How I learned OCD treatment from almost dying

A few summers ago, I went on an all guys trip to Lake Powell. We water, skied, fished, just enjoyed each other's company a few days into the trip. Something happened that almost sent me to the grave.

I'm going to tell you the story about, how I almost died, And how We can use this story to our benefit when trying to recover from OCD and anxiety. You see, my brother, and I decided to take a boat out And do some fishing. If you don't know what Lake Powell is, it’s a series of water nestled between large cliffs. And I mean LARGE cliffs. So high at points, that you can’t see the top.

As we find a place to park the boat, we anchor it to one of these high cliffs. You don't want the boat floating around as you're fishing. It was nice and relaxing, and peaceful. Me and my brothers are sitting there talking to one another when all of a sudden, we see the water around us which appears to be bubbling.

Was that a fish? Is there something jumping out of the water. We were perplexed. A few seconds later, it happened again. This time we realized instead of the splash coming from under the water, it was coming from above. There was a rock slide. rock the size of my head, We're hurling down from the top of the cliff. Hitting the water so hard that it caused huge splashes. The next thing I know a rock, whirled past my head. I could feel the quick rush of wind as it hits the boat. This was huge and if I were an inch to the side, There is no question that would've been my end.

As we are scrambling to get out of that position, we realized that we are still anchored to the wall. We couldn't just drive off, I jumped out of the boat, grabbed the anchor, while rocks were still flying around us and we were able to get out of there.
This situation happens so quickly, that my brain went into problem-solving mode, There is an actual problem to solve, and we did it. Leaving that moment, I was shaken. There's no way we could've ever predicted that to happen.

So why do I tell you the story? This experience parallels the journey of navigating through Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Much like the unsuspecting rock, intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors can unexpectedly hit those grappling with OCD, threatening their sense of safety and well-being.

OCD produces unwanted thoughts

The falling rock symbolizes intrusive thoughts—unwanted, distressing, and seemingly unstoppable. Just as the rock came out of nowhere, intrusive thoughts invade the mind without warning, triggering intense anxiety and distress. Much like the instinctual reaction to dodge the rock, individuals with OCD often engage in compulsive behaviors as a means of coping with the overwhelming anxiety provoked by these intrusive thoughts.

However, just as surviving the falling rock required discernment between a real threat and a false one, managing OCD distinguishes between genuine concerns and irrational fears. The fear induced by the falling rock was justified—it posed a genuine threat to my safety. Similarly, some worries and anxieties may be warranted and require attention and action. However, much like the rock that missed its mark, many intrusive thoughts in OCD are unfounded and irrational, posing no real danger.

Moreover, dwelling on the near-miss at Lake Powell and obsessively replaying the scenario in my mind would only perpetuate fear and anxiety, trapping you in a cycle of rumination. Similarly, individuals with OCD often find themselves entangled in rumination—obsessively analyzing past events or worrying about hypothetical future scenarios. However, just as fixating on the falling rock does not change the outcome.

Exposure and Response prevention for OCD

When we use exposure and response prevention for OCD treatment, we are saying, stay in the boat, and risk that the rocks are gonna be falling. Even when there's no threat present. You're going to feel like you're an immediate danger, but unless you see this threat right in front of you, you are going to practice not reacting.

This is why we use a lot of maybe maybe not statements. Because I have a thought of something bad happening doesn't mean it's going to happen. We leave everything up to chance. Which is why we use maybe maybe not. My job is to live life. Not live life with a constant shield of Just in case.

This is where the trap OCD comes in. Just in case there will be rocks at fall, I'm gonna do all these things to protect.
You might have to think about this for yourself, what are all the things you were doing to protect something that is not really that likely.

You might spend some time to write down all the compulsions that you're doing. Those are the things that you do to stay safe. If I use my situation as an example, somebody, might Not have not gone on the trip. They're not gonna get out in the boat. They're going to continue to ruminate about all the problems that could happen. Maybe they will continue to ask for reassurance that everything is going to be OK.

If I lived my life this way, I would miss out on a lot of life experiences. And while I'm glad that rock didn't hit me, I am happy that I took the risk to live life. Because that's what life is all about. Enjoy, feel love, Be kind, Serve other people. This is where we are happiest.

I'm curious for you what metaphorical rock are you avoiding every day? Let me know in the comments.
I know OCD treatment is not simple. That's why I created my master your OCD online course to simply teach you the treatment step-by-step with worksheets and videos. Oh yea. Go check it out in the description.