I have been helping people with OCD in a professional capacity for two decades. Partly due to my training as a psychologist and the experience gained over the past twenty years, I know the most effective outcomes for people may involve using different models of therapy and adapting when the person is struggling, or when the model doesn’t seem to fit. One such complementary way of working is using mindfulness-based interventions, and I want to talk about that today.
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) are the recommended talking therapies for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), you may have heard them referred to as the gold standard in terms of treatment. While acknowledging that the practice of mindfulness is not a replacement for the gold standard treatments, it is certainly a very useful complement to treatment.
While CBT has proven to be effective in managing OCD, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. As some of you may know, I am a psychologist who has been helping people with OCD for twenty years, and while I mostly use CBT and ERP, some clients really struggled without the addition of mindfulness to help them regulate the distress they experience. If you have worked with me before, you probably have undertaken some from of mindfulness with me while using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which really helps manage all those uncomfortable feelings. I won’t go into much detail today about using ACT with CBT, as I wrote about the other day and you can read that article here.
Mindfulness, a practice rooted in ancient Buddhist philosophy, has found its place in modern psychology.
People who have attended psychological therapy with me have expressed concern if they were, for example, Christians and were not sure about the Buddhist aspect of mindfulness. I can assure you that Mindfulness in therapy practices is like any other psychological model and as explained in HuffPost is now devoid of spiritual or religious practices.
Principles and Practices of Mindfulness
There are various ways to practice mindfulness. This can include formal practices like mindfulness meditation, body scan, and mindful yoga. It can also involve informal practices, such as mindful eating, mindful walking, or simply bringing mindful awareness to everyday activities. For example, I walked my two dogs this morning. I admit I didn’t walk them mindfully while thinking about what I wanted to write about this morning. If I were to have walked them mindfully, I would have just paid attention to what I was doing, which was walking my dogs.
- The feel of the ground
- Air, whether warm or cold,
- I would have had a gentle awareness as they stopped to sniff (as opposed to trying to hurry them along)
In terms of OCD, mindfulness can separate you from your obsessive thoughts and when successful, there will be less need to ritualise, i.e. perform compulsive behaviours. It also helps you be nicer to yourself by teaching compassion, as OCD is hard enough to live with without a disproving narrative inside your head.
How to get started
Starting with mindfulness can be formal or informal. The informal ways are like the example I mentioned above above walking my dogs; it just means be mindful as you go about your daily activities, but you can also be more deliberate about it and set aside time to practice mindfulness. I suppose this is like trying to get fit and would be the difference between walking when you can instead of driving and being more deliberate about it by setting aside time to exercise. I encourage you to be deliberate with mindfulness by trying the following.
- Mindful Breathing: Focus on your breath, noticing the sensation of air entering and leaving your nostrils. This can help ground you in the present moment.
- Body Scan: Slowly bring attention to different parts of your body, starting from the toes and moving up to the head. This can increase bodily awareness and reduce tension.
- Mindfulness of Thoughts: Observe your thoughts without judgment. Recognize them as passing events in the mind, rather than facts that need to be acted upon.
Mindfulness can also help break the cycle of compulsive behaviours. By fostering a non-judgmental awareness of thoughts and feelings, individuals can learn to respond to OCD triggers in a more adaptive way. Moreover, mindfulness can enhance self-compassion, which can be particularly beneficial for individuals with OCD. Self-compassion can help individuals accept their thoughts and feelings without self-criticism or shame.
Addressing Time Commitment Concerns in Mindfulness Practice
One common concern about mindfulness practice is the time commitment it requires. It’s important to understand that mindfulness can be flexible and integrated into daily routines without requiring extensive time.
- Start Small: Begin with short sessions of 5-10 minutes and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable.
- Incorporate mindfulness into Daily Activities: Practice mindfulness while performing everyday tasks like eating, walking, or brushing your teeth.
- Consistency Over Duration: Regular, shorter practices can be more beneficial than infrequent, longer sessions.
By approaching mindfulness in a manageable way, individuals can gradually build their practice without feeling overwhelmed by the time commitment.
Mindful Living as a Tool for Emotional Regulation
Mindful living involves integrating mindfulness into daily activities. This can help individuals stay present and avoid getting caught up in distressing thoughts and feelings. Mindful living can also enhance emotional regulation. By fostering a nonjudgmental awareness of emotions, individuals can learn to respond to emotional triggers more adaptively.
Moreover, mindful living can enhance self-efficacy, which can be particularly beneficial for individuals with OCD. Self-efficacy can help individuals feel more confident in managing their symptoms.
Integrating Mindfulness into Daily Routines for OCD
Integrating mindfulness into daily routines can be a powerful tool for managing OCD. This can be as simple as practising mindful breathing during daily activities or setting aside time each day for a formal mindfulness practice.
Consistency is key when integrating mindfulness into daily routines. Regular practice can help individuals develop a more adaptive response to OCD triggers and reduce the intensity of distressing thoughts and feelings. However, it’s important to approach mindfulness with patience. The benefits of mindfulness often emerge gradually and may not be immediately apparent.
Challenges and Considerations in Mindfulness Practice
While mindfulness can be a powerful tool for managing OCD, it’s not without its challenges. Some individuals may find staying present difficult and become frustrated with their progress.
It’s also important to approach mindfulness with realistic expectations. While mindfulness can complement traditional treatments for OCD, it’s not a cure-all. It’s one tool among many in the toolbox for managing OCD.
In conclusion, mindfulness-based interventions can play a significant role in a holistic approach to OCD treatment. While not a replacement for traditional treatments like CBT, mindfulness can complement these approaches and offer additional tools for managing OCD.