Someone I know with severe OCD has made up a list which is supposed to help his OCD. He has checking compulsions and has difficulty convincing himself that he has done things. The list was made so he could tick off what he done (like taking medication) and that seeing the ticks would help him know what he had done and reduce time spent on OCD.
This person has a tendency to unintentionally exaggerate the success of his own strategies, so I don't know that the list cut down the time much in the first place. Even if it did, my view as someone who has OCD is that the list could never help him break his OCD. I see it as a crutch to lean on.
Despite having the list he often takes half an hour to convince himself he's done everything, even while looking at the list. So the list doesn't come close to making him well. If a person has great difficulty convincing themself they've done things their OCD is severe. My experience is that as long as he needs to use a list the OCD will remain severe. What he needs is to get rid of the list and be able to trust his own judgment that he's done things. Using odd methods to convince yourself will never help you overcome OCD.
Having a list becomes an obsession in itself, and reinforces the importance of the thoughts, which is something CBT teaches not to do.
This person has a tendency to reject expert opinion on OCD, as he says they don't have OCD and get their knowledge from books. I would like to hear the views of people with OCD on this issue, as that alone may be able to convince him the list is not helping.
This person has a tendency to unintentionally exaggerate the success of his own strategies, so I don't know that the list cut down the time much in the first place. Even if it did, my view as someone who has OCD is that the list could never help him break his OCD. I see it as a crutch to lean on.
Despite having the list he often takes half an hour to convince himself he's done everything, even while looking at the list. So the list doesn't come close to making him well. If a person has great difficulty convincing themself they've done things their OCD is severe. My experience is that as long as he needs to use a list the OCD will remain severe. What he needs is to get rid of the list and be able to trust his own judgment that he's done things. Using odd methods to convince yourself will never help you overcome OCD.
Having a list becomes an obsession in itself, and reinforces the importance of the thoughts, which is something CBT teaches not to do.
This person has a tendency to reject expert opinion on OCD, as he says they don't have OCD and get their knowledge from books. I would like to hear the views of people with OCD on this issue, as that alone may be able to convince him the list is not helping.
