What if I snap? Do something out of character

Do you know when you're watching a movie and a character does something unexpected and it feels like a big shot. You didn't know it was coming.

That's kind of what it's like for someone with OCD who has a fear of acting out of character.

They worry that if they do something that doesn't fit with their usual behavior or values, it will be like their life is ruined. It's like they have a strict script they feel they need to follow, and deviating from it is terrifying.

This is extremely hard within OCD. Individuals with OCD often have intrusive thoughts that are ego-dystonic, meaning it typically doesn't match their value system or who they are or even what they want to do. So if I'm being forced a thought of something I don't want to do how do I not feel like I could do it. I mean the way that we think is going to be the way that we feel.

This is why it is very common for individuals to feel like they will do a behavior or act out of character in some way or another. They're getting pounded this thought time and time and time again, it almost feels like the more times they have this thought the more likely it is that though given to this.

Here's an example. Every time I walk near somebody, maybe at a grocery store, my brain might throw out an intrusive thought that says, "you just walked by that person, did you maybe touch them appropriately?" Sometimes at sock and feels so absolutely real the person actually doesn't know. And when they have that thought time and time again for every person that walked by start to worry that what if they actually gave into the thought or will given to that thought.

We all ready know this doesn't match their value system. In fact it's the thing they are less likely to do at all. The gravity of this is very strong. If they actually gave into this thought it would ruin their future in some way or another. Whether they go to jail, and they really just arts the person they thought they were.

But even more than that, individuals with OCD often walk around feeling like they are a fraud. I'm a smiley guy, I'm nice to everybody, but if they only knew the thoughts that were in my head they would know who I really am. But the thing that people miss here, are these aren't the thoughts that you're bringing in, these are the thoughts OCD is bringing in.

Individuals can have these thoughts of acting out of character in so many different ways. What if I start swearing up a storm in the middle of this movie theater. What if I trip that kid that's running towards me. What if I search up something inappropriate on my computer. And the list goes on and on and on.

While this is a very common fear for a lot of individuals, the cool part is that there is treatment and it does work. We know we can't control the thoughts that come in our head but we get to control what we do about it once he gets here.

For instance, the most common treatment is exposure and response prevention. We choose to completely allow all thoughts to come our way. Where making sure we don't avoid anything or do any compulsion to make sure you're not going to act out of character. In fact if I'm walking in a grocery store in my brain says what if I did something inappropriate, I might walk a little tippy toe step closer to that person my brain said something happened to.

Instead of trying to figure it all out and use logic, "know I would never do that. I'm a good person" were actually just accepting a thought is a thought, we can even say yeah, cool, all right, thanks for the thought, sure, maybe.

We're not really giving any good satisfying answers. The big part is that we are responding as if we do not care. we're not responding with, I better avoid just in case.

I always tell people, if there ever is a problem we will solve it. If we are assuming there's going to be a problem or question if there is a problem it's likely not a problem. If the kid is running towards my direction and I put my leg out and tripped them, they fall on the ground crying. There is a problem for me to solve. I might pick them up, say sorry, go help them find their parent.

Where is the problem if I simply think I did something. I have to know I did something. If I'm even questioning I'm caulking this all up as OCD.

But Nate! What if I actually do something that's out of character! This is the one sentence that keeps people stuck. The treatment feels like we are risking this one very thing. Which is why we often go with the we don't know, you might, you might not. We are no longer going to figure this out. Instead you are choosing to keep moving forward anyway.

Someone who is doing treatment purposely faces these fears or undertainties and respond differently to them than they normally would.

OCD makes people doubt man, it can even be a bully. Go watch this video right here to help you recognize it's tricks and help you gain the upper hand.