I have recently had the pleasure of coming across the choice article written by Dr Steven Phillipson – a licensed clinical psychologist who specialises in Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for OCD. It’s such an extraordinary piece of work and a must read for anyone suffering from OCD. It is quite lengthy but there is an audio version here.
The focus of the article is how we need to see OCD thoughts as irrelevant and that we DO have a choice when it comes to this decision.
I know only too well when you have OCD you can feel like you have no choice but to do the compulsion when the thoughts come in, the doubt & uncertainty that comes with not knowing 100% whether the thought is significant can feel too much to bear.
However, we need to start to see this part of the brain as an independent system from our conscious thoughts, one that works automatically – like the systems which control automatic functioning in the body such as breathing and heartrate. We do this by becoming aware of our automatic thoughts and autopilot, making the choice to carry on with our day, align with our values and see the thoughts as meaningless and irrelevant – because they are.
Below is a quote from the article which I thought was helpful:
‘what do our feelings say about our fundamental beliefs? I believe that the answer to this question is, “Not necessarily very much.” Our feelings are not a reliable measure of our self-perception. Why? Because automatic thoughts can create feelings that are just as convincing as thoughts that reflect our deeply held beliefs. So, it is vital that we do not reflexively take the thoughts and feelings that our brains send to us at face value.’
Here Dr Steven Phillipson is highlighting the fact that automatic thoughts can create feelings, these feelings can make things feel more real. Therefore, we shouldn’t put too much emphasis on how we feel as feeling are NOT within our control.
Why would we give up our autonomy (our right to make informed decisions about our lives) to something we have NO control over? (Remember, we cannot control our thoughts and feelings only our behaviours. )
Another great quote from the article:
‘Remember when you have OCD, you cannot use your feelings to determine if a threat is ”real”. Doing so is a little like asking the Devil for directions to heaven’.
I always remember this quote when I’m starting to spiral as it happily reminds me that I cannot trust those feelings.
The article highlights how when one has OCD the amygdala – whose primary function is to process emotions, especially fear and anxiety – is sending us a faulty signal that there is something which needs our attention right away and cannot wait. Our job – through ERP therapy – is to become habituated (the process of making or becoming accustomed or used to something.) to this alert.
This is no easy task and can feel very uncomfortable. Choosing to ignore your brains warning system and take the chance that it’s a false alert can truly feel like jumping out of an aeroplane not knowing whether your parachute is packed correctly. However this is the chance we have to take to show the brain that the signal was faulty, we literally do nothing about the thought and carry on with our day aligning with our values.
More on habituation coming in future posts but for now I’m going to leave you with this motivational mantra which I use all the time,
‘Every day is a new opportunity for me to show my brain that this continued prompt is meaning and irrelevant. ‘
I really hope it helps you too:
As always, stay strong xxx
Conquering OCD 