How to Control OCD‐Related Habits
Work with an experienced therapist., Understand your options for treatment., Commit to a delaying period., Listen to your worries over and over.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Work with an experienced therapist.
The process of gaining control of your OCD can be challenging.
It is best to do this under the supervision of a mental health provider who has experience treating OCD and other anxiety disorders.
Locate a therapist in your area by asking your doctor for a referral or searching online.Your therapist will be able to help you better understand your specific kind of OCD so you can understand your symptoms better.
The International OCD Foundation can also be a great resource to understand your specific disorder more completely. -
Step 2: Understand your options for treatment.
OCD is usually treated with a combination of therapy and medications that help keep your anxiety under control.
Talk to your mental health care provider to determine which treatment approach is right for you.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves identifying anxiety-provoking thoughts and challenging their validity.
This type of therapy has been shown to be most effective in treating OCD.
A type of CBT called exposure and response prevention is also effective.
It involves gradually exposing yourself to your fears until they cause less anxiety.
One class of medications, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), seems to work best in treating OCD symptoms.There are also natural vitamins, such as Inositol, which have been shown to reduce troubling symptoms., In addition to distracting or soothing yourself in response to OCD obsessions, it can help to resist urges for a short time.
The typical scenario consists of you having obsessive thoughts that lead to you wanting to carry out compulsions, or rituals.
Try to postpone your compulsions for a short period of time to get better control of these habits.Tell yourself you will not engage in the compulsion until 15 minutes have elapsed.
In the meantime, do something to distract or soothe yourself.
Once the time passes, determine if you still feel the need to perform the ritual.
You may find that the urge has faded. , Your OCD is often exacerbated because you may desperately try to avoid your fears.
You think if you don’t lock the door, someone will break in.
Therefore, you constantly worry about the door being locked.
Instead of avoiding, expose yourself to the situation.For example, focus on a worry that tends to spark OCD-related habits like forgetting to lock your door.
Record yourself describing this fear in detail.
Then, listen to the recording over and over again.
Over time, you may find that you don’t feel as anxious when you hear the fear-inducing story. -
Step 3: Commit to a delaying period.
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Step 4: Listen to your worries over and over.
Detailed Guide
The process of gaining control of your OCD can be challenging.
It is best to do this under the supervision of a mental health provider who has experience treating OCD and other anxiety disorders.
Locate a therapist in your area by asking your doctor for a referral or searching online.Your therapist will be able to help you better understand your specific kind of OCD so you can understand your symptoms better.
The International OCD Foundation can also be a great resource to understand your specific disorder more completely.
OCD is usually treated with a combination of therapy and medications that help keep your anxiety under control.
Talk to your mental health care provider to determine which treatment approach is right for you.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves identifying anxiety-provoking thoughts and challenging their validity.
This type of therapy has been shown to be most effective in treating OCD.
A type of CBT called exposure and response prevention is also effective.
It involves gradually exposing yourself to your fears until they cause less anxiety.
One class of medications, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), seems to work best in treating OCD symptoms.There are also natural vitamins, such as Inositol, which have been shown to reduce troubling symptoms., In addition to distracting or soothing yourself in response to OCD obsessions, it can help to resist urges for a short time.
The typical scenario consists of you having obsessive thoughts that lead to you wanting to carry out compulsions, or rituals.
Try to postpone your compulsions for a short period of time to get better control of these habits.Tell yourself you will not engage in the compulsion until 15 minutes have elapsed.
In the meantime, do something to distract or soothe yourself.
Once the time passes, determine if you still feel the need to perform the ritual.
You may find that the urge has faded. , Your OCD is often exacerbated because you may desperately try to avoid your fears.
You think if you don’t lock the door, someone will break in.
Therefore, you constantly worry about the door being locked.
Instead of avoiding, expose yourself to the situation.For example, focus on a worry that tends to spark OCD-related habits like forgetting to lock your door.
Record yourself describing this fear in detail.
Then, listen to the recording over and over again.
Over time, you may find that you don’t feel as anxious when you hear the fear-inducing story.
About the Author
Jack Wood
Enthusiastic about teaching lifestyle techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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