A Journey of a Thousand Miles
Lao Tzu is often credited with the proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” If you haven't yet begun your journey, we urge you to get started. Find a cognitive behavioral therapist in your area, go to the library, get online: read, educate yourself, connect. Then get out there and start your fight against OCD.
Essential
It may help to think of your OCD as a brat: It might make demands, but that doesn't mean you have to give in to them. You wouldn't reward bad behavior in a child (we hope). Don't reward Mr. OCD, either!
CBT techniques can be hard at first, but very few people who've completed CBT will tell you that it wasn't worth it. Medication can also be frightening, indeed, to contemplate. But, for many OCD sufferers, that has proven helpful, as well. The decision to start — however you want to do it — will be the most important part of your journey. Almost as soon as you do start, you should begin to see positive results. (Remember, however, that medication can take a few weeks or months before it begins to work. It might take a while before you're able to take big steps with CBT, too. But keep at it. Your effort almost certainly will be rewarded.)
Remember, too, that if any one of the OCD fighters mentioned in this book doesn't work for you, you can simply try another, or check out some of the special hints elsewhere in this chapter.
Beware
It sometimes happens that, when you're ready to break free of the fear, it fights back hard. If this should happen to you, try to think of it as the last pathetic gasp of the tired old dictator as he struggles to hold onto his power. Remember that, when the fear fights back, that doesn't mean it's winning. It means you are. Continue to work with your therapist, if you have one, and make sure to enlist the help of your support “team.”
The Rewards of Progress
Remember, also, to make sure to reward your successes. If you decide to stand up to your fear of public places, for instance, you might just as well go to a movie you've been wanting to see as to a board meeting. If you want to try flying, you might opt for a short trip to a place you've always wanted to visit, rather than wait for a family obligation. Feel free to reward yourself for progress you make doing “necessary” things, as well. (But use care when choosing food rewards. Keep in mind that too much sugar can definitely be a bad thing.)
Fact
According to Forbes.com, our most common fears include animals (such as spiders, rats and snakes), water, heights, bridges, tunnels, enclosed spaces, crowds, public speaking, and storms. Many of these are said to be rooted in our primitive ancestry. (Common childhood fears include monsters, darkness, getting lost or kidnapped, or harm befalling a parent.)
