Many individuals living with OCD are finding their overall anxiety levels spiked, making it even harder to resist urges to engage in compulsive behaviors. This is particularly true for those with hand-washing and other cleaning rituals as the goal is typically to decrease how often you do these things! Obviously, the rules have changed a bit. Here are some tips to help kids, teens and adults with OCD or for family and friends trying to support them!
If hand-washing and/or excessive cleaning are one of your compulsive behaviors, it is still very important to follow current guidelines being recommended by the CDC/WHO. Remember, your goal is to engage in cleaning behaviors that are ‘typical’ or what most other people do. Right now, this is the new typical.
You can still use this time to practice Response Prevention. It is likely you will continue to have urges to hand-wash or clean even more than what is being recommended. Recognize those urges and continue to practice pushing through them. If you are unsure what is typical versus excessive, ask a friend or family member, or reach out to a professional.
Avoid excessive news watching and be aware of your tendency to check the news in a compulsive way. Set a limit for yourself, for example, one, 5-minute news check per day, and stick to it. If you find yourself more anxious each time you check the news or the answer you were looking for is never offered, you are likely in a compulsive cycle and need to break it. It is OK to tell your family to avoid talking about it too!
Try not to spend too much time worrying about how this time might be a set-back in your treatment or progress. As long as you set limits for yourself, and continue to resist urges in a healthy way, you are progressing while also keeping yourself safe!
~Dr. Sam