Try this for your OCD Treatment

If you have tried everything for your OCD treatment and you feel like it's just not working, I've got a possible solution. it's something you're probably not thinking about. and the concept is so simple. although not easy to do. I often talk about treatment being exposure and response prevention, and this can be very daunting. What exposure am I supposed to do? am I doing them right? why am I not feeling any better?

So here is what we do. act like you don't have ocd. I'm just going to get right into this. what would your life look like if you do not have ocd? and if you can think of a time before you experienced symptoms, what did life look like?

You might pull out a piece of paper and write down your life. your decisions. the things that you are doing because you don't have ocd. because the cool part about all this, is that you don't have to wait to be recovered in order to live your life. I do use the word Act, and I mean it literally. you might have to be an actor or actress for a while. what does it look like if you didn't have ocd. if you had to convince an entire audience that you don't have ocd, what would you need to do. if you're standing there on stage and you are washing your hands multiple times, asking for reassurance a bunch, sitting on the couch ruminating. would the audience believe you? maybe you're choosing not to do certain things with your life because of your ocd?

you need to convince them as well as yourself that you can live the life you want to live by doing the things you want to do right now.

I know what you might be thinking, Nate my man, you are making it sound so simple. it's not as easy as that. I get you my friends I get you. it is not simple but what you can do, is think about your day. just today. what are you going to do today that shows that OCD has no power. here's an example.

Imagine you're at a theme park, standing in line for the most thrilling roller coaster you've ever seen. You're all geared up, ready for the ride of your life. But suddenly, just as you're about to step onto the ride, a little voice in your head starts whispering, "What if the coaster breaks down? What if your seatbelt snaps? What if you get stuck upside down?" “what if you did something to the tracks on purpose so everyone gets hurt.”

Now, if you've got OCD, that little voice isn't just whispering; it's shouting, screaming, and doing everything it can to make you believe that those "what ifs" are real dangers.
So, picture this: instead of listening to that voice of doubt, you decide to act as if you're not afraid. You take a deep breath, buckle up, and throw your hands in the air like you just don't care. You are using a lot of responses that say, you know what maybe I did maybe I didn't. maybe we'll crash maybe we won't. maybe my kids will live without their parents maybe they won't. I'm here to have fun. I'm willing to risk whatever I need to risk.
I am for sure getting on that roller coaster because that is what I want to do. if I did not have OCD I would be getting on this roller coaster. That's Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) in action!
you're going to feel anxious. you're going to feel like something's wrong. but that's how you know you're doing it right. if it was always comfortable you wouldn't need to do it in the first place. so you take an action like this, and then you do the next one and then you do the next one and then you do the next one.

you're not getting on the roller coaster and saying, nothing's going to happen. it's not possible that I did something to the tracks. everything's going to be fine. because this just causes more doubt and questioning. we're living in a life of uncertainty. we don't need to lie to ourselves that everything's going to be fine. we have no idea. but you with or without OCD are taking the same risk. so we do it.

Ways to respond to OCD threats

Let's break it down. Say your OCD is all about germs. Every time you touch something "dirty," that voice tells you to wash your hands until they're raw. But with ERP, you're gonna flip the script. You'll touch that doorknob, that elevator button, and even that seemingly icky surface, and then... nothing. You won't rush to wash your hands. Nope, you'll just carry on with your day, as if germs were no big deal.

You keep asking yourself throughout the day. if I did not have OCD would I be washing my hands right now. if I did not have ocd, would I be playing with my kid in this moment. would I be researching the things online that I'm researching?

See, by acting like you don't have OCD, you're basically telling your brain, "Hey, those threats you keep throwing at me? They don't scare me anymore." It's like turning down the volume on that nagging voice until it's just background noise.

Activities like this are what you can find in my master your OCD online course. I teach you step by step how to tackle your OCD and become the boss. I'm going to link that down in the description.

Now, let's apply this to everyday situations. You're at school, and you've got a big presentation coming up. Normally, OCD might have you obsessing over every little detail, rehearsing your lines a hundred times, and worrying about what could go wrong. But with ERP, you're gonna channel your inner rockstar. You'll strut up to that podium, own the room, and deliver your speech like you were born for the spotlight. And if that voice tries to sabotage you with doubts, you'll brush it off and keep on shining.

One of my favorite things to do is sometimes agree with the threats. it sounds nutzo so sometimes. I sure hope that I completely faint while I'm up there giving my speech. that would be amazing to get all that attention. that embarrassment would be so great. I sure hope my voice stutters multiple times.

Think of it like this: if you didn't have OCD, how would you tackle challenges? What decisions would you make? By asking yourself these questions, you're reclaiming control and showing OCD who's boss.

So, the next time that voice starts chirping away, asking, "What if?" Just shrug your shoulders, flash a grin, and say, "Who cares?" Because living your best life means embracing uncertainty, taking risks, and refusing to let OCD call the shots. You got this!
For more earth-shattering ideas to tackle your ocd, go watch this video right here.