When OCD takes over your life, you might feel like you have no choice. OCD can make you believe that avoidance is the only option. It may seem helpful but only temporarily. Though anxiety and uncertainty is part of life, the OCD mind may insist that you can eventually get rid of those feelings permanently.
You may fall for its lies when it says, “If you don’t do your rituals, you will be anxious. Your worries may come true. You may end up acting on them. Fear will keep you safe!”
Hearing those thoughts coming out from your mind can be scary. You may falsely believe that your compulsions (public and private) prevent you from acting on your fears. You may believe these rituals are actually helping you, but are they?
You don’t have to fall for those falsehoods. You can start holding your thoughts lightly and start focusing on what matters most in your life.
For example, Joanna used to enjoy attending church services and reading her scriptures. But her scrupulosity OCD led her to abandon her faith because she felt overwhelmed by her anxiety and doubts.
Yet, she yearned to connect with God. Through treatment Joanna learned skills to hold her thoughts and feelings lightly (flexibly) and to let them be. She learned to recognize that she didn’t have to let OCD get in the way of doing what mattered most to her –connecting with Deity.
As you engage back in the activities that you’ve been missing, remember your “WHY” Why do you want to do this activity? Why do you care?
It’s not about doing things out of fear, it is about doing things to find purpose and vitality. Your values can be your WHY every single day.
Will you take actions towards your values or run the other way because you feel fearful and unsafe? Both options can bring similar emotions, and you get to choose which direction you will go.
You can choose to be imperfectly good and do what matters most every day of your life even when the OCD mind is blasting unhelpful thoughts. You can learn psychological flexibility skills and take your life back. Be patient. It takes time, but you can do it.
Will it be worth it? Your decision.
