Living with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can feel overwhelming to say the least. Research from the International OCD Foundation shows that about 1 in 40 adults have OCD or will develop it at some point in their lives. This translates to roughly 8.2 million adults living with OCD in the United States. Luckily, natural treatment options are available which can provide hope when it comes to managing your OCD-related symptoms. While traditional treatments like medication exist, some clients may seek complementary services to enhance their mental health healing journey. In this blog, we will look at natural approaches to bettering your mental and emotional health through lifestyle adjustments, mindfulness practices, and mental health counseling. These methods will equip you with tools to lessen anxiety, interrupt obsessive patterns, and give you a greater sense of control over your life.
Whether you are looking to complement a traditional treatment option or explore standalone options, your OCD treatment plan should always meet you where you are at. From adequate sleep to mindfulness techniques like meditation and grounding exercises, natural strategies can play a key role in helping you manage your OCD symptoms. Let us dive into a practical look at how natural remedies can help with your OCD!
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with mental health therapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, couples, and families with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, life transitions, and more. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and teletherapy sessions to residents of New Jersey, New York, and Florida.
What is OCD?
OCD is a mental health condition that is characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts, fear, or urges (also known as obsessions) that trigger repetitive behaviors or rituals (commonly referred to as compulsions). These obsessions and compulsions typically interfere with daily life, causing a lot of distress and taking a lot of time away from you being able to live your life.
Obsessions typically involve intrusive thoughts about contamination, a need for symmetry, generally taboo thoughts, and a fear of harm. For example, someone may worry that something bad may happen if they do not perform a specific action. If you are struggling with obsessions, check out our blog “How to Manage OCD Intrusive Thoughts with CBT.”
Compulsions are behaviors or mental acts that are performed in an effort to reduce the anxiety caused by your obsessions. For instance, this may look like repeated hand washing due to a fear of contamination. This kind of behavior may temporarily relieve anxiety, but it reinforces the cycle of obsessions and compulsions. To learn more about this topic, read our blog “How Counseling Can Help You Break OCD Habits.”
What are some signs and symptoms of OCD?
Signs of obsessions
Intrusive thoughts (View our blog “6 Ways to Handle Intrusive Thoughts”)
Excessive doubts
Preoccupation with order or symmetry
Fear of losing control (Read our blog “Why Do I Have Control Issues?”)
Signs of compulsions
Mental rituals
Avoidance
Repetitive behaviors
Excessive reassurance-seeking
General symptoms
Feeling extreme distress or frustration when you are unable to perform compulsions
Obsessions and/or compulsions causing interference with work, school, and personal relationships
Spending a lot of time (over one hour a day) on obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors
OCD impacts people of all ages and greatly varies in severity. If left untreated, OCD can significantly impair your quality of life. There are effective OCD treatment options available to help you manage and reduce symptoms.
Can OCD ever go away?
OCD is considered a chronic condition which means that it will not simply “go away” on its own. With that being said, if you leave your OCD untreated, you may notice time periods where your OCD is very bad and times where it feels okay to deal with. However, over the long-term, avoiding getting treatment for your OCD will worsen the quality of your mental health.
OCD is often influenced by stress, life transitions, or other triggers. Therefore, when one of these events occurs, your OCD symptoms may resurface. That is why it is important to maintain treatment strategies even when you are in a symptom-free period which can help to prevent a relapse.
While OCD may not completely “go away” for most people, recovery is possible and many people go on to live symptom-free or lead a life with manageable symptoms through ongoing effort and mental health support.
How can lifestyle changes help manage my OCD symptoms?
Believe it or not, OCD is not always just about medication management- lifestyle changes can actually play a major role in improving your mental health and reducing the intensity of your OCD symptoms. These changes may not be a standalone cure but they can complement other treatment styles, such as therapy for OCD. By adopting healthy habits, you can create a setting where you feel calm and your stress is reduced, thus weakening the grip your obsessions and compulsions have over you.
Regular exercise is a powerful tool for managing your OCD symptoms. Physical activity can actually boost the release of endorphins which can naturally improve your mood and reduce cortisol which is the stress hormone. Additionally, mindful forms of movement, such as yoga or tai chi, offer dual benefits where you can combine physical movement with relaxation techniques which enhances your mental clarity and reduces obsessive thoughts. For more information on the correlation between mental wellness and movement, our blog “5 Ways Exercise Benefits Your Mental Health” is a must-read.
Your diet can also impact your mental well-being. A diet that is rich in whole foods, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids can support your brain health and reduce anxiety. Specifically, foods like walnuts and salmon for instance can be beneficial due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Certain stimulants, like coffee and sugar, may worsen anxiety and mental health symptoms, so avoiding them may be helpful. Staying hydrated and eating regularly throughout the day can also prevent dips in your mood and/or energy which can create more stability in your day-to-day life. To learn more, check out our blog “Cultivating Good Mental Health for Intuitive Eating.”
Sleep plays an important role in regulating your mental and emotional health, specifically in regards to emotional regulation and cognitive function. A lack of sleep can make your anxiety worse and even make it more challenging to manage your intrusive thoughts. Therefore, creating a bedtime routine can greatly enhance the quality of your sleep. You may want to create a relaxing sleep environment, avoid electronics before bed, and practice mindfulness or meditation before bed to help you calm down. With better sleep, you will feel more resilient when it comes to managing your OCD symptoms. For additional tips, view our blog “Unlocking the Secrets of Quality Sleep: A Therapist’s Perspective on Sleep Hygiene and Insomnia.”
As mentioned previously, stress can worsen OCD symptoms so adding some stress management techniques into your life can be helpful.
What are some stress management techniques that I can use to help manage my OCD?
Deep breathing exercises (Read our blog “5 Breathwork Techniques to Decrease Anxiety”)
Progressive muscle relaxation
Mindfulness (Check out our blog “5 Places to Practice Mindfulness in Hoboken, NJ”)
Meditation (Read our blog “How Meditation Can Lead to Stress Reduction”)
Journaling
Grounding techniques
Regular exercise
Limited stimulants
Structured relaxation technique
Practice gratitude
Over time, these stress management practices can help train your mind to respond to stress in a more calm and effective manner.
How can mindfulness help reduce the intensity of intrusive thoughts and compulsions?
Mindfulness can help reduce the intensity of your intrusive thoughts and compulsions since you will be creating a non-judgmental awareness of your own thoughts and emotions. This allows you to build a healthier relationship with your OCD symptoms over time.
Mindfulness encourages you to observe your thoughts without reacting to them. Instead of seeing your intrusive thoughts as something you need to be worried about or something you need to act on, mindfulness will teach you that these thoughts are like any other thoughts- they will come and go like clouds passing through in the sky. This simple shift in perspective can reduce the emotional charge that drives compulsive behaviors. Eventually, with the help of mindfulness, you will get to the point where you can acknowledge a thought and let it pass without taking any action.
OCD often comes along with a need to control or suppress thoughts to prevent a perceived harm. Mindfulness will teach you about the art of acceptance where you simply notice and accept the presence of distressing thoughts without judgment. This acceptance reduces the internal struggle of many people with OCD experience. In turn, your anxiety will be lessened which will also decrease compulsions. Remember that the goal here is not to completely erase these thoughts, but to allow them to exist without reacting and causing distressing.
Intrusive thoughts and compulsions often occur when you are thinking about the past or future which brings along a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty. Mindfulness can help you focus on the present moment and bring attention to your current situation and immediate sensory experiences. What do you feel? What can you hear? Can you feel anything? Shifting your mind to the here and now gets you away from a place of mentally spiraling in your obsessive thoughts which, in turn, reduces the likelihood of compulsive behaviors.
OCD is made up of a repetitive cycle: intrusive thoughts trigger your anxiety and this leads to compulsive behaviors that are designed to lessen your anxiety. Mindfulness can actually break this cycle by promoting a response of awareness instead of immediately responding with compulsions. When you practice mindfulness, you learn how to sit in your discomfort instead of seeking the immediate relief of compulsions. Over time, the interruption of the compulsion-reward cycle will weaken your obsessive thoughts and compulsions.
Last but not least, mindfulness is a great way to enhance your emotional regulation since you are becoming more aware of your bodily sensations and emotions in response to your unique OCD triggers. This allows you to comprehend and manage your anxiety. For example, if you notice a physical anxiety symptom, such as a tight chest, you can resort to a self-sooth technique, such as a deep breathing exercise to calm your nervous system and lessen the need to perform compulsive actions.
Mindfulness will not make your intrusive thoughts, but it will change how you respond to your obsessive thoughts. When you observe your thoughts without judgment, accept your thoughts, and stay grounded in the present moment, you will begin to view mindfulness as a tool to reduce the intensity and frequency of your obsessive thoughts and, in turn, compulsive behaviors. For additional support, check out our blog “How to Break the Cycle of Obsessive Thoughts.”
What is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for OCD?
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, also referred to as CBT, for OCD is a highly-effective, evidence-based treatment to help you manage your OCD symptoms by addressing thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to this mental health condition. CBT treatment can be especially effective since it outlines a clear relationship between your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Cognitive restructuring is a main component of CBT for OCD. This is where you will identify and challenge distorted thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions that keep your obsessions and compulsions alive. For example, you may think “If I do not check that I turned the stove off five times, something bad will happen to my family.” In CBT, you will question the validity of your belief by exploring the evidence there is to support this belief. You will also explore alternative explanations and develop more balanced, realistic thoughts.
Another important component of CBT for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy. Exposure therapy for OCD involves slowly exposing you to your feared thoughts or situations while preventing you from engaging in the usual compulsions that go along with it. In ERP therapy for OCD, you will confront your anxiety in a controlled manner. Over time, you may notice that your feared outcomes do not occur which will lessen your anxiety and the need for compulsions over time.
The exposure component may involve thinking about your feared object or situation, coming into contact with it, and/or encountering distressing thoughts. In the response portion, this looks like reframing your compulsive behaviors that are normally used in an effort to relieve your anxiety.
To learn more, check out our blog “What Conditions May Be Treated With CBT Therapy Near Me?”.
What are the benefits of CBT therapy for OCD near me?
Personalized treatment plan
Reduced anxiety
Consistent, structured therapy sessions
Access to support networks
Flexibility for ongoing support
Long-term empowerment
If you have OCD, you do not have to struggle. Incorporating lifestyle changes along with traditional treatment modalities, such as CBT for OCD, can reduce symptoms and enhance your overall well-being. By embracing a holistic approach to OCD, you can create healthier coping skills to develop a more balanced lifestyle.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager, Intake Coordinator, and Community Engagement Director at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is a graduate of the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark and is currently studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the graduate level. In her roles, Victoria is committed to managing the office’s social media/community presence and prioritizing clients' needs.
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR HELP FROM A PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR TO ASSIST YOU IN MAKING POSITIVE CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE, CONTACT US
WORKING WITH US IS EASY
Fill out the contact form below.
Our intake coordinator will get back to you with more information on how we can help and to schedule an appointment. We will set you up with an experienced licensed therapist who specializes in what you're seeking help with and who understands your needs.
You’ll rest easy tonight knowing you made the first step to improve your life.
