The present invention refers to a method for operating a wind turbine, the wind turbine particularly comprising a tower and a rotor with rotor blades. The pitch angles of the rotor blades are adjusted to generate a force on the rotor and the tower. The force is adjusted to counteract and damp an oscillation. The adjustment is enabled by an activation decision unit, if the activation decision unit decides that certain parameters characterising the oscillation or loads of the tower indicate a requirement and/or if the activation decision unit determines that the generated force is sufficient to counteract an oscillation of the tower. In various embodiments the parameters characterising the oscillation or loads of the tower comprise current oscillations and their amplitude, an estimate of loads incurred in the turbine structure, an estimate whether damping in the near future might become necessary, an indication whether a different oscillation damping algorithm than individual blade pitch control is currently performing, and an indication whether a wind speed is above a certain portion of a rated wind speed.