Why Do I Keep Having These Thoughts? 11 Common Intrusive Thoughts in OCD (That You’re Not Alone In)

OCD

A woman with brown hair in a ponytail, who has OCD and intrusive thoughts, is blowing soap bubbles outdoors. She holds a green bubble wand near her mouth, surrounded by green grass and blurred trees in the background.

“Why am I thinking this?”

“What does it mean that I had that thought?”

“What kind of person thinks something like this?”

If you’ve ever Googled a question like that in the middle of a spiral — you’re not alone.

In fact, you’re exactly the person this blog was written for.

OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) doesn’t always look like cleaning or checking things. It often shows up as disturbing, unwanted thoughts — about violence, sex, religion, morality, identity, your body, and more.

These are called intrusive thoughts — and for many people, they’re the scariest and most isolating part of OCD. But here’s the truth:

Intrusive thoughts are common. And just because you think it doesn’t mean you want it, believe it, or will act on it.

In this blog, you’ll find real-life examples of intrusive thoughts across different OCD themes — written the way people actually search and experience them.

What Are Intrusive Thoughts in OCD?

Intrusive thoughts are unwanted, repetitive thoughts or mental images that cause distress. They’re often violent, sexual, blasphemous, or disturbing — and they feel like they say something terrible about you.

In OCD, these thoughts trigger compulsions: mental or physical rituals you do to try to neutralize them, feel safe again, or “make sure” you’re not the person your thoughts suggest you are.

Common OCD Intrusive Thoughts by Theme

Important: The language in these examples are more specific to adults with OCD. A pediatric version of this blog is coming soon, which will cover how these same fears show up in children and teens.

Harm OCD

Common intrusive thoughts:

  • What if I stab my dad with a steak knife?
  • What if I drop my baby down the stairs — and liked it?
  • What if I poison my child when I cook?
  • What if I drive off the road into a mountain?
  • What if I caused a plane to crash because I didn’t do a ritual?
  • What if I hit someone while driving and left them alone to die?

Typical compulsions:

  • Avoiding knives, stairs, or driving
  • Mental review of past actions for signs of danger
  • Reassurance-seeking (“Could I ever hurt someone?”)

Sexual Intrusive Thoughts OCD

Common intrusive thoughts:

  • What if I’ve spent my life believing I’m attracted to men but am actually a lesbian? 
  • What if I’m sexually attracted to children — am I a monster?
  • Why do I keep picturing my mom naked?
  • What if I’m secretly a pedophile?
  • Why do I have sexual thoughts about my pet?

Typical compulsions:

  • Avoiding children, pets, or partners
  • Repetitive checking of physical arousal or feelings
  • Reassurance-seeking about identity or morality

Contamination OCD

Common intrusive thoughts:

  • What if I get HIV from a public restroom?
  • What if my house is full of mold and killing us slowly?
  • What if I touched something dirty and now everything’s contaminated?
  • I washed my hands, but what if it wasn’t enough?

Typical compulsions:

  • Excessive washing, cleaning, or sanitizing
  • Avoidance of public spaces or certain rooms
  • Asking others to test or inspect items

Relationship OCD (ROCD)

Common intrusive thoughts:

  • What if I don’t love my partner anymore?
  • What if I’m attracted to someone else and don’t realize it?
  • What if I’m staying in this relationship out of guilt?
  • What if I want to cheat?

Typical compulsions:

  • Comparing your partner to others
  • Mentally reviewing past interactions
  • Confessing or asking for reassurance

Emotional Contamination OCD

Common intrusive thoughts:

  • What if I become like that person I don’t respect?
  • If I wear the color green, will I absorb their traits?
  • That year (2019, for example) feels “gross” — what if I’m contaminated by it?
  • What if seeing someone I dislike makes me permanently change?

Typical compulsions:

  • Avoiding colors, years, people, or names
  • Mental “cleansing” rituals
  • Repetitive avoidance of reminders

Existential OCD

Common intrusive thoughts:

  • What if life has no meaning?
  • What happens after death — what if it never ends?
  • How do I know I’m even alive right now?
  • What if I’m wasting my life by not living “right”?

Typical compulsions:

  • Googling spiritual or philosophical answers
  • Avoiding deep conversations or media
  • Mental spirals to try to “feel” the meaning

Health OCD

Common intrusive thoughts:

  • What if I have cancer and no one’s caught it yet?
  • What if this headache is actually a brain tumor?
  • What if I’m developing schizophrenia or Alzheimer’s?
  • What if my child has a rare disease and I’m missing it?

Typical compulsions:

  • Excessive doctor visits or checking
  • Constant Googling of symptoms
  • Body scanning and reassurance-seeking

Magical Thinking / Responsibility OCD

Common intrusive thoughts:

  • If I don’t clean this perfectly, someone I love could die.
  • If I mess up this ritual, it could cause a disaster.
  • What if my thoughts alone can harm people?
  • What if I’m secretly responsible for something terrible?

Typical compulsions:

  • Repeating actions “just right”
  • Avoiding tasks that might trigger “bad luck”
  • Mental review of rituals or intentions

Sensorimotor OCD

Common intrusive thoughts:

  • What if I never stop noticing my blinking?
  • What if this sound in my ear never goes away?
  • What if I can’t stop thinking about swallowing?
  • What if I always feel the need to pee?

Typical compulsions:

  • Trying to “block out” awareness
  • Reassurance-seeking (“Do you notice your breath too?”)
  • Avoiding quiet environments

Scrupulosity / Moral OCD

Common intrusive thoughts:

  • What if I’m not a good enough Christian/Jew/Muslim?
  • What if God is mad at me?
  • What if I sinned and forgot to repent?
  • What if I’m secretly a bad person and don’t realize it?
  • What if I’ve offended someone and ruined their life?

Typical compulsions:

  • Repeating prayers or rituals
  • Excessive confessing
  • Reviewing intentions or seeking reassurance

Symmetry & “Just Right” OCD

Common intrusive thoughts:

  • What if my body never feels symmetrical?
  • What if I always notice one side more than the other?
  • That object is crooked — I can’t move on until it’s fixed.
  • If I step on one crack, I need to step on another.
  • I won’t be able to stop feeling anxious until this feels  “just right”.

Typical compulsions:

  • Evening things out on both sides
  • Rewriting or rearranging items until they feel “right”
  • Getting stuck organizing or repeating actions

Final Thought: These Thoughts Aren’t Who You Are — But They Are OCD

If you recognized yourself anywhere in this post, please know this: you are not alone. You’re not “too far gone.” And you’re absolutely not the only person who’s had that exact thought.

These are symptoms of OCD — and they are treatable with the right therapy.

At Outsmarting Anxiety & OCD, we specialize in treating intrusive thoughts and OCD with:

  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

We offer:

  • Virtual therapy across Arizona
  • In-person OCD therapy in Phoenix
  • Therapists who specialize in intrusive thoughts, ERP, and OCD at every age

Book a free 15-minute phone consult to get matched with your best-fit therapist.

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We work with children ages 6+, teens, adults and families who are affected by anxiety and OCD.

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