Have you ever struggled to stop thinking or considering something? Or noticed yourself replaying and reviewing the same conversation or moment between you and another person, particularly after experiencing worry or an intrusive thought? You might find yourself ruminating by bouncing between thoughts like, “What if I offended them with that joke?” and “No, I am sure they know I was being funny.” If so, you’re not alone. Everyone experiences intrusive thoughts. But when these thoughts cause you to become trapped in an exhausting cycle of mental debate and overthinking, that is a sign that OCD may be engaging you in mental compulsions.
The International OCD Foundation refers to and illustrates mental compulsions using the metaphor of “Mental Ping Pong.” IOCDF describes this thought cycle as a back-and-forth mental struggle that can feel productive in the moment but often leaves a person feeling more anxious than when it began (Levine, 2020). This compulsive reasoning game can feel extremely convincing and leave an individual trying to gain absolute certainty by analyzing conversations, reviewing memories of events to prove that nothing undesirable occurred, or questioning how others interpreted your intentions. All of these efforts strive to reassure individuals that nothing bad has occurred.
Arguing With OCD Keeps You “Stuck”
This game of Ping Pong against OCD is not fair or evenly matched. OCD will never be satisfied or adequately reassured. Compulsive reasoning only leaves your brain feeling fatigued and less reassured than when it started. Inevitably, doubt-related questions will begin to enter your mind, such as:
- “What if you accidentally misspoke?”
- “Maybe I hurt this person and didn’t realize.”
Interrupt OCD’s Compulsive Reasoning
Compulsive reasoning done as a mental compulsion can feel like an average problem-solving strategy. Just like checking that the stove is turned off or washing hands repeatedly, mental acts such as debating with intrusive thoughts, reviewing memories, checking your intentions, or providing yourself with excessive reassurance also count as compulsions. You may be surprised to learn that compulsions do not always need to be visible behaviors. Compulsive reasoning takes form in three main categories: what-if analysis, mental checking, and application of strict logic. Each of these forms aims to “solve” uncertainty and determine whether something is “true” or not.
OCD therapists help clients identify these behaviors as not simply “overthinking,” but rather the fuel that keeps OCD in control and powerfully distressing. Exposure and Response Prevention therapists help their clients learn new responses to the urge to compulse. Rather than attempting to “solve” every intrusive thought, ERP therapists teach clients to notice the thought, allow the uncertainty to exist, and resist the urge to engage in the mental compulsion. The International OCD Foundation identifies four types of affirmations that can be used to “actively disengage” this thought cycle:
- Anxiety
- Uncertainty
- Possibility
- Difficulty
Non-Engagement Responses
These affirmations can be used as statements that aid individuals in not engaging in back-and-forth thought patterns (Levine, 2020). Remember, we can never satisfy OCD’s need for the truth — Non-Engagement Responses are not meant to be used as reassurance. Instead, they can be used as an aid to interrupt compulsive reasoning and teach your brain that not all intrusive thoughts require solving. Some possible statements include:
- Anxiety Statement – “I feel anxious about that thought.”
- Uncertainty Statement – “Maybe yes, maybe no. I might never know for sure.”
- Possibility Statement – “I don’t know but anything is possible.”
- Difficulty Statement – “If that did happen, it would be really hard.”
Intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions can feel automatic. You may experience them as quick, fleeting thoughts that are hard to catch. Using mindfulness practices and breaking the use of Non-Engagement Statements into steps might help you better practice this ritual-prevention strategy.
Steps to Practice Non-Engagement
- Notice when OCD throws out a “what if,” “I need to check,” or strict logic thought.
- Respond with one or more Non-Engagement Responses.
- Continue what you were just doing. Do not wait for anxiety to drop.
- Persist. When OCD tries to bait you with “Ping Pong thoughts” again, do not take its invitation to play.
You Don’t Need To Play or Win OCD’s Game
One of the hardest and most freeing parts of building distress tolerance to OCD’s compulsive urges is coming to the realization that you do not have to find certainty for every intrusive thought that enters your mind. Sometimes, certainty is not even possible. What is possible is to live a life according to your values and goals, even when OCD tries to create distress. At OCD Spectrum, our team strives to provide evidence-based anxiety therapy with passion and validity. If you feel stuck in an endless game of Ping Pong, let us help. Learn more about our ERP services or request an appointment to begin your journey.
Written by Angelina Zimmerman, LPC – Licensed Professional Counselor at OCD Spectrum. She specializes in the treatment of OCD through a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy framework and provides individualized, holistic interventions using a warm, collaborative, and practical therapeutic approach.
Reference:
Levine, L. (2020). How do I stop thinking about this? What to do when you’re stuck playing mental ping pong. International OCD Foundation. iocdf.org
