Living with OCD: Helpful tips and reminders
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, also known as OCD, is a disorder in which a person keeps on engaging in repetitive behaviours and has uncontrollable and compulsive thoughts. Some of the symptoms of OCD are agitation, hypervigilance, impulsivity, meaningless repetitions, social isolation and ritualistic behavioural patterns. Talk therapy and medication are some of the treatment options of OCD, depending on the intensity of the disorder. However, living with OCD can be difficult. Being compelled to repeat things and being impulsive can cloud daily decisions. Therapist Maythal Eshaghian shared a few tips and tricks to follow to address OCD and make every day a little easier.
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View this post on InstagramA post shared by Maythal Eshaghian, MA, LMFT (@mindful_psyche)
Choose to confront anxiety: When we are hit by anxious thoughts, the primary go-to response is to avoid it and try to escape it. However, we can only address it if we learn to sit with our discomfort and address uncomfortable thoughts and patterns. Hence, instead of running away from it, we should confront anxiety.
Actions that we are compelled to do: The main problem of OCD is not anxious thoughts, but the actions that we feel compelled to do. While thoughts are automatic in nature, actions are a choice, and we should learn to control ourselves.
Avoid the urge to chase certainly: We often get into the loop of repetitive behavioural patterns in OCD because of our urge to chase certainty. We should train the mind to embrace uncertainty and gradually build tolerance to break free from the cycle.
Thoughts are not facts: We should learn to accept that all thoughts that come to us in OCD are not facts or the truth. We should learn to challenge our thoughts and understand the authenticity. We should also delve deep to understand the origin of those thoughts. We should accept our thoughts without letting our actions being dominated by them.
