This One Mindset Shift Can Change Everything in OCD Recovery

By: Jennifer Rollin, LCSW-C, Therapist & Founder of The Eating Disorder Center

Many people assume that once their anxiety goes down, then they’ll be able to stop their compulsions. It feels logical. Why would you let go of something that’s helping you cope when you still feel so anxious? But in OCD recovery, this instinct can actually keep you stuck. Because while compulsions may bring short-term relief, they also reinforce the OCD cycle and keep the anxiety going in the long run. In exposure and response prevention (ERP), we work to gradually reduce compulsions first, which allows your brain to learn that the anxiety will pass on its own and that you can handle it.

Some people say, “I just need to feel less anxious first.” I really get it. When anxiety feels intense, it makes so much sense to want relief before letting go of behaviors that feel like they are “helping you” get through the moment. At the same time, OCD does not tend to improve by waiting for a feeling to shift. It changes through what you do in response to that feeling.

It’s important to note that compulsions are not just behaviors like checking, reassurance seeking, or repeating actions. They also include mental habits like analyzing, trying to figure things out, or attempting to get certainty. These responses develop for a reason. They are your brain’s attempt to protect you. But over time, they can start to send a message to your brain that there is something dangerous happening that needs to be solved right now.

This is where the work of a pain scientist (his work is very applicable to anxiety and OCD) Lorimer Moseley can be really helpful in understanding OCD. He talks about the idea of DIMS and SIMS. DIMS stands for danger in me signals and SIMS stands for safety in me signals. Your brain is constantly taking in information and trying to determine whether you are safe or in danger based on your thoughts, behaviors, and environment.

When it comes to OCD, compulsions can function like DIMS. Even though they are meant to reduce anxiety, they can signal to your brain that there is a threat that requires immediate attention. Every time you engage with an obsession by analyzing it, checking it, or trying to neutralize it, your brain may learn that this thought is important and potentially dangerous.

For example, if you have an intrusive thought and then spend time trying to figure out what it means or whether it is true, your brain learns, “This matters. We need to pay attention to this.” Of course you would want to do this. You are trying to feel safe. But unfortunately, this pattern can make your brain more sensitive over time, so the alarm gets louder and quicker the next time the thought shows up.

On the other hand, when you begin to gently and gradually reduce compulsions, you are creating more SIMS. You are sending signals of safety to your brain. You are showing your brain that even though the thought is uncomfortable, it is not actually dangerous and does not require an immediate response. Over time, this allows your brain to recalibrate.

Letting go of compulsions can bring up anxiety, uncertainty, and discomfort. You are not doing anything wrong if it feels challenging. This is why ERP is often done gradually and with support. In therapy, you can learn how to take small, manageable steps, build confidence, and practice tolerating discomfort in a way that feels doable and totally totally overwhelming.

In ERP, we focus on changing behavior first, not waiting for anxiety to go away. You might still feel anxious when you resist a compulsion. In fact, you probably will at first. But when you choose not to engage, you are giving your brain the opportunity to learn something new. You are showing it that the feared outcome does not need to be prevented and that you can tolerate uncertainty.

It is also important to understand that engagement with obsessions is not just about visible behaviors. Mental engagement counts too. Trying to “solve” the thought, going over it repeatedly, or seeking certainty are all forms of engagement that can keep the OCD loop going. Each time this happens, it can reinforce danger signals and keep your brain on high alert. Again, this is not your fault. It is a learned pattern that can be unlearned with time and support.

A helpful shift is to begin noticing when you are engaging with an obsession and gently choosing not to follow that urge. This might look like allowing the thought to be there without responding, redirecting your attention, or continuing with what you were doing even while feeling anxious. The goal is not to get rid of the thought, but to change how you respond to it.

Over time, this shift adds up. Your brain starts to receive more signals of safety and fewer signals of danger. The thoughts may still show up sometimes, but they tend to have less impact.

If you are struggling with OCD, it makes sense that you would want relief from anxiety before making changes. But the path forward often looks different than what you expect. Instead of waiting to feel better before letting go of compulsions, recovery involves gradually letting go of compulsions so that you can feel better.

​If you are struggling with OCD and want support, my practice can help! At The Eating Disorder Center, we offer OCD therapy in Rockville, Maryland, and serve clients in Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase, Gaithersburg, and Silver Spring. We also provide virtual therapy throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Our team uses evidence-based approaches like exposure and response prevention (ERP) to help you gradually reduce compulsions and build confidence in your ability to tolerate uncertainty.

The work is not about getting rid of anxiety altogether. It is about changing your relationship to the anxiety and the thoughts that come with it, with compassion and support along the way. And that shift, while simple, can be incredibly powerful.

Schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation to explore how eating disorder therapy or recovery coaching can help you to find freedom.

🌟 Available in MD, VA, DC, PA, FL, and CA for eating disorder therapy
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Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C (she/her), is an award-winning eating disorder therapist and the founder of The Eating Disorder Center, a specialized therapy practice for eating disorders and body image concerns. Jennifer uses ACT, CBT, and DBT to help clients find freedom from eating disorders and body image struggles.  Jennifer is recognized as a leading eating disorder expert and was named one of the top professionals in the field by a premier treatment center. She is the recipient of the Best of Bethesda Award for Best Individual Therapist (2025) and the Best of Rockville Award (2020–2024). She helps clients to live full, meaningful lives, beyond food and body image concerns.

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The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping children, teens, and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington, D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in Florida, Pennsylvania, and California. We provide eating disorder and EMDR trauma therapy in Rockville, Maryland and virtually throughout Maryland and Virginia. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com