If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you may feel like you have to follow a rigid set of rules to successfully get through your day. And if you're like many others, your OCD rule list may look something like this:
- You must always control your internal experiences!
- You must be absolutely certain!
- The presence of any anxiety means you are in danger!
- You alone are responsible if you fail to prevent harm!
- Pay attention to every single thought you have!
- Everything must be just right!
- Always keep your OCD hidden from others!
These rules can keep you feeling stuck, anxious, and unable to move forward in your life. The good news is there are tools you can use to free yourself from these self-imposed rules-so you can start living a more expansive and flexible life. This book will help you break ALL your OCD rules, and will help you understand why that's a good thing.
Written by an OCD expert, and grounded in evidence-based exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP), this book addresses the seven most common rules that people with OCD create for themselves, and shows you how to break each one-so you can find freedom from the repetitive thoughts, compulsions, and shame they generate. You'll learn to embrace uncertainty and ambiguity, stop avoiding the things that make you uneasy, and start recognizing your anxiety for what it is-a false alarm system. With practice, you'll be able to move beyond your OCD symptoms and behaviours, and start thinking more flexibly.
If you're ready to toss the OCD rulebook aside and start living with more freedom than ever before, this book can help you, step by step.
