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If you’ve spent time learning about OCD, you may have realized that the version of OCD portrayed on screen is rather incomplete or inaccurate. After learning the many forms OCD can actually take, the next question is often “why?” and “how?” In part one, we went over common myths about what OCD is. When it comes to the why and how of OCD, there is again no shortage of misinformation.

OCD is a disorder in which intrusive thoughts become extra sticky and there is a strong urge to use actions or mental rituals to relieve the resulting anxiety. This difficulty dismissing intrusive thoughts can be quite confusing for those with and without OCD alike.

So, what’s actually happening when someone is experiencing OCD? Let’s break down some common myths about how OCD works.

OCD MYTHS:

OCD is always caused by trauma

There is a strong link between OCD and trauma, and OCD symptoms are more likely to arise following trauma. However, OCD is not in and of itself always caused by trauma. Many people without a history of trauma have OCD, and many people who have experienced trauma don’t have OCD. OCD is caused by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors and doesn’t have one singular cause.

People with “taboo” obsessions are dangerous

The more important a value is to a person, the more likely OCD is to target that value. This often makes harm or sexual intrusive thoughts extra sticky for people who place a big value on safety and morality. Although these thoughts may sound scary, they do not mean that the person with those thoughts is dangerous or at risk of acting on them. Those with OCD are not any more likely to act on their intrusive thoughts than the general population.

People with OCD have “worse thoughts” than other people

There is no such thing as a “good” thought or a “bad” thought! All thoughts are morally neutral and don’t necessarily mean anything about what someone believes. Although values can affect which thoughts bother us and “stick,”most everyone, with or without OCD, experiences intrusive thoughts that don’t align with what they want or believe. In OCD, these thoughts feel more meaningful than they really are.

Obsessions are always “what if” doubts

Obsessions often take the form of “what if” doubts, such as “what if I snap and say something really hurtful to my partner someday?” However, this is just one way people can experience an obsession. They can also take the form of intrusive images, like a mental scene of saying something hurtful to a partner, or an intrusive impulse to say something hurtful. Sometimes, especially with body-focused obsessions, they may take the form of intrusive attention to somatic sensations. There is no one singular form an obsession must take.

Compulsions are always done to avoid an external consequence

Frequently, OCD is described as not being about “needing to flip the light switch on and off 5 times” but feeling you have to flip the light switch on and off 5 times or else something bad will happen. Both of these can be examples of OCD compulsions! Compulsions involve anything meant to lessen anxiety caused by obsessive intrusive thoughts. Whether this is to prevent the possibility of an external event from happening, to prevent an internal feeling of wrongness, or to try to gain certainty surrounding a sticky thought, the goal of reducing the anxiety caused by the obsession is the same!

OCD thoughts are always illogical

Some forms of OCD like “just right” OCD and “magical thinking” OCD are driven more by “gut feelings” or a sense of dread than by clear logic. Others, like harm OCD and relationship OCD, can involve detailed reasoning and over-analysis. In fact, rumination itself can be a distressing and very time consuming compulsion. Compulsive rumination involves repeated attempts to “out-think” the OCD and gain certainty by proving the obsession to be logically false. OCD’s logic is often misapplied, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

People with OCD always know that they have OCD, and that the OCD is untrue

Some people recognize their obsessions as untrue right from the start, but many don’t! OCD’s logic can feel very sound and convincing, both to the individual with OCD and to those around them. Combined with poor representation of OCD in the media, it’s a recipe for not knowing you have OCD at all! This is especially true for folks with taboo obsessions, mental compulsions, and rumination compulsions.

Understanding how OCD works helps explain why OCD can feel so convincing and distressing. It makes intrusive thoughts feel meaningful and as though you need to do something in order to stay safe or true to your beliefs. Recognizing the inner workings of OCD is one of the most crucial early steps in OCD recovery, and one that you don’t have to take alone. A knowledgeable OCD therapist can help you learn the specifics of how your own OCD works, and how to use that knowledge to finally dismiss your sticky thoughts.

If you’re recognizing signs of OCD in yourself or someone you care about, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Support from a trained professional can make a meaningful difference in understanding symptoms and building healthier coping strategies. The team at Valid Love Therapy Collective offers compassionate, informed care tailored to your needs. You can reach out and take the next step toward support by visiting our contact page: https://www.validlove.com/contact.

Understanding OCD: Breaking Down the Myths Part 2: How it Works