The 3 A's - Tips for when you find yourself ruminating :)

[OCDAdvocateKatie]

When we are navigating OCD and searching desperately for certainty...it seems like we HAVE to find the answer. In reality, the only thing certain is that if you choose to indulge OCD, you will give up the life you were created to experience.

For me, the 3 A's can be super helpful when it comes to ruminating and other "invisible compulsions."

1. ACKNOWLEDGE when you are searching desperately for an answer. Recognizing when you are ruminating is the first step...and just acknowledging it can be an "aha!" moment.

2. ACTIVELY return to the present moment while trusting your process. This can be really tough, but you have the opportunity to make the choice to come back to the moment through the 5 senses or other mindfulness practices meaningful to you.

3. ACCEPT that OCD will always make you doubt the truth...especially in areas that are important to you. This doesn't mean that you have to accept living the life that OCD wants you to life. In fact...accepting that it really is the "doubting disorder" can grant yourself freedom to make the choices you need to make for your recovery, regardless of the compelling argument OCD is making (like...but this time is different...it's not!).

***PRO TIP - Shrug shoulders to show irrelevance...with bonus recovery points for feeling irresponsible or like an imposter...but choosing to do it anyways for the beautiful life you deserve to live!! The world needs you

[justrught]

I like this! Any tips for neutral obsessions? Like sometimes I ruminate on something like Disc Golf - “ooo. I could contact the local organization and set up a beginners League and reach out to the pros to have them come visit and move the baskets, and invite my friend and ooo I should get a new disc and practice with it and maybe have a tournament …”

I’d say it’s just annoying and can take me out of the present moment, but the third A doesn’t fully apply. And when I try to do 2 it switches to something else. “Oh, I should work on the garden and put down mulch…”

[alexandraisobsessed IOCDF Advocate]

Love it so much Katie!