Engaging in Opposite Action When OCD Shows Up
If you live with OCD, it is easy to fall into negative misconceptions/stereotypes, such as believing you are weak, broken, or failing because certain thoughts or urges feel overwhelming. OCD is designed to pull you toward relief at any cost. When anxiety spikes, your brain is trying to protect you, even if the strategy it uses ends up keeping you stuck. If you’ve ever felt frustrated with yourself for “knowing better” but still feeling compelled to avoid, check, or seek reassurance, it is important to know that you are not alone, but also know that this is where a useful ERP skill known as Opposite Action comes into place.
What Is Opposite Action?
Opposite action means intentionally choosing a behavior that goes against what OCD urges you to do. OCD thrives on patterns of avoidance, compulsions, and reassurance-seeking. These actions temporarily lower anxiety, but they teach the brain that the fear is dangerous and must be escaped or avoided altogether. Opposite action gently disrupts that cycle. Instead of reacting automatically, you respond with intention, allowing anxiety to be present without trying to fix, neutralize, or escape it. The goal is not to feel calm right away, but to teach your brain that you can tolerate discomfort and uncertainty.
Examples and Scenarios of Opposite Action
For our first example, lets say we have someone with contamination based OCD, and they are currently feeling the urge to wash their hands repeatedly after touching a doorknob. When looking at the OCD cycle, the obsessive thoughts is that they just touched a contaminated surface, triggering anxiety, and immediately sending the directive to our brain that they must wash their hands several times, which is the compulsion component. After the trigger, and in the midst of the anxiety rising, the goal is to substitute that compulsion with opposite action. In this scenario, opposite action might look like washing their hands once and then resisting the urge to wash again, even as anxiety rises. By staying with the discomfort, the brain learns that anxiety peaks and falls on its own.
To give another example/scenario, lets say that we have an individual who has a relationship OCD. They are currently feeling triggered from an intrusive thought and feel the urge to seek reassurance from their partner. In this scenario, opposite action could mean choosing not to ask for reassurance and instead continuing with their day while letting the doubt exist in the background.
Small Takeaway for Opposite Action
It is always important when starting anything, but especially when starting OCD treatment to start small. I encourage y’all to choose one mild trigger this week and practice delaying or reducing a compulsion by just a few minutes. Remember, progress comes from repetition, not perfection. Learning opposite action takes practice, patience, and self-compassion. Slips are part of the process and does not mean that you are failing. We don’t have to eliminate fear to move forward, but we just have to stop letting OCD decide our next move. Next time an urge comes up, tell yourself: “This is what OCD wants me to do, but how do I want to handle this situation?”
Need Support?
If you’d like guidance practicing Opposite Action or reducing safety behaviors, our clinicians at OATH Therapy specialize in ERP-based treatment for OCD and anxiety. You don’t have to navigate this alone. Reach out today to schedule a consultation and take the next step forward.