What is OCD?
At the most basic level, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that involves persistent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions). These obsessions and compulsions can interfere with daily life, making it challenging to focus on anything else.
OCD isn’t about being “neat” or “organized”; it’s about dealing with intrusive thoughts that cause significant distress and performing rituals to try to ease that distress.
OCD manifests in various ways, and it’s different for everyone. Common obsessions include fears of contamination, needing things to be symmetrical or in a perfect order, or having intrusive thoughts about harm or taboo subjects (like sex or violence). Compulsions might involve excessive cleaning, checking, counting, or repeating actions to feel “just right.”
Symptoms of OCD
It is incredibly common to experience minor obsessions such as worrying about whether we have locked the front door, or left the gas on, but they do not prevent us from getting on with our day-to-day lives.
OCD latches on to the things in your life that are most important to you, destroying your sense of happiness, safety, and freedom. When left untreated, OCD shrinks your world, your connection with others, and your ability to live by your values.
Whilst OCD typically shows up as mental symptoms, it can also have physical effects. The stress and anxiety from obsessions and compulsions can lead to fatigue, muscle tension, and trouble sleeping. Additionally, the physical strain of performing compulsions can cause issues (like skin irritation from too much washing or repetitive strain injuries from doing the same actions over and over and over).
On top of that, people with OCD often deal with a lot of cognitive and emotional distress. They might feel constantly uneasy or scared, feel like they can’t control their thoughts, and struggle with intense feelings of guilt or shame related to their obsessions. Compulsive behaviors, although intended to reduce anxiety, often cause more emotional distress and trap people in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions.
You may also notice that your OCD symptoms become worse when you are under stress. These symptoms will vary, and you may have all, some or just one of them:
- Time-Consuming Rituals: Spending an excessive amount of time on compulsive behaviors, often several hours a day, which interferes with daily activities and responsibilities.
- Severe Anxiety: Experiencing intense anxiety or distress when unable to perform compulsions or when obsessions are triggered.
- Avoidance: Avoiding places, people, or situations that trigger obsessions and compulsions, leading to significant lifestyle restrictions.
- Impact on Relationships: Struggling with relationships due to the need for constant reassurance, repeated questioning, or the imposition of strict rules and rituals on others.
- Difficulty at Work or School: Finding it hard to concentrate, complete tasks, or meet deadlines because of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
- Physical Symptoms: Experiencing physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or muscle tension due to the constant stress and anxiety caused by OCD.
- Interference with Daily Tasks: Simple daily activities, such as getting dressed, eating, or leaving the house, become prolonged and difficult because of the need to perform rituals.
- Perfectionism: Struggling with an extreme need for things to be perfect or done in a specific way, causing delays and frustration.
- Irrational Beliefs: Holding irrational beliefs about the consequences of not performing compulsions, such as believing that harm will come to oneself or others.
- Emotional Distress: Feeling a pervasive sense of guilt, shame, or self-doubt related to obsessive thoughts and the inability to control them.
- Intrusive Thoughts: Having persistent, unwanted thoughts that are disturbing, violent, or taboo, causing significant emotional distress.
- Checking Behaviors: Repeatedly checking things like locks, appliances, or personal items to the point where it disrupts daily life.
- Hoarding: Accumulating unnecessary items and being unable to discard them, which can lead to cluttered and unsafe living conditions.
- Mental Compulsions: Engaging in mental rituals such as counting, praying, or repeating phrases to neutralize obsessive thoughts, even if these rituals are not visible to others.
- Lack of Control: Feeling unable to control obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors, despite recognizing that they are excessive or irrational.
- Sleep Disturbances: Experiencing trouble falling or staying asleep because of obsessive thoughts or the need to perform rituals before bed.
- Impact on Self-Esteem: Suffering from low self-esteem or self-worth due to the constant struggle with OCD symptoms.
“No amount of security is worth the suffering of a mediocre life chained to a routine that has killed your dreams.”
Healing your OCD (not just coping or managing!)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a modern, evidence-based approach to psychotherapy that combines mindfulness skills with the practice of self-acceptance. ACT helps individuals live and behave in ways consistent with personal values whilst developing psychological flexibility.
Rather than trying to eliminate difficult feelings, ACT encourages embracing them as part of a meaningful life. OCD can be incredibly challenging, with intrusive thoughts and compulsions taking over daily life. ACT offers a unique approach to healing OCD by focusing on acceptance and mindfulness rather than attempting to suppress or eliminate obsessions and compulsions.
Here’s how ACT can help:
- Acceptance: Instead of fighting against unwanted thoughts and feelings, ACT teaches you to accept them. This doesn’t mean you like them, but you learn to coexist with them without letting them control your actions.
- Cognitive Defusion: ACT helps you change the way you relate to your thoughts. By seeing thoughts as just thoughts—not facts—you can reduce their power over you. Techniques include observing your thoughts without judgment and using metaphors to create distance from them.
- Mindfulness: Mindfulness is about being present in the moment without judgment. ACT incorporates mindfulness practices to help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings in a non-reactive way, reducing the urge to engage in compulsive behaviors.
- Values Clarification: ACT encourages you to identify and connect with your core values—the things that matter most to you. By focusing on what you truly value, you can make choices that align with those values, even when faced with challenging thoughts and feelings.
- Committed Action: ACT helps you commit to actions that are in line with your values, despite the presence of OCD-related thoughts and urges. This involves setting realistic goals and taking small, manageable steps towards them.
“The focus of ACT for OCD is to help clients get to a place where they can openly experience thoughts, feelings, or bodily sensations, not be overly impacted by them, and continue to move in directions in life that are meaningful. The benefit of this approach is that a reduction in obsessions and anxiety is not necessary to begin changing one’s actions. From the ACT point of view, the problem with OCD is not that obsessions and compulsions occur, but that every time an obsession occurs the compulsion follows. ACT aims to teach the flexibility to engage in an unlimited number of responses when the obsession is there. There is a way to keep working, play with the kids, eat dinner, talk with a friend, or engage in whatever the chosen activity is ,while experiencing the obsession. This involves experiencing obsessions for what they are (just words in one’s head and words are not dangerous), making room for them as just another experience, and moving forward in directions that are meaningful while the obsessions are there. If this is practiced enough, eventually it becomes easy and the precise thought or feeling that shows up does not interfere with one’s actions. There is a way to experience obsessions AND do what is important in life.” (International OCD Foundation)
What's One More Hard Thing??
Working with a therapist who practices ACT, you’ll engage in various exercises and techniques designed to help you accept your thoughts and feelings, reduce the power of your obsessions and compulsions, and live a life guided by your values. Here’s a glimpse of what therapy together might look like:
- Initial Assessment: We’ll start by understanding your specific OCD symptoms, how they impact your life, and what your personal values are. This helps tailor the therapy to your unique needs.
- Mindfulness Training: You’ll learn mindfulness practices that help you stay present and observe your thoughts without judgment. These skills are foundational in reducing the intensity of OCD symptoms.
- Cognitive Defusion Exercises: We’ll practice techniques to help you see your thoughts as separate from yourself. This might involve visualizing your thoughts floating away like leaves on a stream or labeling your thoughts to create distance.
- Values Exploration: Together, we’ll explore what truly matters to you. Understanding your values provides motivation and direction for making meaningful changes in your life.
- Committed Action Planning: We’ll set specific, value-driven goals and create an action plan to achieve them. This involves taking steps that align with your values, even when it’s difficult.
Okay, I'm in! Let's do it!
If you’re ready to take back control of your life, I’m here to help.
With a modern, relational approach, we’ll work together to find techniques that fit your life, values, and personality.
You don’t have to fight OCD alone – let’s tackle it together and pave the way to a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Contact me today to schedule an appointment and start your journey towards the life that feels good.
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