“Taboo obsessions” occur when our thinking is consumed by unwanted thoughts of an unacceptable nature (i.e., repugnant or violent thoughts). Given that much of the recent psychological research has operated from a cognitive-behavioral viewpoint, unacceptable thoughts are understood to be “cognitive distortions” that result from assigning too much significance to such thoughts. This article puts forth the perspective that taboo obsessions reflect a state of the self, prone to fragmentation states. These fragmentation states, according to this shift in focus, are conceptualized as unformulated experiences, which accounts for the distressing relational containment. A brief clinical example illustrates the application of these concepts in treatment and highlights the need to expand intervention options beyond cognitive-behavioral therapy.