Specialized therapy is an essential part of managing OCD, and it can be even more effective when paired with other strategies—from mindfulness, to exercise, to spending time with friends. If there's a tip, a habit, a resource, a tool, or something else that's helped you manage your OCD in addition to therapy, share it below!
Intrusive thoughts are not your fault, what matters is your reaction to them
Figure out what your values are. Who do *you* want to be? (Not what your ocd wants you to be) This helps me stay motivated to keep pushing back on my OCD — and it helps me distinguish between my OCD and myself and then figure out what the real me wants to do in situations.
@Hobbit omg thank you for this
@LouLouDaki18 Yay glad it’s helpful!
@Hobbit Same! Great advice!
I agree! One note to add, from personal experience... I wanted to do this exercise for months this summer but actively procrastinated because of overwhelm at the thought of committing to and listing my "Current Values" on paper. Specifically, I felt this pressure at what values I chose list, what that said about me, and if I was comfortable with that. Reflecting on a value that I did not list but particularly admired or felt insecure about I would bring shame (ie "does this mean I'm a bad person? Shouldn't I value that? I want to value that but I don't do a good job of it") that would lead me into the avoidance cycle. I finally decided to brain dump and give myself "first draft" permission for 20 min. I divied up via the below: - Core Anchors (3–5): The non-negotiable filters for your biggest life choices - Supporting Stars: The beautiful qualities you practice daily that bring color to your core values. I also ended up with a little list of "Growth Areas" - these were values I "wish" I reflected more, but in reality I choose other priorities over them. I also used the below prompts to get me going. What I ended up with includes others not listed but I found this very helpful. Acceptance • Adventure • Authenticity • Balance • Belonging • Calm • Caring • Challenge • Commitment • Compassion • Connection • Courage • Creativity • Curiosity • Dependability • Family • Freedom • Friendship • Fun • Generosity • Growth • Health • Honesty • Humor • Independence • Integrity • Intimacy • Kindness • Knowledge • Learning • Love • Loyalty • Meaning • Openness • Patience • Peace • Playfulness • Purpose • Respect • Responsibility • Security • Self-Respect • Stability • Success • Trust • Understanding • Vitality • Wisdom Instead of looking at a list of words and trying to choose, look at your actual life experiences: Look at your "Good Anger": Think of a time recently when you felt deeply frustrated, annoyed, or upset by someone else's behavior or a situation. What boundary was crossed? Look at your Peak Moments: Think of a specific memory where you felt deeply content, peaceful, or genuinely satisfied with life. What were you doing? Who were you with? If you were alone reading a book, your value might be knowledge or peace. If you were laughing with a friend, it might be connection. The "Checkbook & Calendar" Test: If we looked at where you actually spend your free time or extra energy when no one is watching, what does it show? (e.g., If you spend hours researching random topics, you value curiosity, even if you think you "should" be valuing productivity). Reminders: - Projected Values (Who you want to be): These usually feel like a chore or an obligation. They come with a lot of "I should care about this" or "Good people care about this. - Honest Values (Who you are): These are tied to your actual emotional reactions. They are revealed by what makes you genuinely angry, what makes you lose track of time, or what makes you feel safe. - Core values are "anchors," not a complete list of who you are. Think of your top values as the roots of a tree. Qualities like kindness, generosity, or modesty are still beautiful branches on your tree, even if they aren't the roots. - Many values are already included in your top choices. For example, if you pick Relationships as a core value, things like honesty, kindness, and loyalty are already naturally built right into it. - Focus gives you the strength to help others. Choosing a few focused values keeps you grounded. When you are grounded and mentally clear, you actually have more energy to be selfless and present for the people around you.
When you have OCD, you take every catastrophic thought as if it is true. When you come to realize that a thought is just a thought, that it is one possible circumstance out of a million, it takes some of the fear away. When you realize that God is sovereign over what happens to, and is within You to help you, that also takes the punch out of an OCD thought.
Honestly my best tip is do the opposite of whatever your ocd wants you to do, because each time you manage to sit with the uncertainty you get stronger and you ocd gets weaker.
@HoneyBearMer spiting the ocd works? that's clever
I dunno about others But I play rough. Tolerating dirt and messy stuff like embracing it expecting the worst than it really is. I find this technique a game changer 😆
@Coco BanAnA i love being in the dirt so much lol i did a whole field study on soil for one of my classes last year and love digging for cool rocks
Refuse to criticise or berate yourself for thoughts, feelings or for even when you have done a compulsion. You are not your thoughts or feelings and did not choose to have ocd happening to you. This really helped me to accept uncertainty as I was no longer dealing with as much shame, embarrassment or self criticism. I could sit with anxiety.
@nocd lisa This is very true! Self compassion separates you from the bullshit
@nocd lisa How do I do this? I feel so ashamed and guilty and sad all the time.
Not engaging in the compulsions. I went to a group for health anxiety one time and they said that by not engaging with compulsions you can eliminate up to 85% of the obsessions.
At times you gotta bring OCD for the ride because you have things that need to get done. And disregard it screaming at you while you’re doing the driving.
Act according to your value, not your OCD obsessions. Find your purpose and passion. Strengthening the neurological bond between you and your true purpose and passion, which automatically weakens the bond between you and OCD obsessions.
A mindfulness meditation practice has been a game changer for me. Even just 10-15 mins a day several times a week helps me seperate myself from my thoughts. It’s like building strength so that I can do the erps and non formal exposures more regularly throughout the day.
Acceptance I have OCD
Find a distraction that works instantly, for me, I click a button (like the top of a pen, the buttons on my AirPods) and I snap back to whatever is going on besides my OCD
@ellasimionato How do I not let that become another compulsion? I’m always worried that all of my ways of dealing are compulsions
@Anonymous Don’t overthink it, just have it on hand whenever you can have a crisis of some sort and that’s it, move your thoughts to another thing
Regular social engagement with people I connect with.
don’t manage it. challenge it.
Thoughts are just thoughts and feelings are just feelings but at the end of the day it’s about how you treat them. Treat them like they don’t matter and move on with your day 🤙🏽😜
Non Engagement Responses!!! 🙌🏻😊
MY OCD TIPS: - Delay rumination (although this can become a problem on its own because in a way it keeps the habit of delaying a daily thing) - Get to the Core Fears - Stop drinking all caffeine, only do decaf - For anxiety, try magnesium glycinate and vitamin B. This calmed down my nervous system but it didn't stop the OCD - Exercise - Recognize "oh this is probably an OCD thing going on right now." Just knowing that gives perspective, even if the theme is something that he feels he *needs* to do *right now.* Even if something is an issue or dilemma, even if something is super scary, even if something is triggering, there is NO MANDATE that says we have to FREAK OUT about it. We can choose how to response, we can choose to try to calm our nervous system down and "fight or flight" response. You have more control over these things than you realize.
@Dude01 Chemist tip: make sure Vit B is methylated. Use L-methylfolate and methylcobalamin, not typical cyanocobalamin. More bioavailability and bypasses those with MTHR genetic mutation. Also, psychiatrist recommended adding N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for OCD.
I would say think of OCD as a terrible friend who gives you bad advice but you still think "They kinda have a point." Just whenever you have intrusive thoughts, think of that terrible friend and say "You aren't right and I won't listen to you." Push the terrible friend away. (BTW I got the terrible friend idea from someone else on NOCD but I made the advice part.
Among us show 🗣️💯🔥🔥🗣️🔥🔥💯
Also it doesn't have to be a bad friend. It can be a monster, or anything else you can think up. But just push it away and don't listen to it.
Having something that makes you happy and calm
My best tip for managing OCD is to think about everything that makes me happy and grateful. This gets me to stop my obsessions and such.
I gave a name to the OCD voice in my head..I tell Pete “thanks but no thanks” anytime they talk. Listen to my voice instead and let my values guide me. 😊
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