outcomes from happening. For example, if they are nervous about an upcoming job interview, they might picture themselves getting lost on the way, losing their phone, and making a terrible first impression on the interviewer. By thinking about what they don’t want to happen, they believe they’re protecting themselves against these undesirable outcomes. With GAD, a person tends to believe that their anxiety and their anxious thoughts control the world around them.
Types of Magical Thinking
There are two types of magical thinking that are important in anxiety disorders: thought-action fusion and routines (also called rituals).
Thought-Action Fusion
This type of magical thinking involves believing that thoughts are the equivalent of actions and that thoughts can make actions come true. Some who experience thought-action fusion often feel shame, believing that having a negative thought does as much damage as if the thought were to happen in real life. If a thought pops into your head about hurting your partner, you might feel guilty because you believe you are hurting them by having the thought—even when you’d never act upon it.
Routines or Rituals
Routines or rituals involve performing certain actions physically or mentally to “magically” make something happen (or stop something from happening). A common example of this is someone knocking on wood every time they think of something they don’t want to happen.
When Is Magical Thinking Harmful?
Magical thinking can be adaptive (helpful) or maladaptive (unhelpful), depending on how your thoughts affect you, your relationships, and your quality of life. Magical thinking can promote feelings of confidence and optimism in people. Many people who engage in magical thinking don’t see it as “magic” at all, but rather as their personal beliefs and theories. It’s important to contextualize magical thinking in terms of a person’s cultural, religious, and spiritual beliefs, too. One study suggests that clinicians examine the following criteria when determining if a person’s magical thoughts are adaptive or maladaptive:
How strongly does the person hold their belief?What degree of distress does this thought bring about?How strong are this person’s urges to take action based on their belief?
You might put pressure on yourself to “make things happen” with your thoughts or behaviors to the point that you feel personally responsible for negative events. Or, you might feel like you “messed up” when you forget to perform a ritual related to a desired outcome. Maybe you punish yourself or have a lot of negative self-talk when you don’t think the “right” kinds of thoughts. A mental healthcare professional may help you address magical thinking if you find it disruptive to your life.
Resistance to Treatment
People with GAD who have maladaptive beliefs rooted in magical thinking may not want to let go of these beliefs. David Burns, MD, writes that although the anxiety people with GAD experience as a result of magical thinking is uncomfortable or distressing, people with GAD often still believe that this anxiety is protecting them from some greater catastrophe. If a person feels that letting go of their anxiety may result in bad outcomes, it’s not surprising that they would be resistant to treatment for their anxiety (and by extension, their magical thinking).
Coping With Magical Thinking
If you find that your magical thinking is disruptive or distressing, there are steps you can take both on your own and with the help of a mental healthcare professional to alleviate your stress.
Journaling and Planning
First, try to identify when your magical thinking takes place. Does it happen during times of stress or worry? Try journaling about your worries and the types of thoughts you have in response to your worries. Then, try writing down two to three practical things you can do to work toward your desired outcome. For instance, if you have an exam coming up, write down everything you can do to prepare, such as dedicating some time to studying each night, meeting with a study group, or making flashcards. If you get a good grade, you can look back on the list of things you did to prepare and give yourself credit—and realize that it wasn’t your lucky pencil or excessive worrying that brought you good fortune. If you don’t get the grade you want, review the test and see where you made mistakes. That will help give you specific action steps (which subjects to study more thoroughly) to get a better grade in the future. Over time, and as you become more confident about preparing yourself for stressful situations, you can learn to find comfort in being proactive and managing expectations.
Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been found to be effective in treating generalized anxiety disorder as well as helping people reframe their thoughts and feelings so they’re more helpful in their everyday lives. A therapist can help you identify what types of magical thinking you engage in, as well as what situations trigger your magical thinking. They can even provide everyday exercises you can practice slowly weaning yourself off of using magical thinking to explain things that happen.
Medication
In some cases, a mental health professional may recommend medication to decrease your GAD symptoms and help you better manage maladaptive thoughts and behaviors. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Celexa (citalopram) or selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as Effexor XR (venlafaxine), are considered the first line of medication for GAD. SSRIs function in the brain to increase levels of serotonin—a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and anxiety. SSRIs may make stress more manageable, helping you feel less reliant on magical thinking in generalized anxiety disorder.
A Word From Verywell
Magical thinking is something that most of us do from time to time, and it is often harmless. However, if you feel that your magical thinking is interfering with your happiness or your day-to-day life, it may be helpful to seek professional advice. Ask a healthcare provider about what you can do to manage your magical thinking, especially if you have a mental health condition like generalized anxiety disorder.
