Jordan Driskell

Alright, I'm just going to be one of those therapist's who shares all the random analogies that come to mind during sessions.. haha... so here we go again! I've been telling my members that my OCD feels like the stray cat that shows up at my door everyday... every time the cat has shown up I would give it a treat and feed it. I know, that every single time I feed this cat it will keep showing up at my door. Without fail, same time the next day this orange cat shows up... Then I stopped feeding the cat.. and guess what it.. after a few days of not getting my treats.... it didn't show up! Eventually the cat decided it wasn't going to get what it needed from me anymore and gave up trying. I had to change my response to it to get a different result. OCD IS THE SAME WAY! if you keep feeding it (with compulsions, fear responses, etc) it will keep showing up... if you change your response (use response prevention) it will eventually not even try.

I came up with analogy that I have been sharing with my members and they have been finding it very helpful so I wanted to post it here too! You know when you're coming out of the grocery store... and there are people handing out their pamphlets (trying to recruit, promote, or get donations for their cause?)THAT'S YOUR OCD... You have a couple of options on how to respond (or not respond)... and the choice is ultimately yours. 1. You can say "no thank you" (not engage with it- utilizing Response Prevention) 2. Take the pamphlet and carry it with you, maybe even reading it later (do your compulsions and keep doing them) 3. Stand there and "talk" (engage with the thoughts and do mental compulsions) OR 4. Take the pamphlet, give it back or discard of it (do a compulsion and then undo the compulsion) You'd never stand there and play tug of war with the pamphlet people or scream at them to STOP... so don't do this with your OCD. You can have awareness that your intrusive thoughts are there.. but you do not have to engage with them. Make that choice to not respond; walk away and say "no thank you". Make that choice to do Response Prevention.