Navigating decision making with anxiety or OCD
Today, we’re diving into a topic that hits close to home for many of us dealing with anxiety and OCD: decision making. Oh, the mental gymnastics we perform when faced with choices, big or small! I’m here to share some strategies rooted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that can guide us through the decision-making process with a little more grace and a lot less stress.
Decision making can feel like a massive task when anxiety or OCD is in the mix. The constant what-ifs, the fear of making the “wrong” choice, and the overwhelming barrage of options can lead to decision paralysis. But why is this so challenging? Well, both anxiety and OCD have a knack for magnifying uncertainties and potential negative outcomes, making every decision seem monumental. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy offers a refreshing approach to tackling this challenge.
Here’s how we can apply ACT principles to our decision-making process:
Identify Your Values: What truly matters to you? For someone with anxiety, making decisions that honor their value of "health" might look like choosing activities that support mental and physical well-being.
Recognize Away and Towards Behaviors: In ACT, away behaviors are actions we take to avoid discomfort, while towards behaviors move us closer to our values. Choose towards moves.
Embrace Willingness: Willingness involves accepting the discomfort that comes with uncertainty and making choices that align with your values anyway. It's about saying, "Yes, this is uncomfortable, but it’s important to me."
Use Defusion Techniques: Anxiety and OCD love to entangle us in our thoughts. Defusion techniques help by creating space between ourselves and our thoughts, allowing us to see them for what they are—just thoughts, not mandates. Next time you’re stuck in indecision, try stepping back and saying, “I’m having the thought that this decision is life-or-death,” to give yourself some perspective.
Take Committed Action: Once you’ve identified your values and are willing to accept discomfort, it’s time to take action. Remember, small steps count. If you’re torn between staying in due to anxiety or attending a friend’s gathering, which aligns with your value of friendship, commit to going for a short time as a step towards that value.
Decision making with anxiety and OCD isn’t about finding a way to eliminate discomfort entirely. It’s about making choices that are in harmony with who you are and what you stand for, even when those choices feel scary. By grounding your decisions in your values and practicing willingness to face discomfort, you’re not just making choices; you’re creating a life that’s authentically yours (not a life dictated by anxiety and OCD). Remember, every decision is an opportunity to steer your life in a direction that feels meaningful and even if it feels like you made a “wrong decision" there is a wealth of information you can learn from any action.
