Need help managing your OCD? Read on to discover how to cope with obsessions and compulsions the right way.
What is OCD?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, also known as OCD, is a condition that affects roughly 1 in 100 people . It is characterised by unwanted thoughts, urges, and obsessions which can cause you severe anxiety.
To control this anxiety and prevent certain perceived negative outcomes from happening, you feel the strong need to perform behaviours compulsively.
Some of the most common obsessions include fear of germs or contamination, negative or harmful thoughts on a loop, or a need to keep objects in their world in a very ordered fashion.
This can be a disruptive influence on your daily life, however there are a variety of treatments able to help you if you are suffering from OCD.
In this guide, we will teach you some of the techniques to help in managing OCD symptoms, including effective OCD self-help strategies, which can help you develop healthy routines versus compulsive rituals.
Managing the symptoms of OCD
Self-care for OCD is not the same for everybody, and what works for one person may not suit you.
As the compulsions can be so ingrained in daily life, it can be difficult to break the cycle, but if one technique doesn’t work for you, then try something else.
Remember that you need to prioritise joy in OCD self‑care, and the ultimate aim is to make you happier and less stressed as you learn how to manage your OCD.
1. How to handle intrusive thoughts
Intrusive thoughts can be distressing at times, and it can cause anxiety if you are not able to effectively deal with them. Here are some tips to help you manage them:
Most people experience thoughts they’d rather not have, and it’s important not to just push them away as a reflex. You can name them and highlight them so you can recognise that they are uncharacteristic, negative, and can be harmful, which will, in turn, give you power over them.
Remember that a thought is just that; you don’t have to agree with it or give it priority in your daily thinking and you don’t need to act on it. You don’t need to seek an explanation for every feeling you have, and often, thoughts are not as straightforward as they seem.
Another key factor in dealing with intrusive thoughts is the ability to accept a degree of uncertainty in your life. Everybody has doubts, but knowing that you can’t control certain things can be liberating rather than restrictive, so practice mindfulness for intrusive thoughts.
2. Learn to cope with your compulsions
The first thing to help you cope with OCD is being aware of your compulsions. Sometimes they can be helpful, such as to help us work or to clean the house, but you need to recognise the fine line between something being good for you, and a compulsion being obsessive.
You can discern a compulsion from a normal, helpful instinct, as it will have the following characteristics:
You feel you need to do it urgently
You get distressed if you are not able to do it
You think you must do it, but don’t understand why
You feel like you can’t control whether or not you carry it out
You feel much better after doing it, but then feel the desire to do it again
You might get embarrassed about doing it, but you can’t seem to stop yourself
There are three techniques you can use to resist the compulsion: reduce the number of times you do it, or delay it for a longer period of time.
Resisting compulsions: when the compulsion comes, sit for a while with your feelings without carrying out the compulsion. It is likely to cause mild anxiety at first, but this feeling will pass and get easier every time.
Reducing compulsions: if you usually complete compulsions a certain number of times, try doing it just one less time each time, or one more time to break the fixation. Don’t swap out one compulsion with another, and keep track of how effective they are.
Delaying compulsions: compulsions make you feel as if you need to do something then and there, but if you can delay it for even a short amount of time, you are building resilience to not giving in immediately to the compulsion, empowering you.
3. Try to distract yourself from the situation
Make a conscious effort not to focus on the compulsion, and put yourself in a different situation so you cannot complete it, such as going for a walk, doing your favourite hobby or watching an engaging TV programme to distract yourself.
When you feel yourself drifting back to the compulsion, refocus your mind on the activity to re-centre yourself and take your mind off it.
Try visualisation to distract your overactive thought processes, such as imagining your compulsion is some kind of animal that you don’t want to let out, or that it is separate from you and you can shelve it away, or store it in a box so it can’t affect you.
Think of your thoughts as waves that come and appear big, but they can wash over you and disappear after a short while.
4. Discover how to look after yourself
Looking after #1 with self-care is a key concept for overcoming OCD. You can complete exercise for anxiety and OCD relief as you are focusing on your physical body rather than your mental state.
Sleep and OCD relief are closely tied together, so remember to get at least 8 hours per night, or more if you need it.
When trying to cope with OCD, you shouldn’t drink alcohol or take drugs, and reducing substance use with OCD can help you stay in the right frame of mind you need to conquer it.
Reach out for help today
Living with obsessive-compulsive disorder / OCD can be debilitating, however it is a treatable disorder. We at the Wellbeing Centre London are able to help with any kind of OCD problems you may be having, and we are experienced in a range of techniques such as talking therapy and CBT for OCD to assist you in your journey.
To book your first session or arrange an initial consultation to discuss how we can help please call our team on 07942 626960 or 0800 8611 239, or contact us by email at contact@wellbeingcentrelondon.com.
We provide a Free 15 minutes confidential conversation to help you find the right practitioner to suit your needs, which is a vital a successful therapeutic relationship.
Sessions are held Online or Face to Face at our therapy rooms in Putney or Fulham, South West London.
Give us a call on 07942 626960 or 0800 8611 239, or reach out to us by email at contact@wellbeingcentrelondon.com
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