It’s Saturday morning and you’re sitting at home reading the paper. Suddenly your mind starts to play tricks on you, causing you to doubt your own experience. You start to doubt whether you did indeed turn the stove off before heading out the door, so you have no choice but to return home to check—even though logically you already know it should be fine… In this article we’ll look at what hit and run OCD is and how it can be helped with exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy.
What Is Hit and Run OCD?
Hit and Run OCD is a form of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in which you find yourself obsessing over the idea that you may have done something or not done something (e.g., hit another driver or a pedestrian while driving). When you experience these thoughts, they are accompanied by feelings of anxiety. These thoughts can be so consuming that they hinder your ability to function at work, school, or in social settings. The good news is there are several treatments available for those with OCD. One of the most well-known is acceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT.
Examples of Hit and Run Attacks
If you’re currently struggling with Hit and Run OCD, there are many things that you can do to stop the attacks. One thing is to get exposure therapy, which will help bring you closer to your fears. But there are other methods as well, such as getting involved in activities that will make you feel less anxious or getting enough sleep. Acceptance and commitment therapy is also a good option because it helps people accept their thoughts instead of fighting them. It’s all about changing what they’re telling themselves, which isn’t always easy. If you have symptoms like these, please contact us for a referral or for treatment at Better Living Center for Behavioral Health.
