Today we're going to be talking about sneaky compulsions that you might be doing. OCD is a disorder that is known for its intrusive and repetitive thoughts that can be extremely distressing and debilitating. However, one of the lesser-known aspects of OCD is the compulsions that come with it. We're going to be discussing some of the sneaky compulsions that you might be doing without even realizing it. We'll talk about how you can identify these compulsions and how to use exposure and response prevention to stop them from happening.

Before we dive into the sneaky compulsions, let's first talk about what compulsions are. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that people with OCD feel driven to perform in response to an obsession or to prevent a feared outcome. These compulsions can be both visible and invisible, and they are often done in secret. They can be anything from washing your hands multiple times, checking locks and switches repeatedly, counting things, checking, or even just asking for reassurance.

Speaking of reassurance...here are some compulsions to be aware of.

One of the sneaky compulsions that you might be doing is explaining your question even when it's not necessary. If you find yourself explaining your question, even when it's something simple that doesn't require any explanation, then you might be doing a compulsion. Explaining your question is a way of seeking reassurance or validation. It's a way of making sure that your question is valid and that people take it seriously. Another sneaky compulsion is giving context to a story. If you find yourself giving a lot of context to a story, even when it's not necessary, then you might be doing a compulsion.

If you have a copy and paste story that you send to therapists, doctors, or anyone else, then you might be doing a compulsion.

If the question you're asking someone is longer than about a sentence long. It's possibly a compulsion. If it's a question related to your specific fear....what do you think I'm going to say... it's probably a compulsion.

So when is it not a compulsion? Well, if you don't care to really know the answer. You're not seeking relief by the answer. You're just wanting to be heard and understood. Maybe it's the first and only time you're asking this question. You're not rephrasing the question in different ways, hoping to get a different answer.

When there is an urge to know something, you don't think you'll feel better until you ask, and it's related to your specific fear. It's often a compulsion.

Really, what a lot of this comes down to is, what is my reasoning for asking a question? If I'm just curious with no other motive, and go ahead. If it's only to relief distress and anxiety and try to gain certainty, then we try our best to tolerate uncertainty.

Now that we've identified some of the sneaky compulsions that you might be doing, let's talk about how to use exposure and response prevention to stop them from happening.

Exposure and response prevention is a type of therapy that is used to treat OCD and anxiety. The goal of this therapy is to teach people to face their fears and anxieties without resorting to compulsions. The first step is to identify your triggers. Triggers are the things that cause you to have obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.

Once you've identified your triggers, you can start to work on exposing yourself to them. The next step is to stop yourself from engaging in compulsive behaviors. This can be difficult, especially at first, but it's essential for recovery.

Whenever you feel the urge to engage in a compulsive behavior, such as asking questions reassuring question, you should try to resist it. As you continue to resist your compulsions, you'll start to notice that your anxiety decreases. This is a sign that your brain is learning that the feared outcomes may not actually be true. But we're not using that as reassurance.

I understand that resisting or compulsion is not easy. However, it can be done. Maybe you try delay the compulsion. You really want to go ask that question but instead you said a 10 minute timer and see if you can wait. After that 10 minutes is done, reevaluate how you're feeling. But during that 10 minutes. We have to respond completely different way. If you do, give into the compulsion, you learn to give yourself some grace.

Ultimately, if you are unsure that you were doing sneaky compulsions, ask your loved ones. maybe they noticed something that you don't. They might say, you asked this question to me often. We want to spend time writing down all those compulsions, so you know what your goal is to stop them.

If you've ever wondered how to master your OCD, I've got you covered. While this video scratches the surface, online step-by-step course takes you through everything you need to know to kick your OCD to the curb. I will link that down below.

If you learn more about yourself and found this video helpful, if you could do me a favor and hit the like button. It helps others just like you learn how to master OCD.