Cognitive defusion is a concept from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that helps us create space between ourselves and our thoughts—especially distressing ones. When OCD presents intrusive thoughts, it often makes them feel urgent, personal, and absolutely true. But thoughts are just thoughts, not commands, facts, or reflections of who we are. Defusion techniques help us see them for what they are: mental events, not reality.
Step one: Let’s Try It Out:
Bring to Mind an OCD Obsession or Intrusive Thought.
It might sound like:
“I am a bad person.”
“I am dangerous.”
“I am failing as a parent.”
“I am a burden,”
“I am a failure,”
“I am alone,”
“I am miserable.”
“I can’t cope.”
Step two: Step Into the Thought Fully for a Moment.
Try believing it as much as you can for just 10 seconds. Notice how it feels in your body and mind.
Now, Create Some Distance.
Instead of saying the thought as fact, rephrase it:
“I’m having the thought that I am a bad person.”
What do you notice? It probably feels a little less overwhelming already.
Step three: Add Even More Distance.
“I am noticing that I’m having the thought that I am a bad person.”
This small change helps you see the thought as just that—a thought, not an ultimate truth.
Additional Ways to Defuse Thoughts
OCD loves to make thoughts feel heavy, but defusion helps us lighten the load. Here are some playful ways to take the power out of an intrusive thought:
Say it in a Funny Voice: Try saying the thought in a goofy accent, like Matthew McConaughey. Pro tip: Just add, “Alright, alright, alright” at the end.
Channel your inner Harry Potter and use the “Riddikulus” Spell: Imagine the thought turning into something absurd, like a cartoon version of itself.
Make a Pop Culture Remix: What if David Rose from Schitt’s Creek dramatically complained about your thoughts? What if Elsa sang it in Let It Go?
Defusion doesn’t mean getting rid of thoughts—it means seeing them for what they really are. Thoughts come and go, but they don’t define us. You are not your thoughts, and OCD and anxiety don’t get to tell you who you are.
