The One Question That Cuts Through OCD's Noise: "What Would You Do If You Didn't Have OCD?"

Here's a super common question I get: "When it comes to my OCD, how do I know if the decision I'm about to make is OCD-related or not?"

This hits home because OCD can feel so incredibly real. The doubt, the anxiety, the urges - they all seem so legitimate in the moment.

But there's a simple question that can help you cut through all that noise. It's going to sound way too simple, but here it is:

What would you do if you didn't have OCD?

You might be thinking, "I actually don't know. I don't remember myself before OCD." That's exactly what this guide is for - to help you reconnect with your true intentions and make decisions from a place of authenticity rather than fear.

Why OCD Makes Every Decision Feel Impossible

For people with OCD, doubt isn't just something that pops up occasionally. It's constant, exhausting, and wants to follow you everywhere. You might question:

• If you've locked the door
• If you offended somebody
• If you need to wash your hands again
• If you're a good person
• If you would hurt somebody

So you make decisions based on these "what-ifs." OCD loves to take normal uncertainties and crank them up to 11. If you've ever felt like you can't trust your own judgment, you're definitely not alone.

The Red Flag: When the Rules Are Different for You

Here's where that question becomes powerful. Think about yourself before you had OCD (if you can remember). What things were you doing? Think about the compulsions you do right now - did you have to do those before OCD? Why did the rules automatically change for you?

Let's say you get 50 people in a room. Why are the rules different for you than for the other 49 people?

• "I have to wash my hands this many times"
• "I have to tap this thing five times or something bad will happen"
• "I have to read my scriptures with full intent and focus"

But they don't have to do it - only you do. Ever catch yourself thinking that? To me, that's a huge red flag for OCD.

The rules are not different for you. This is one of those times where I actually say "let's follow the crowd." What are other people doing?

Your mom doesn't wash her hands every time she touches a doorknob, and she hasn't done that her whole life. Maybe you're willing to risk that too.

You Know, But OCD Doesn't Care

I find that deep down, most people know they shouldn't be doing the compulsion. Whatever it is - constant reassurance-seeking, researching online, checking - they know. But it doesn't matter because that relief needs to happen right now, according to OCD.

That's where the compulsion comes in.

Asking yourself "What would this look like if I didn't have OCD?" won't make you 100% certain about what to do. You still make your best guess and go for it.

Real-World Example: Harm OCD

Let's say you're worried you've accidentally hurt somebody. OCD might push you to:

• Retrace every step of your day
• Look for evidence
• Check the news
• Ask for reassurance
• Call stores to make sure you didn't do anything inappropriate
• Ruminate and mull over everything

But you might pause and ask: "If I didn't have OCD, what would this look like? That bump in the road I went over... yeah, it's probably a pothole. I don't know 100%, but me without OCD would probably just keep moving on."

The other hundreds of cars behind you hit the same pothole, and they're moving on too.

Here's the OCD indicator: you're getting this thought every single time you drive. Is that happening to other people? Probably not.

When Anxiety Drives Decisions, OCD Is in Control

When anxiety is driving your decisions, OCD is probably in the picture. If you're thinking "What decision should I make? I don't know what's normal anymore," it's okay to not know normal because everyone's normal is different.

You might need to create guidelines for yourself:

• When is it appropriate to research something online?
• When is it appropriate to wash my hands? (After using the bathroom, before eating, if I see dirt?)
• If it's not one of those times, I'm not doing it

Using the Question as a Reality Check

When you catch yourself doing a compulsion, ask:

"I'm up at 2 AM googling if I'm a bad person. If I didn't have OCD, would I be doing this?"

"I'm asking my spouse for reassurance over and over again. Would I be doing this if I didn't have OCD?"

If you can confidently say no, then you know a different choice can be made.

It's not as easy as "okay, now I know, so I don't have to worry anymore." But it helps you pause and recognize: OCD is running the show here. Now I need to do something about it.

What to Do Next: ERP in Action

Once you recognize OCD is in control, it's time for exposure and response prevention:

• Sit with the uncertainty
• Be okay with feeling uncomfortable
• Don't try to figure things out
• Use responses like "maybe, maybe not" or "sure, I guess I don't care"
• Take power away from the thoughts
• Face the fear with repeated action
• Practice not doing the compulsion

Think about your future self: Is my future self doing this compulsion? No. Then why am I doing it now? If I want to get there, I can't do it now.

Practical Exercise: Side-by-Side Comparison

Here's what you can do right now:

Grab a notebook or notes app. Think about a situation where you felt stuck - maybe something from the past where you did the compulsion.

Write down the whole situation:

• What happened?
• How much time did it take?
• How much anxiety did it bring?
• What did it look like?

Now write beside it: "What would this look like if I didn't have OCD?"

It's cool to see them side by side:

• Left side: "I washed my hands once"
• Right side: "I washed my hands 15 times"

If you didn't have OCD, you'd wash once. That's what you're aiming for.

Do this for every compulsion you have. Spend time writing it out. If you're not sure what it would look like, that's okay too. What do you want it to look like? You're creating goals here.

Building Awareness Training

What you're really doing is building awareness:

• How do my compulsions work?
• What's making me do this thing?
• What am I going to do about it?

That's where ERP treatment comes in. You're learning to recognize when OCD is driving versus when you're making authentic choices aligned with your values.

Remember This Phrase

Keep this question handy: "What would life look like if I didn't have OCD?"

It won't solve everything instantly, but it creates that crucial pause between impulse and action. In that pause, you can choose to respond from your true self rather than from fear.

The goal isn't perfection - it's awareness. Once you can spot when OCD is running the show, you can start taking back control, one decision at a time.