Why You Can’t Logic Your Way Out of Intrusive Thoughts
Every now and again, I like to scroll through the OCD subreddit (yes, I love it and recommend checking it out if you have OCD!) to explore what topics are most pressing.
And almost every time I take a peek, I see this classic question: “Is it true that all intrusive or obsessive thoughts are lies?”
Usually the person asking this is doing some research (perhaps bordering on compulsively) to learn how to drop their OCD distress down. And, at first glance, this thought could seem comforting - if we tell ourselves, “don’t worry, none of your thoughts are true,” then that should just solve it all. Right?
But here’s the truth: telling yourself that every intrusive thought is a lie can actually make OCD worse.
Reassurance is like rocket fuel for the OCD cycle. It keeps your brain searching for certainty, for a black-and-white answer to something that’s inherently gray.
If you’ve ever Googled “OCD therapist near me” or “panic disorder treatment near me,” chances are, you’re trying to figure out how to make the thoughts stop. But the real goal of OCD therapy isn’t to get rid of intrusive thoughts. It’s to learn to live well, even while they’re hanging around.
The Truth About “The Truth”
Intrusive thoughts aren’t moral statements or prophecies. They’re just thoughts — weird, random, sometimes dark — and all humans have them. The difference is that people with OCD tend to assign meaning to those thoughts.
As one Reddit user wisely said:
“It’s not helpful to think of intrusive thoughts as always lies. We need to be okay with uncertainty in order to live a more normal life.”
That’s the key right there — learning to live with uncertainty.
Because certainty? It’s kind of an illusion anyway. Nothing in life is 100% guaranteed — your roof could literally fall in tomorrow (hopefully not, but still).
So if we accept that nothing is ever fully certain, the question goes from, “How do I make these thoughts go away?” to
“How do I live fully while they’re here?”
That’s exactly what Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy helps you do. If you’ve been searching for “therapy for OCD near me,” ERP is the gold-standard treatment backed by research and decades of success stories.
Intrusive vs. Impulsive Thoughts (And Why Context Matters)
When you’re starting OCD treatment, it can feel like every uncomfortable thought must be intrusive. But context matters.
Some thoughts are just… weird. They pop up, they pass. Others feel charged — they stick because they touch something important or scary. Those are the ones that pull us into the “figure it out” spiral.
But here’s where you start breaking the cycle: you can stop the compulsion before it starts.
A thought is just a thought — not a truth, not a danger, not a reflection of who you are.
With practice (especially through ERP therapy), those thoughts lose their grip. You’re literally rewiring your brain to respond differently! I often tell clients that forming new neural pathways is like hacking your way through the jungle with a machete: it’s hard at first, but the more you walk that path, the clearer it gets.
That’s neuroplasticity — your brain’s built-in ability to change and heal! And it’s what we use in ERP therapy to help you get your life back.
“Maybe, Maybe Not” — and When It Becomes a Compulsion
Continuing our conversation, someone on R/OCD subreddit asked: “How does one just let an intrusive thought be? The more I say ‘maybe, maybe not,’ the more it stays stuck.”
And this is an excellent question because that writer is correct - sometimes we focus so much on the ‘prescription’ for the problem, that it becomes our new compulsion.
“Maybe, maybe not” is a classic ERP phrase to help you tolerate uncertainty. But if you’re saying it only to feel better or make the thought stop, it can become a mental compulsion. Your brain knows what you’re trying to do - get the real immediately, whether or not you actually believe the statement you’re telling yourself. So - shocker - your brain’s too smart to buy that!
The shift happens when “maybe, maybe not” becomes a posture, not a trick — “Yep, this feels awful. I don’t know the answer. And I can live with that.” That’s what ERP therapy teaches you — not how to erase the discomfort, but how to sit with it without letting it run your life.
“I Don’t Care.” (Kind of.)
One Reddit user said something I loved: “If I tell myself ‘I don’t care’ enough, it gives the thought less power.” It sounds irreverent, but it’s genius. It’s not reassurance — it’s detachment.
At first, saying “I don’t care” might feel fake. But over time, it becomes genuine. You’re practicing what it’s like to not engage with the thought at all.
And as strange as it sounds — pretending you don’t care is often how you start to truly not care. That’s recovery in motion.
It’s the Climb (Literally)
To quote the great Miley Cyrus: It’s the climb.
OCD recovery isn’t fast. It’s nonlinear, messy, sometimes frustrating — but always worth it. Each time you sit with uncertainty instead of chasing reassurance, you’re strengthening new neural pathways. You’re proving to your brain that you can feel anxious and still live your life.
And that’s what real freedom looks like.
OCD therapy isn’t about getting rid of your thoughts - it’s about getting your life back from them.
Ready to Find Freedom from OCD?
If you’ve been searching for OCD therapy in Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, Clarksville, or anywhere in Tennessee, you don’t have to do it alone.
At Emboldened Therapy, we specialize in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and mindfulness-based approaches to help you:
Stop the reassurance and rumination loop
Build calm and confidence in uncertainty
Reconnect with joy, purpose, and creativity
You deserve a life that’s not ruled by anxiety or “what ifs.” Book a free phone consultation to learn more about OCD and ERP therapy in Tennessee and start taking back your life - today!