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Mariners defeat Astros, Minute Maid Park, old behavior patterns, magical thinking itself

We probably all have some experience with magical thinking: the belief what we do (or think, or believe, or rituals we engage with, etc.) can influence events outside of ourselves. Many of these magical beliefs fall away as we move out of childhood and collect enough information to understand that stepping on a crack will not, in fact, break anyone’s back, but some stubborn, deep-held beliefs persist: maybe you make a wish at 11:11, or say “rabbit rabbit” first thing on the first day of each month, or believe in supply-side economics. No judgement here.

But there’s a point where magical thinking can turn toxic, specifically when the thoughts become intrusive, as is often the case with OCD and other disorders, or when those long-inured beliefs prevent people from breaking out of patterns that might inhibit growth or be outright harmful.