OCD, ACT, And ERP: Learning To Stop Wrestling With Your Thoughts
When someone is struggling with OCD, the most natural response is usually to try to get rid of the thoughts.
To figure them out. Prove them wrong. Reassure yourself. Analyze them until they finally stop feeling important.
The problem is—this is exactly what keeps the cycle going.
ERP: Learning A New Response
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is one of the most effective treatments for OCD.
At its core, it's about two things:
Gently bringing yourself into contact with triggers
Practicing not doing the usual things you do to get relief
Those "usual things" are often mental:
Reassuring yourself
Replaying things in your head
Checking how you feel
Trying to reach certainty
At first, this can feel uncomfortable. Like something is unfinished or unresolved.
But over time, you begin to learn that you can feel uncertainty and not solve it.
Where ACT Comes In
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) supports this process by changing how you relate to your thoughts while you're having them.
Instead of treating thoughts like problems to fix, ACT helps you see them more like mental noise:
"I'm having the thought that something is wrong."
"My mind is trying to get certainty again."
Noticing the thought, without getting pulled into it.
Making Space For Discomfort
A big part of both ACT and ERP is learning that discomfort is not a signal that something is wrong.
It's often just a signal that your brain is doing what it's learned to do.
So instead of trying to shut it down, the practice becomes:
Can I let this be here and still move forward?
Can I not answer this question right now?
Can I tolerate not knowing for a bit longer than feels comfortable?
What People Often Notice
At first, this work can feel surprisingly hard.
Not because anything dangerous is happening—but because your mind keeps insisting:
"You're missing something."
"You need to figure this out."
"You can't leave it like this."
And yet, when people start practicing not engaging with the loop, they often notice something unexpected: the urgency starts to soften on its own.
The Shift
ERP and ACT together aren't about eliminating thoughts or achieving constant calm.
They're about changing your relationship to your inner experience so that thoughts don't automatically pull you into a spiral.
So instead of:
"I need to figure this out before I can move on"
It becomes:
"I can move forward even if this thought is here."
If you've been stuck in cycles of overthinking, reassurance-seeking, or mental checking, it can start to feel like your mind is the problem.
But often, it's more about the pattern you and your mind have gotten into together.
And that pattern can shift.
I offer a free 15-minute consultation. Sessions are available in person in Los Angeles and via telehealth throughout California.
