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Stopping Your Compulsions
Now we are going to talk about compulsions, or rituals. We've
already explained how rituals tend to persist because they provide temporary
relief from your obsessions. But the solution can be as bad as the problem.
Rituals can begin to take more and more of your time, and eventually dominate your
life.
Ultimately, getting rid of your OC symptoms means giving up
the rituals. For now we propose that you temporarily delay the goal of ridding yourself
completely of the compulsions, so that you can focus your efforts on specific, smaller
modifications. Little changes. Reachable goals, to prepare yourself for
successful resistance in the future.
In this section we will describe four
techniques you can use to start to prepare yourself to give up the rituals. The fifth
self-help technique we will present will help you stop ritualizing altogether.
The first four self-help practices can be applied while you
work on letting go of your obsessions. Or, if you'd prefer, you can first work on your
obsessions and then start changing your compulsions.
Now let's look specifically at the techniques. This material
is also covered in Chapter 6 of the self-help book Stop Obsessing!.
There are no rules as to which you should try first or which
will work better for certain rituals. However, when you chose one technique,
give
it enough opportunity to work for you. Don't simply dismiss a
method because it isn't helpful the first few times.
We know just how much courage it takes to
challenge your obsessions and compulsions. These symptoms can be powerful, and a tentative
commitment for change will not be enough. Winning the battle requires that you be
persistent in following a new plan of action. Again and again, people with OCD have proven
that they can improve their lives dramatically by actively following
through on their decision to give up their obsessions and compulsions. You too can join
them by searching inside for strength and determination.
There's no need for you to tackle your problem alone. If you
are hesitant to begin the program, or if you start losing your momentum after a few weeks,
then seek the help of a trained mental health professional,
find out if there is a local support group for OCD, or ask a friend
to help you implement the self-help program.
Best of luck in your commitment.
Stopping Your Obessions Self-Help
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