Just got back from the International OCD Foundation Conference. If you haven’t heard of it and you struggle with OCD—or love someone who does—make sure you check out their website. It’s filled with valuable information about OCD, OC-related disorders, and helpful resources not only for adults but also for kids, teens, and everyone in between!
I had the opportunity to be part of the panel that opened the conference: The State of OCD 2025. We were asked a variety of questions related to our roles—whether as clinicians, individuals with lived experience, or caregivers. I shared my thoughts both as a clinician and also as a mother of someone diagnosed with OCD. And my message remains the same: There is always hope.
There are evidence-based practices you can engage in with your treatment provider that will help you start living with meaning, vitality, and joy—even with OCD present. It is possible! As a mother of a son with OCD, I’ve seen firsthand how effective treatment can transform a life. And as a clinician, I’ve witnessed countless individuals—adults, teens, and children—move forward with their lives, because they’ve learned how to respond to unwanted and unpleasant thoughts, feelings, and other internal experiences related to OCD.
To help you hold onto H-O-P-E, here are a few reminders:
Hold on to your dreams—even with OCD around.
Ask yourself:
- What did I used to enjoy before OCD showed up?
- What matters most to me?
- What do I want my life to be about, even when OCD is present?
Do you really need to spend your precious time trying to get rid of OCD—or can you choose to start living despite it?
Some of you might say:
“OCD has been there since I was a kid. I don’t know joy.”“OCD has clouded what I used to enjoy. I don’t remember joy because of OCD.”
Yes, it’s hard—and though we may wish OCD would disappear, maybe what needs to shift first is how we relate to it.
Start by keeping a small log of activities that create even a flicker of joy or meaning in your heart. Even if the moment lasts just seconds, notice:
- What were you doing?
- Who were you with?
- Why did it matter to you?
As you collect these moments over a week or two, you’ll begin to rediscover what truly matters. And when OCD starts whispering, “You can’t do this,” or giving you all kinds of unhelpful reasons not to engage, you can answer:
“I care about this, and I’m doing it—even if it’s scary. You are nothing more than a thought, OCD!”
Will you be willing to find out what happens if you try this? Could changing how you respond to OCD be your next brave step toward living a life of vitality and purpose?
Orient yourself to the here and now.
It’s been said: We can learn from the past and prepare for the future, but the only moment that truly matters is now.
We can’t change the past. We can’t control the future—though the OCD mind may insist you can. But that’s just an illusion of control.
Next time you feel the pull of the past or the anxiety of the future, pause. Take a deep breath. Ground yourself with your senses—what you see, hear, touch—and remind yourself that you get to choose how to respond to OCD’s insistent urge.
Practice giving yourself grace.
Life is hard. Life with OCD? Even harder. OCD can isolate you, make you overly self-critical, anxious, and doubtful of your worth.
But when you treat yourself with the same kindness you’d offer a loved one, something shifts. You begin to:
- Obsess less
- Build confidence
- Improve relationships
- Strengthen mental and physical health
- Sleep better
So, will you forgive yourself for your mistakes? Will you cut yourself some slack when the OCD mind blames you for feeling anxious or inadequate?
Catch those unhelpful messages OCD gives you. Remind yourself:
“I have a life to live. And I can rise above the fog that OCD creates.”
Engage in what matters most.
Once you identify your top values—whether they’re love, learning, faith, connection—you can start aligning your actions with them.
For instance:
- If your faith is important but OCD tells you you’re unworthy of God’s love, engage in prayer anyway. Doubts may show up. Let them be. Acknowledge them—and keep going. You don’t need perfect prayers. If you think you do, that’s OCD talking. Let it talk. You connect.
- If you love your children but OCD tells you you’re a danger to them, recognize that it’s OCD causing those unwanted and unpleasant thoughts. Take deep breaths, make space for the doubt, and return to what matters: playing with your kids, loving them, being present—even when OCD is loud.
You can build hope by holding to your dreams, goals, and values. You can live the life you want, even with OCD. When you root yourself in the present, OCD loses its power to pull you away. Hope grows when you treat yourself with kindness. It grows when you engage with what matters most, alongside the people you care about.
HOPE is possible.
By Annabella Hagen, LCSW
