OCD therapy for purely obsessional OCD
Does It Feel Like Your Mind Is Working Against You?
Intrusive thoughts. Mental compulsions. Endless “what ifs.” If you’re struggling with Pure OCD, you know how sticky these thoughts can feel—and how they target the things that matter most to you.
You might look fine on the outside, but inside, it feels like your brain is stuck on overdrive, questioning everything about who you are. You’re exhausted from trying to figure out what’s real, what’s not, and whether your thoughts “mean something".
what is purely obsessional OCD?
Unlike more stereotypical OCD (like hand-washing or checking), Pure OCD involves:
• Obsessions: Intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that feel distressing, shameful, or terrifying.
• Compulsions: Mental acts (not physical ones) you do to reduce the anxiety, fear, or shame caused by these obsessions.
common obsessions in pure OCD
Obsessions can take many forms, but here are some common themes I work with:
Health Obsessions:
• What if I have a serious illness doctors haven’t caught?
• What if I ignored a symptom, and it’s too late now?
• What if I accidentally made myself sick or hurt others by being careless?
Sexuality Obsessions:
• What if I’m secretly gay or straight and have been lying to myself?
• What if I’m attracted to the “wrong” person?
• What if my sexual preferences mean something is wrong with me?
Relationship Obsessions (ROCD):
• What if I don’t really love my partner?
• What if I’m with the wrong person?
• What if my partner doesn’t really love me, and I’m missing the signs?
Pedophilia Obsessions (POCD):
• What if I’m attracted to children?
• What if I’ve done something inappropriate in the past and just don’t remember?
• What if I’m secretly a bad person?
Harm Obsessions:
• What if I hurt someone I love?
• What if I lose control and harm someone unintentionally?
• What if I poisoned someone by mistake?
These thoughts often feel sticky and distressing because they target what matters most to you—your relationships, your identity, or your sense of safety. But here’s the truth: intrusive thoughts don’t reflect who you are. They’re just thoughts, no matter how real or distressing they feel.
the trap of OCD and the need for certainty
If you’re struggling with OCD, you might feel an intense need to eliminate any and all uncertainty. Your mind demands absolute clarity—“What if I’m wrong?” or “What if I missed something?”—and you can find yourself stuck in endless cycles of questioning, reassurance-seeking, or overanalyzing to feel certain.
But here’s the thing: OCD demands a level of certainty that doesn’t exist. Life is inherently uncertain, and trying to eliminate that uncertainty only strengthens OCD’s grip. This is what makes OCD so exhausting—it tricks you into thinking that certainty is achievable if you just try hard enough, but the harder you try, the more stuck you feel.
Learning to sit with uncertainty isn’t easy, but it’s one of the most powerful tools in breaking free from OCD. Through Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), you’ll develop the skills to face uncertainty head-on and learn that it doesn’t have to control you.
The Endless Loop of Mental Compulsions
When intrusive thoughts pop up, your brain’s first instinct is to “fix” them. This might look like:
• Mentally reviewing conversations or events to prove you didn’t do anything wrong.
• Replaying memories to check if they match the thoughts.
• Seeking reassurance from others: “Do you think this means something?”
• Googling for answers to prove or disprove the thoughts.
• Trying to replace a “bad” thought with a “good” one.
• Getting stuck in endless rumination: Trying to “figure it out” by analyzing and dissecting every thought or sensation, hoping for clarity or certainty.
The problem? The more you engage with these mental compulsions, the stronger the obsession feels. It’s like playing a game of whack-a-mole—address one fear, and another pops up to take its place.
how ERP can help you break free
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold standard for OCD treatment. Unlike other therapies, ERP focuses on breaking the cycle of obsessions and compulsions by helping you face your fears in a manageable, supportive way.
Here’s how it works:
• Exposure: We’ll gradually and safely expose you to the thoughts or triggers that cause anxiety, helping you build tolerance for the uncertainty they create.
• Response Prevention: I’ll help you resist the urge to engage in compulsions, so you can learn that the anxiety will pass on its own without your intervention.
Through ERP, you’ll learn how to sit with uncertainty, reduce the power of intrusive thoughts, and live a life that’s no longer dictated by OCD.
It’s Time to Break the Cycle
OCD can make you feel trapped in your own mind, but you don’t have to stay stuck. I know how distressing and isolating these thoughts can feel, but recovery is possible.
If you’re ready to stop the spiral of intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions, schedule your free consultation today. Let’s work together to help you reclaim your life from OCD.
