How to Identify Obsessions & Compulsions

Here is my approach for identifying obsessions and compulsions. It's especially useful for identifying compulsions in areas of your life that might not cause too much anxiety. Those are great compulsions to start cutting out first because they'll be easier to change than the ones causing you the most distress.

For being social...

[alfiefox]

This guy has literally improved my life x100

[stephaniebartles]

You have literally saved my life, I'm not going to get into detail bit you reassure me that I am not alone with the thoughts I have. I know it will be a hard and long journey recovering from OCD but I know it will all be worth it when i can finally cope with these thoughts and live a normal life. I have rituals and intrustive thoughts with evert daily task and am now very close to being kicjed out of college necause i avoid doing things to avoid the anxiety. With your helpful videos I know recovery is possible and not far away. You have taught me that the thoughts are not real even of I have a gut feeling they are. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart, I am beyond thankful for your videos and help
-Stephanie.

[stephenkrus]

Wow! This make so much sense! This concepts might help me. 👍

[SKRithvik]

Thanks Mark. That’s a really effective definition. Very often, I have silly habits fuelling my worst anxiety indirectly(or directly).

[kristencowan]

Your videos are so incredibly helpful!

[deadinteresting]

hey! you've been in my head! yep all those but didn't realise it was much more widespread than my "theme" ... ugh.. been so unconscious!

[j.danielbort]

I'd like to say I am utterly obsessed with all of mark's teachings, but that would defeat the purpose, right? :)

[SlothFeels]

Hi Mark. This has been such an enlightening message, and I´ve had a small idea on my mind of which could be the root cause behind these kind of compulsions, however, you just clarified it completely. Thank you and best regards

[cody]

You man deserve more subscribers! Amazing knowledge on OCD!

[dey]

Reall good points and super helpful! Thanks man!

[KentNa]

Thank you for the great video. Your videos were the first step towards me understanding my own OCD.

[RobCollins]

Great stuff as ever, Mark. Your work has been a massive help to me and to others. Thank you!

[nikitajain]

You are my hero. Your book has changed my life📙😍

[pixie]

I cant thank you enough for these videos, please keep making such videos

[Ashleyiza]

Awesome video Mark. Thank you for all you do. It's all about breaking out of that cycle.

[saschamatuszak]

hey mark, i just got dumped by a girl i fell in love with. she told me from jump street that she didn't want to be a girlfriend, nevertheless we had a veyr intense time in which she edged up to being my gf, but eventually chose her path, which was to remain free from that restriction. I, of course, ended up heartbroken, throughout the time we were together, i exhibited every single compulsion you listed here. Much of it was due to the fact that she did not make me feel secure at all, but also I drove the compulsions on, not having seen this video in time :) ... now I am in the heartache phase, and I am wondering if you have some ideas for getting through this. I can't get her face out of my head, and i find myself constantly dealing with intrusive thoughts and an intense desire to reconnect, which will not happen. I am basically in the bargaining phase of grief, and i am trying to move out ... it's only been about 2 weeks tho, since the final communication. Anyway. Anything you can add helps.

[pandeburger]

Hi sir Mark I really need your help with this one, are emotions like doubt an obsession? You're my only hope 😭🙏

[wanmeireles]

Finally my Portuguese subtitle was accepted for this video! woohoo

[chriswarfield]

Hey Mark! Thanks for this video - I’m trying to understand something confusing me between this video and your What’s an OCD Thought video. In this video, you mention identifying obsessions/compulsions in this manner and how it’s helpful. In the other, I interpreted what you said to mean regardless of the thought, we don’t need to respond to identifying it as it doesn’t change our value actions.

I think I’m confused, as one sounds like labeling and the other is acting in alignment with values. Maybe I’m misunderstanding the idea of obsessions/compulsions vs OCD thoughts.

Any light to shine on this? Thanks!

[Kilili]

Tony Robbins would say, if you fear something you want to do, find something you fear more (that would be the result of not doing the thing you want to do but fear).
Is this a strategy advised with SA, OCD etc? Say you want to give up smoking, and tell yourself about the cancer risk, so ultimately you become so afraid of that that you stop smoking ?! (I stopped smoking without this :) )