How to Stop Compulsively Confessing OCD Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive thoughts are some of the most personal and agonizing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Thanks to OCD, just one single unpleasant thought or image—violent, sexual, obscene, blasphemous—can trigger weeks and months of tortured, cyclical self-interrogation.

Usually, intrusive thoughts are kept secret. But sometimes, hoping that external reassurance will neutralize their fears, an OCD sufferer may be compelled to confess their thoughts to others. As obsessive thoughts grow worse over time, these rituals of confession may increase in frequency and desperation, burdening both the sufferer and their chosen confessor.

Determine if the Intrusive Thoughts Are a Symptom of OCD

A sufferer afflicted with this particular permutation of OCD must ask themselves three important questions:

• First, would a therapist or other expert on OCD consider my thoughts dangerous, or would they diagnose them as symptoms of my anxiety disorder?
• Second, can I live with the unlikely possibility—infinitesimal, but always nonzero—that these thoughts might not be OCD but something actually dangerous?
• And third, how can I stop myself from compulsively confessing these thoughts going forward?

It’s usually a relatively simple matter to confirm that disturbing thoughts are the product of OCD by consulting an expert on the disorder. In The Imp of the Mind, Lee Baer explains the rare cases when disturbing thoughts are potentially dangerous, and should be directly addressed with psychiatric treatment:

If you do not feel upset by the thoughts but instead find them pleasurable…

If you have ever acted on violent or sexual thoughts or urges in the past—either while sober or under the influence of alcohol or drugs…

If you hear voices, think people are against you, or see things that others do not see…

If you feel uncontrollable anger and find it hard to resist urges to act on your aggressive impulses…

“Probably” is a curse for anyone afflicted with OCD, the "doubting disorder," because “probably” gives you plenty of room for second-guessing and cyclical, obsessive self-analysis. So—I'm pretty sure that I am indeed legitimately disturbed by my thoughts, and that I don't find them pleasurable. But am I really sure I feel that way? Really? How can I know for sure? And what if my false certainty stops me from recognizing when I pose a legitimate danger to myself or others? I better check in, with my parent or priest or therapist, just to be safe.

How to Interrupt the Ritual of OCD Confessions

Interrupting the ritual of OCD confessions is a two-stage process.

First, yes, you should discuss your intrusive thoughts with your treatment provider to confirm they are a product of OCD. But typically this is only necessary once, as part of the initial diagnosis.

And that's the second stage of overcoming OCD confessions: You need to stop seeking reassurance, and that means you need to stop confessing. This means practicing exposure response prevention therapy (ERP) under the guidance of a trained therapist to learn to resist the ritual and to process the anxiety.

The "exposure" part requires that you confront and accept the—once again, infinitesimal, but still nonzero—possibility that, yes, your intrusive thoughts may be dangerous and should be confessed to others.

Then the "response prevention" part comes in. Even though you're upset by your thoughts and you know that confessing them to someone else might provide relief, you prevent yourself from making that confession.

Confession is a uniquely pernicious OCD ritual, but thankfully, once it's identified it's relatively straightforward to address. Informing the people around you to whom you typically confess, and asking them not to indulge your confessions, is already a significant step to addressing the problem.

If you can stop yourself from relying on others to provide you with a sense of wellbeing, you'll soon find that you can obtain it on your own.

*As someone who has struggled with OCD my whole life, this article just confirmed everything I already know. I wanted to share this article to bring awareness to the reality of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Many people think that OCD is just being clean or having everything lined up just so, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Many people will say things like "Oh, I'm so OCD" when they don't realize the true nature of the disorder. OCD is debilitating and not just for the person who struggles, but the people who constantly have to soothe the sufferer's anxiety. I am guilty of asking for reassurance. While it makes me feel better in the moment, it only perpetuates the obsessive cycle. I hope this article was informative and interesting to read! 😊*

Are you someone who struggles with OCD or do you know of anyone who does? Has anyone ever asked you for reassurance? How does it make you feel?

#OCD #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #Reassurance

Read the full article here.