Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of many anxiety disorders. With OCD, you suffer from both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors, which is where the name comes from. These become so consuming that your daily life suffers and it can be difficult, or impossible, to function. Symptoms might look like uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts that cause unreasonable anxiety, and ritualized, repetitive behaviors that the sufferer feels will satiate that anxiety (but actually don’t). If you have OCD, you might even recognize these thoughts and behaviors are irrational, but resisting them feels impossible.
Therapy is one of the best ways to learn how to manage OCD symptoms and get your life back on track. Practicing symptom management skills and integrating healthy habits into your life is a powerful one-two combo to knock OCD on its metaphorical backside. But what kind of habits? I’m glad you asked!
Habit 1: Always expect the unexpected.
Living with OCD means an intrusive thought can happen at any time, any place, and from any trigger. Don’t be surprised when previous or even new intrusive thoughts crop up. Expecting this to happen even in situations where it hasn’t before will help prevent the thoughts from throwing you off and leading to compulsions. Be prepared to use the tools you learn in therapy in any situation, and let your therapist know when new thoughts come up so they can be addressed.
“Sometimes we let life guide us, and other times we take life by the horns. But one thing is for sure: no matter how organized we are, or how well we plan, we can always expect the unexpected.”
– Brandon Jenner
Habit 2: Try not to be a black-and-white, all-or-nothing thinker.
One slip-up does not make you a failure. A common symptom of OCD is perfectionism; the obsessive part of your brain tells you that if you can’t do something exactly right the first time then you’re a failure. OCD is a long-haul condition that takes work, failure, and perseverance to overcome. Even if you give in to compulsion, you’ll have another chance to succeed in the near future. It’s normal to make mistakes when learning a new skill and the skills you learn in therapy are no exception. If you make a mistake, accept it and look for the next opportunity to be successful.
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail.”
– Confucius
Habit 3: Never forget that you have OCD.
OCD isn’t someone you are, but it is something you have. Unfortunately, there is no therapeutic or medicinal cure for OCD. You have to accept the reality of who you are and what challenges have been presented to you. Therapy helps you develop the tools and skills to manage the symptoms, while practice can help you ingrain what you learn into semi-automatic processes for dealing with OCD when it flares up. Medication can help you manage extreme symptoms if therapy isn’t enough. But at the end of the day and as far as current science tells us, this is a life-long condition. You will not always be able to trust your own thoughts and feelings, especially when they are telling you about a looming catastrophe. When in doubt, treat these as a symptom since with OCD a bit more exposure is better than not enough.
“I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.”
– Brené Brown
Habit 4: In OCD, the problem isn’t the anxiety, it’s the compulsions.
Remember we said OCD has two parts: the anxiety about a thing and the compulsions to alleviate that anxiety. The anxiety isn’t the real problem; it’s the compulsions. If you think the anxiety is the main issue, you’ll be more likely to give in to the compulsions as a way to alleviate the anxiety, but you only end up creating more anxiety in the medium- and long term. If you recognize the compulsions are the real problem, stop doing them, and stay with the fear of the situation, you’ll build up a tolerance for the anxiety over time. Once the tolerance is high enough, many symptoms lessen or go away.
“We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.”
– Albert Einstein
Habit 5: Take a moment to be proud of yourself.
OCD is hard; no two bones about it. Dealing with intrusive thoughts multiple times every day, reminding yourself what thoughts are rational and which ones are anxiety spikes is tiring. Actively staying with the fear and not giving in to the compulsions that your entire body is telling you will help is exhausting. But you’re doing it and that’s what success looks like. Be proud of yourself when you succeed and, just as importantly, be kind to yourself when you lapse. Look back at things like therapy homework that were so challenging at the start you thought you’d never master them. Now, realize that you have. That’s what success looks like.
“Success is the sum of small efforts – repeated day in and day out.”
– Robert Collier
Habit 6: Don’t let healthy habits become unhealthy compulsions.
Building healthy habits to combat OCD is about doing things you enjoy, that add value to your life, lessen your anxiety without acting compulsively, and help you stop giving in to compulsions. If whatever you’re doing meets these criteria, then it’s probably a healthy habit. If you’re doing something to avoid the feeling of fear or anxiety, that’s probably a sign something is turning into or has become a compulsion. Consider the difference between these sentences:
“I’m going to the gym because I feel great afterward.”
OR
“I’m going to the gym because I’ll feel anxious and like a failure if I don’t.”
Which of these seems like a healthy mindset? Hint: it’s the first one. The first sentence focuses on the positive impact, while the second focuses on avoiding the negative. Healthy habits move you toward wellness. Compulsions try to avoid pain but are ultimately unsuccessful.
“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.”
– Aristotle
Habit 7: Get more active.
Last but certainly not least, go exercise! Be active. Go for a long walk. Jog the neighborhood. Lift some weights. Do yoga. Play pickleball! There are a thousand ways you can be more active, so pick one and get to it! Anxiety releases a hormone called cortisol, often called the “stress hormone” and in small amounts it’s helpful. In large doses, like with someone suffering from OCD, it can have a negative impact on your mind, body, and emotions. Regular, reasonable exercise keeps cortisol levels in check, improves your bones, improves organ function, helps you think more clearly, and strengthens your muscles. And who doesn’t want to look great for beach season? Hint: it’s always beach season, so get moving!
“Health is the vital principle of bliss, and exercise, of health.”
– James Thomson
Struggling to manage your OCD or know someone who is? Schedule an appointment at Village Counseling today with one of our professional, skilled therapists and get your life in order!
Same-day therapy and regular visits are both available.