What is a Compulsion?

Our thoughts and behaviors are a part of every aspect of our lives. A series of endless actions that make up our days. Wake up, have a cup of coffee, make a to-do list for the day, take a shower, check the doorknob to be sure it's locked before leaving the house, tidy up the kitchen, and on and on. 

But what happens when our thoughts and behaviors consume us and become necessary to feel calm in our lives? How can a thought compel us to perform an action we may not really want to do but cannot fight off the urge? Why do some of us feel the drive to repeat something repeatedly—even if it is harmful to ourselves or others? 

If you are asking yourself these questions, you may be experiencing compulsions as a part of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). At LunaJoy, we understand that compulsions can be a scary experience—so we want to share with you what OCD actually looks like (it's more than just being tidy and organized!), the more common and lesser-known compulsions, and tips to stay mindful when experiencing compulsive urges. 

Before you begin, remember that our professionals are always here to help

What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? 

Both obsessions and compulsions are typically present in obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, the symptoms of obsession or compulsion may exist alone. You may not notice that your obsessions and compulsions are excessive or unjustified yet find that they consume a lot of time, preventing you from going about your everyday activities and functioning in social, academic, or professional settings.

Obsessions with OCD are intrusive, recurrent, unwelcome thoughts, desires, or visions that are distressing or cause anxiety. We may try to avoid or eliminate them by engaging in a ritual or compulsive habit. 

Compulsions are recurrent activities that we may feel compelled to carry out if experiencing OCD. They are recurrent actions, whether physical or mental, intended to ease tension brought on by obsessions or avert adverse outcomes. However, engaging in the compulsions or rituals is a time-consuming, unpleasant experience and may only alleviate anxiety momentarily.

Ways Compulsions Can Show Up In Our Lives

Compulsions can appear in a variety of ways. When someone thinks of OCD, it has become more common to imagine our friend who keeps a tidy home, the co-worker who has everything color-coded, or the partner who seems to go to the gym daily. While these can be a type of compulsion, OCD rituals are much more complex in nature, as they involve repetition which begins to take over an individual's daily life.  

Common compulsions are the ones that many of us think of when we imagine OCD, such as: 

• Cleaning and organizing

• Hand-washing or body cleansing

• Excessive double-checking

Yet compulsions can appear in many other forms like

• Repeatedly confessing thoughts and/or actions and asking for reassurance

• Excessively thinking positive thoughts in attempts to neutralize negative ones

• Consistently reviewing memories of past events to feel secure that is what occurred

• Re-reading sentences or replaying movie scenes to memorize them

• Avoiding people, places, things, or situations that remind us of our obsessive thoughts

• Trying to stop intrusive thoughts from arising

• Any behavior or thought pattern is ritualistic and is done to relieve mental distress or anxiety 

Again, remember that compulsive behaviors aren't simply excessive worries about real problems in your life or enjoying having things clean or arranged in a specific way. They are irresistible urges to complete a behavior that affects the quality of life. 

Coping With Compulsions & Compulsion Therapy

LunaJoy understands that compulsions can hurt our lives, and we want to help those suffering from OCD through compulsion therapy to be able to feel calm and content once more. Here are some mindful ways to cope with compulsions:  

• Postpone the ritual

  • Decide in your mind that you will follow your compulsion

  • Choose a definite future time when you will return to it

  • When that moment comes, either begin ritualizing or think about delaying the practice to a different specified time

  • When possible, choose to delay

• Slow down the compulsion while you perform it.

  • Pick one ritual

  • During the compulsion, be mindful of your breathing and bodily gestures

  • Several times, pause so that you can take a deep breath and relax

• Modify a portion of the ritual

  • Choose one compulsion and describe its elements (specific actions, order, repetitions, physical stance, etc.)

  • Start making changes to your pattern, and then practice them frequently throughout the coming days

  • Change the ritual pattern every three to four days

• Include a Repercussion in Your Ritual

  • Pick a ritual that has proven challenging to change, postpone, or otherwise interfere with

  • Make a commitment to carrying out a certain action following each compulsion

  • Choose a punishment (e.g., put $1 in a jar, go on a 30-minute walk after work, call a supporter, etc.)

  • Practice delaying or altering a ritual element as your awareness grows before the rite

If you feel like you need more help or are a candidate for compulsion therapy, reach out to us to learn more about the techniques we utilize to help alleviate symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).