Struggling with OCD: Client testimonials to learn from

(Client identities have been changed to respect confidentiality)

Awen, 26-year-old female

I realized that I need motivation to reduce my compulsions.

Motivating yourself to cease compulsions begins with a straightforward mental shift: understand that compulsions perpetuate the cycle of anxiety. By deciding to pause, endure the brief discomfort, and shift your focus, you train your brain to see the urge as not a real danger.

“My compulsions were weighing me down. I would rearrange my cupboard umpteen times. In those days, I was physically so exhausted and not ready to leave my house, as a few cupboards still needed rearranging. I would not reach my work on time. I started taking time off from work to reorganize and tidy. My manager gave me a warning.

I could not lose my job. I decided to improve myself.

I repeatedly spent time trying to motivate myself to let go of my compulsions. I found 5 reasons to stop my compulsion. Why is it important? How will my life be better? I visualized my life without the confusion. I enjoyed the visualization of having more time to spend with my friends and family, play sports, and watch movies. The things I will do more when I am not spending time cleaning my cupboards.

I repeated the self-dialogues and validations. Slowly, it started to work for me. My compulsion became weak.

Finding my reasons to leave my compulsion and strengthening my motivation helped me.”

                                             Roshan, 35-year-old male

I recognized that I need to practice response prevention to reduce my compulsions.

The problem is not the anxiety; the problem is the compulsions. If you think anxiety is the problem, you will only make more compulsions to get rid of it (which will only create more anxiety). If you recognize that compulsions are the problem, find ways to stop doing them, and stay with the fearful situation, then the anxiety will eventually go away as you build up tolerance.

“I identified my rituals. I wrote down the exact actions your brain demands me do when an obsessive thought occurs. My next step was to delay my compulsion by a few minutes. Over time, deliberately practice preventing the response altogether to train your brain to tolerate distress.

I needed to check all the locks in my house before sleeping, not once but repeatedly. I would spend at least an hour every night walking around the house, making sure all doors were locked. I delayed doing things, watching TV, scrolling on social media, and making phone calls.

After a week, I felt my compulsion becoming weak and not so pressing.

                                         Gill, 42-year-old female

I changed my outlook toward OCD, treating it as a second part of me.

OCD can feel like an aggressive, irrational voice in your head. Adopt a confident, physical posture when your mind spirals, communicating to yourself that you are in charge, not the OCD. Train your mind by leaning into the thought: if your brain tells you that something terrible will happen, agree with the thought sarcastically rather than fight it, which drains the anxiety of its power.

 “I adopted a grey thinking towards my thoughts and started to say “maybe” and “let's see”. I worked hard at giving up right-or-wrong, black-and-white, all-or-nothing thinking.

 It magically reduced anxiety and broke the cycle of black-and-white thinking.

It lowered my brain's stress response by embracing uncertainty instead of fighting it.

 My university is reluctant to convert my high school grades. “Let's wait; it will happen eventually.” I need to decide to join a sorority- too many things to consider. “Let's see how it rolls out.” I got rejected in the last round of investment club selection. “It is annoying. I have next year to try out.” I'm not satisfied with the economics exam. “It happens; maybe I will take an extra class in the summers to meet the expected graduation date.”  

                                               Prakash, 47-year-old male

I build a Support Network.

Living with OCD can feel incredibly isolated. Sharing your experiences or finding others who understand can make the burden much lighter. In Hong Kong, for peer support and local resources, connect with groups like Mind HK to find a community.

“I started by joining hobby classes; for me, playing cards, swimming groups, and dance classes were effective. I also tried joining a team, a book club, and a language class, but none of them interested me. The activity groups I chose helped me form natural, lasting connections because I was participating in activities I enjoyed.

Additionally, I discovered an OCD support group in my community, which allowed me to meet others with similar experiences. I made a friend there, and we began hanging out together at our dance class.

This friendship significantly boosted my confidence and allowed me to enjoy my time with him, even during stressful moments.”

                                                  Ron, 36-year-old male

I left perfectionism. I worked at letting go.

While perfectionists set high standards, in OCD perfectionism manifests as an extreme intolerance of uncertainty. This causes the feeling that something—a task, placement, or thought is not "just right," preventing progress until reaching an invisible, agonizing threshold of completeness. Stress and anxiety can worsen OCD symptoms. Practicing relaxation techniques and mindfulness can help reduce stress and support well-being.

“ I believed I had to excel and achieve perfection in everything—friendship, boxing, or academics. It turned into an obsession, and I constantly told myself I must excel, nothing less.

My sense of identity and purpose became deeply linked with being perfect. This caused me to experience stress and anxiety. It took me time to practice that it is okay to get less sometime, it is okay to fail and let go sometimes.

I went fo rtherapy an dmy therapist helped me see that I cannot be perfect at all time, no one can be."

                                           Theresa, 50-year-old female

I Prioritized Lifestyle Factors.

Stress, lack of sleep, and chaotic routines can act as major triggers for OCD flare-ups. Regulating your schedule, managing stress, and looking after your physical health are proven to reduce stress and anxiety.

“I had been plagued by obsessive thoughts for a long time, worrying about accidents, illnesses, or bad news happening to me and my family. These thoughts exhausted me, impacting my sleep, eating habits, and relationships.

I established regular wake and sleep schedules to foster a feeling of control. Additionally, I added healthy outlets such as consistent exercise, journaling, or the 3-3-3 grounding technique (noticing three things you see, hear, and touch) to break an anxiety spike as it happens.

I was determined to look after my physical health, one step at a time.

I got enough sleep. 

Sleep can give you the energy to cope with difficult feelings and experiences.

I looked after my diet. 

Eating regularly and keeping your blood sugar stable can make a difference to your mood and energy levels.

I did some physical activity every day.

Yoga, swimming or walking can help improve your mood. Any kind of physical activity counts – from a chair-based exercise regime to dancing round the kitchen – the important thing is to find something that works for you.

I felt more in control of my life. My time was filled with these activities, and the obsessive thoughts seemed less intense.”