OCD and Shame
I know how hard it can be to deal with the shame that comes with having OCD. That’s why I wanted to provide some tips that have worked for me in feeling less shameful. These tips are just what worked for me, and although they may not work for you, I still want to share these tips in case they can help anyone.
The most important tip I can share is reaching out to a specialist, therapist, or counselor. Professionals can help you learn how to manage your shame and help you learn how to show yourself compassion.
Understand that your intrusive thoughts are not a reflection of your beliefs, morals, and values. Your intrusive thoughts do not reflect who you are as a person. You are not defined by these thoughts.
Join a support group. Having the opportunity to connect and have open conversations with others who have struggled with OCD can provide a sense of validation and lessen feelings of shame.
Consider ERP Therapy. ERP or Exposure and Response Prevention therapy is a form of therapy in which those with OCD can challenge their intrusive thoughts and prevent repetitive compulsions. This, for me, significantly reduced the amount of shame I felt about my intrusive thoughts and compulsions.
One thing I can tell you for certain, as someone who has struggled with OCD, is that you have nothing to feel shameful for. Your struggles are valid. You are not defined by OCD or your intrusive thoughts.
Thank you for reading!
Feeling shame and guilt is such a common experience for those who struggle with OCD. When struggling with OCD, shame can be brought on by so many aspects of dealing with mental illness, but today I wanted to focus on the shame that can be brought on by intrusive thoughts and compulsions.
Those who struggle with OCD have unwanted, intrusive thoughts or obsessions which lead to compulsions to alleviate anxiety. People who struggle with OCD may have intrusive thoughts that make them feel like a bad person, as the intrusive thoughts a person has may not be socially acceptable or may not align with their values and beliefs. I struggled with shame from my intrusive thoughts so much. I had intrusive thoughts that made me worry if I was going to hurt myself or someone else, which made me feel like a horrible person. After attending therapy, I realized that these thoughts I was having were not a reflection of my beliefs, morals, and values. The intrusive thoughts I was having were merely things I was simply afraid of happening.
Next, I want to talk about the shame that can come with compulsions. People who are battling OCD often engage in compulsions after having an intrusive thought, to relieve anxiety caused by the intrusive thought. I also struggled with shame when it came to my OCD compulsions. One of my main compulsions was re-checking how much medication I took each night. This was caused by my intrusive thought that I was going to overdose on my medication. Due to my anxiety, I often needed someone else to check that I had not taken too much medication. This caused me to feel shame because it burdened others. People with OCD may feel like a burden due to their impairment and the way it impacts others.
