A psychological process that may help cause and maintainOCD symptomsis thought-action fusion.
Lets explore the relationship between thought-action fusion and OCD symptoms.
What Is Thought-Action Fusion?
Tom Merton / Getty Images
This has led many to suggest that thought-action fusion could be a cause of OCD symptoms.
Interestingly, thought-action fusion and OCD symptoms and could be linked by another psychological process calledthought suppression.
Of course, this can lead to a vicious circle of more thought suppression followed by more distressing thoughts.
Thought-action fusion may promote thought suppression by making you feel that your thoughts are “dangerous.”
In this way, thought-action fusion and thought suppression may work hand-in-hand to create distressing obsessions.
Treatment
Addressing thought-action fusion is a key component of many cognitive-behaviorally orientedpsychological treatmentsfor OCD.
Therapy focuses, in part, on challenging the imagined link between thoughts and actions/outcomes through experiments or observation.
Einstein, D.A., & Menzies, R.G.
“The Presence of Magical Thinking in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder”.Behaviour Research and Therapy2004 42: 539-549.
