You might consider a therapist skilled in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). A therapist or other mental health care provider can help assess the situation and recommend treatment. If you’re worried that you or someone you care about may be experiencing negative consequences due to magical thinking, consider finding professional help. What should you do if you or someone you know has magical thinking? This suggests that there’s a strong link between the two. Or they may avoid saying certain phrases or numbers for fear that they may “jinx” things otherwise.Ī small case study found that decreasing magical thinking may also decrease symptoms of OCD. Someone with OCD may believe that checking their sink for leaks dozens of times will prevent a flood. As a result, they become obsessed with it and can’t focus on anything else.Įxperts believe that magical thinking can be a component of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) for some people as well. Frightening paranormal beliefs, in particular, are connected to delusions and hallucinations.įor example, someone with schizophrenia may believe they have the ability to influence the outcome of an election with their thoughts. People with symptoms of psychosis are more likely to have frequent magical thinking. In these cases, magical thinking can cause significant disruption in your life. Sometimes, magical thinking overlaps with mental health diagnoses. Is magical thinking the symptom of a mental health condition? In fact, gamblers who believe they themselves are lucky are likely to spend more on gambling. But in the process, they may lose a significant amount of money. Someone may believe that, although they’re losing at a casino, they can turn their luck around by using a lucky item or specific slot machine. For example, when a person with a gambling addiction relies on magical thinking as a form of good luck, it can make the problem worse. Most other research looking at problems with magical thinking relates to addiction or mental health conditions. Or you may get in trouble at work for calling out sick too many days. As a result, perhaps you miss your child’s musical recital. But it can be an issue if magical thinking gets in the way of your well-being.įor example, a fear of bad luck on Friday the 13th may cause you to avoid leaving your house that day. Avoiding black cats and trying not to walk underneath ladders don’t generally cause problems. A desire to explore supernatural beliefs may also help people better understand themselves.Įven believing in bad luck or superstitions may not be an issue. It may even help with self-development and creativity. Is magical thinking harmful?įor those who aren’t living with a mental health condition, magical thinking is often harmless. It may help some people cope with stressful situations, decreasing anxiety and providing a sense of control. However, some experts believe that it’s normal for magical thinking to continue even among adults. If a team keeps winning or losing regardless of whether someone wears their lucky shirt, they may begin to doubt their good-luck charm. Adults, on the other hand, are more likely to understand the scientific reasons for rain starting and stopping.Īs adults get older, they may have less magical thinking. So they come up with reasons to explain events.įor example, a child may believe it stopped raining because they wanted it to. Psychologists believe this may be because children are trying to make sense of things they don’t understand. To begin with, it’s very common in children. Magical thinking may be a natural part of being human. My friend fell down the stairs because I was thinking something unkind about him. If I cross my fingers, then the car will start. If I make a secret birthday wish, it will come true. I can't walk this way because the black cat I saw will bring bad luck. Here are some other examples of magical thinking: Beliefs that rituals or your actions can cause or prevent accidents are also not based in logic or reality. For example, there’s no scientific proof that wishing for something will make it come true. Magical thinking is considered a cognitive distortion because it’s not based in fact. Cognitive distortions are patterns of thinking that aren’t based in fact or logic. Magical thinking is a type of cognitive distortion, so let’s start there. How is magical thinking a type of cognitive distortion? But magical thinking can relate to a more serious issue. Magical thinking is when someone unrealistically believes that their thoughts, behaviors, or rituals can influence events or actions by others. Have you ever thought, “If I think about it hard enough, I’ll get a new PlayStation for my birthday.” Or maybe you think that if you wear the same socks every time your sports team has a game, you’ll keep your winning streak.
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