Managing OCD-Type Anxiety

People often trivialize obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), joking that they have it or teasing others about having it if they're too particular about things.

My son actually has OCD, and I'm here to say that it is NO joke.

OCD is a mental health condition characterized by unwanted, persistent thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) aimed at reducing anxiety.

Individuals with OCD often feel compelled to perform certain rituals to alleviate distress, even if they recognize these actions are irrational.

For example, a person worried about getting sick might have anxious thoughts about germs (obsessions) which would lead them to wash their hands (compulsion). Washing their hands temporarily relieves the anxiety. But when the obsessive thought returns, they wash their hands again.... repeatedly throughout the day until their skin is cracked and bleeding.

I recently learned that OCD can be one of the most debilitating conditions, second only to cancer. My husband spoke with a woman who runs an OCD treatment clinic, where patients undergo intensive therapy for months to regain functionality.

The primary treatment for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that helps individuals confront their obsessions and reduce compulsive behaviors.

Unfortunately, my son, who is in South Korea on a mission for our church, doesn't have access to ERP-trained counselors, so I taught him to practice ERP on his own.

OCD and anxiety often trigger a fight/flight/freeze response in our nervous system. Many people think they can find emotional safety by changing their thoughts; but this is difficult when stressed, as the rational part of our brain shuts down.

Instead, we need to create safety in our BODIES. Our breath is a powerful tool for this. By staying mentally present while taking long, deep breaths, we can shift our nervous system from a state of stress to a state of calm.

For my son, this means facing his obsessive thoughts without performing compulsions, while using his breath to relax his body. Over time, this process helps reduce and eventually stop the obsessive thoughts.

This practice, also known as processing an emotion, involves letting the emotion move through the body and relaxing the tension caused by anxious thoughts. It helps train the brain not to overreact to perceived dangers.

What are you feeling anxious about? What's keeping you up at night?

The next time you notice feeling anxious, instead of trying to change your thoughts immediately, allow them to be there and breathe your way to safety.

Let me know how it goes.