OCD Intrusive Thoughts — How to Stop Fighting Them

If you live with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you know how relentless intrusive thoughts can be. They seem to appear out of nowhere — unwanted, uncomfortable, and impossible to ignore. But what if the real problem isn’t the thought itself, but the fight against it?

At Sound Psychiatry and Wellness, Drew Pittman, PMHNP, offers compassionate, evidence-based telepsychiatry. He helps you break the cycle of fear and resistance so you can experience peace again — without letting intrusive thoughts control your life.

Understanding intrusive thoughts

Everyone has random, sometimes disturbing thoughts. The difference for people with OCD is the meaning those thoughts take on. Instead of letting them pass, you might feel panicked, guilty, or compelled to “neutralize” them through rituals or mental review.

These intrusive thoughts can take many forms — fears of harm, taboo or violent ideas, or doubts about morality or safety. The more you try to push them away, the stronger and more intrusive they become.

It’s not weakness or lack of willpower — it’s how the brain works. OCD locks you into a feedback loop between anxiety and relief, where fighting the thought accidentally reinforces it.

Why fighting makes it worse

Trying to control or suppress intrusive thoughts is like telling yourself not to think about a pink elephant — it just makes the elephant bigger and brighter. Each attempt to “get rid of” a thought signals to your brain that it’s dangerous, which keeps the cycle going.

Instead, treatment focuses on breaking that loop — teaching your brain that thoughts are just thoughts. They’re not facts, and they don’t define you.

3 strategies that help you stop fighting intrusive thoughts

The goal isn’t to make intrusive thoughts disappear; it’s to make them lose their power. Here’s how:

1. Practice acceptance, not control

Accepting a thought doesn’t mean you like it or agree with it — it means you recognize it as mental noise, not a reflection of your identity. By letting the thought come and go without reaction, you weaken its hold over time.

2. Try exposure and response prevention (ERP)

ERP, a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy, helps you face your intrusive thoughts gradually and safely — without performing rituals or avoidance behaviors. With guidance from a trained clinician, your brain relearns that the anxiety fades naturally when you don’t give in to compulsion.

3. Work on mindfulness and grounding

Mindfulness techniques can help you step out of the spiral of “what ifs.” Focusing on your breath, sensations, or environment brings your attention back to the present — where intrusive thoughts lose their urgency.

How we can help

Managing OCD isn’t about becoming thought-free; it’s about finding freedom in the presence of thoughts. Drew uses a compassionate, whole-person approach to help you reduce symptoms, build emotional resilience, and reclaim your peace of mind.

Through telepsychiatry sessions that fit into your life, he provides practical strategies, medication management when appropriate, and ongoing support to help you build lasting recovery from OCD.

If your intrusive thoughts are making daily life exhausting, it’s time to try a new approach — one that stops the fight and helps you find balance again.

Request a virtual appointment online with Sound Psychiatry and Wellness to start learning strategies that help you take back control — calmly, confidently, and one thought at a time.