Calm the chaos: Meditation can help reduce obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours

Did I lock the door? Did I turn off the gas? What if I missed sending that report? What if something bad happens tonight? Many of us are familiar with these typically unpleasant thoughts that keep lingering on in our minds. These thoughts come out of nowhere and are almost impossible to turn off. The heart starts pounding, the stomach tightens and one feels a knot that is hard to explain.

Many people check the lock twice before they leave home but on some days, they tend to check it ten times. And yet, the doubt stays and whispers internally, what if they still missed something? Similarly, some wash their hands repeatedly, even though they did so an hour back. They simply aren’t satisfied and what is worse, their fear does not fade; it only grows.

For many people, such obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions become an exhausting routine that slowly take control of their daily lives. Some might spend hours checking, counting, cleaning and even replaying situations in their mind, trying to find relief that never truly comes. Over time, this constant mental noise can lead to anxiety, sleepless nights and even a feeling of helplessness.

Although the mind may seem like a storm one cannot escape, with the right approach and technique, peace is possible. One powerful and natural way to find that peace is through meditation. Meditation helps one slow down and observe one’s own thoughts without reacting to them. It gently brings one back to the present moment. At first, it may feel difficult, but with practice, meditation can teach one to see thoughts for what they are; just thoughts, not facts. Slowly and steadily, one can start to notice that they aren’t necessarily acting on every fearful idea that passes through their mind.

In fact, studies support this method too. According to research published in the National Library of Medicine, people who combined meditation-based therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder showed greater improvement than those who took only medication. The study also found that meditation helped reduce symptoms and bring a sense of balance and control.

So, while meditation may not erase our fear completely, it can give us the strength to face it bravely with patience and calm. Over time, what once felt loud and endless can become something with very little power over us.

So, join us as we explore how one can reduce obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours through meditation.

Creates a pause

Sometimes, our minds just won’t stop. The same thought may keep repeating itself—like what if I fail my exams? What if something bad happens? These endless worries can be exhausting. They can take away one’s peace and make it hard to focus or relax. One might find oneself reacting without even thinking. Things like checking, cleaning or counting again and again to feel safe have been commonly observed in those who have such compulsive thoughts. And this is where meditation can help.

Buddhist monk Ajahn Brahm states, “Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight.” Just like exercise strengthens one’s body, meditation strengthens the mind. It teaches one to pause, to take a breath before reacting to any thought. This small moment of awareness helps one to choose calm over panic. Over time, this pause becomes one’s true strength, helping them break the cycle of obsessive thoughts and giving back control.

Calms the mind and body

Intrusive thoughts are known to be overwhelming. According to American psychiatrist Dr. Jenys Allende, certain mental health disorders like OCD bring thoughts that create anxiety and stress along with overthinking. When the mind is tense or at unease, these thoughts become even more pronounced and harder to ignore. Meditation helps soften this intensity by relaxing both the mind and the body.

When we sit quietly and take slow, steady breaths, our heartbeat eases, our muscles loosen and the noise in our mind starts to fade. Little by little, we begin to feel more grounded and less shaken by these thoughts. And with regular practice, meditation makes it easier to handle these moments with clarity instead of panic. Steadily but surely, it starts to give us a sense of calm when intrusive thoughts try to take over or distract us from what’s real or desirable.

Builds kindness towards self

When an individual struggles with obsessive thoughts, it’s easy to blame oneself or feel embarrassed about what they’re going through. Many people also feel guilty for not being able to stop thinking or repeating certain habits. Meditation gently shifts such troubled mindsets by teaching self-compassion or the act of treating oneself with the same understanding one would offer someone they care about.

As the American scientist, writer and meditation teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn states, “It is indeed a radical act of love just to sit down and be quiet for a time by yourself.” Indeed, taking a moment to sit with our thoughts is a form of kindness. Armed with meditation, one can learn to look at one’s fears with patience instead of judgement. It has the power to soften the harshest of inner voices, thus helping one face obsessive thoughts and behaviours more confidently.

Helps notice thoughts without reacting

One of the most valuable things that meditation can teach us is how to watch our thoughts without getting pulled into them. Instead of contesting such thoughts, fearing them or trying to push them away, one can learn to simply notice them, almost like watching clouds drift past. Developing this kind of awareness can establish the fact that thoughts are not commands, that they are not facts, and that one doesn’t need to control them. American meditation teacher Shinzen Young explains this beautifully when he says, “The medicine for that is to remember that the main goal in meditation is not to get to certain good states, but rather to eliminate what gets in the way of those good states. If you do that, those good states will be available any time you wish.” By learning to remove the fear and tension around such thoughts, meditation helps us to defeat them.

Gradually, one can learn to become comfortable sitting with uncomfortable thoughts without reacting to them.

Trains mind to stay steady

Meditation helps us build mental strength, the kind that keeps us steady even when we are feeling overwhelmed with our thoughts. In the beginning of our practice, our mind may wander every few seconds and staying focused might feel almost impossible. But with regular practice, our attention can become stronger and we can learn how to stay present instead of getting pulled into obsessive thoughts or urges.

As British podcaster, author and life coach Jay Shetty wisely says, “The most promising time to meditate [is] when the circumstances [are] the most challenging, the environment the most bumpy and noisy…Mindfulness isn’t training to be present in peaceful places. It’s about practicing presence in all kinds of situations, including those that are the most difficult. Distracting circumstances, even intense ones.” This is especially true for people dealing with obsessive thoughts and behaviours — meditation trains one’s mind to stay calm and resist compulsive behaviours while simultaneously enhancing one’s wellbeing. 

While meditation doesn’t make one’s difficult thoughts disappear overnight, it changes how one reacts to them. By pausing, calming the mind, being kind to oneself and learning to observe without reacting, one can learn to weaken the hold of obsessive thoughts and compulsive habits over them.