We shall now rationalize the sixteen dimensions of Harm OCD so that you can customize your own plan. We do this exercise to form the response prevention script that you can use to face your fears and tolerate the anxiety that comes with it. Remember that rationalization is always…always…to be done only in a non-triggered state and never when you are triggered. The following sixteen tables will help you understand how each dimension and the compulsions included within need to be rationalized.
Table 3.21.1: Dimension 1 – Me Accidentally Hurting Myself
| Harm caused by | Self – What if I cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Accidental – What if I cause harm accidentally? |
| Harm caused to | Self – What if I cause harm accidentally to myself? |
| Outcome | Hurt – What if I cause harm accidentally to myself and hurt myself? |
| Obsession | What if I accidentally poke myself in the eye with this pencil? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Am I a careless person? – No. But what if I lose control someday and do it even if I am not careless? |
| Have I lost control over things in the past? – No. | |
| Is what I think could happen (my fear coming true) a common/average occurrence or a rarity? – A rarity. | |
| Can I therefore take steps to risk the rarity and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that I might hurt myself by accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even if it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like avoiding sharp pencils. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my Harm OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that I might hurt myself by accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like avoiding sharp pencils. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not avoid and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, I accidentally do harm myself, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not avoid pencils |
Table 3.21.2: Dimension 2 – Me Accidentally Hurting Others
| Harm caused by | Self – What if I cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Accidental – What if I cause harm accidentally? |
| Harm caused to | Others – What if I cause harm accidentally to others? |
| Outcome | Hurt – What if I cause harm accidentally to others and hurt them? |
| Obsession | What if I accidentally injure someone in the eye with my finger? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Am I a careless person? – No. But what if I lose control someday and do it even if I am not careless? |
| Have I lost control over things in the past? – No. | |
| Is what I think could happen (my fear coming true) a common/average occurrence or a rarity? – A rarity. | |
| Can I therefore take steps to risk the rarity and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that I might poke someone in the eye by accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even if it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like holding my hands close to myself to avoid making that mistake. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through physical restraining of my hands. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that I might poke someone in the eye by accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even if it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like holding my hands close to myself to avoid making that mistake. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through physical restraining of my hands. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not physically restrain my hands and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, I accidentally end up hurting someone, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not hold my hands close to myself or put them in my pockets |
Table 3.21.3: Dimension 3 – Me Accidentally Killing Myself
| Harm caused by | Self – What if I cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Accidental – What if I cause harm accidentally? |
| Harm caused to | Self – What if I cause harm accidentally to myself? |
| Outcome | Death – What if I cause harm accidentally to myself and die? |
| Obsession | What if I accidentally poison myself and die? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Am I a careless person? – No. But what if I lose control someday and do it even if I am not careless? |
| Have I lost control over things in the past? – No. | |
| Is what I think could happen (my fear coming true) a common/average occurrence or a rarity? – A rarity. | |
| Can I therefore take steps to risk the rarity and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that I might kill myself by accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like checking the label of every bottle in the kitchen to see if I am consuming poison by mistake. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through checking. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that I might poke someone in the eye by accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even if it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like checking the label of every bottle in the kitchen to see if I am consuming poison by mistake. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through checking. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not check and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, I accidentally do consume poison, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not check the label of every bottle in the house to confirm that there is no poison in them. |
Table 3.21.4: Dimension 4 – Me Accidentally Killing Others
| Harm caused by | Self – What if I cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Accidental – What if I cause harm accidentally? |
| Harm caused to | Others – What if I cause harm accidentally to others? |
| Outcome | Death – What if I cause harm accidentally to others and kill them? |
| Obsession | What if I accidentally push someone under a bus and kill them? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Am I a careless person? – No. But what if I lose control someday and do it even if I am not careless? |
| Have I lost control over things in the past? – No. | |
| Is what I think could happen (my fear coming true) a common/average occurrence or a rarity? – A rarity. | |
| Can I therefore take steps to risk the rarity and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that I might kill someone by accident by pushing them under the bus because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like distancing myself from people when I am walking on the street. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession by distancing myself. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that I might kill someone by accident by pushing them under the bus because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like distancing myself from people when I am walking on the street. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession by distancing myself. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not distance myself and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, I accidentally nudge someone under the bus, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not distance myself from people on the street. |
Table 3.21.5: Dimension 5 – Me Deliberately Hurting Myself
| Harm caused by | Self – What if I cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Deliberate – What if I cause harm on purpose? |
| Harm caused to | Self – What if I cause harm on purpose to myself? |
| Outcome | Hurt – What if I cause harm on purpose to myself and hurt myself? |
| Obsession | I am getting the urge to cut myself with this box cutter |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Do I want to harm myself or inflict pain on myself? – No. |
| Do I find the thought pleasurable or an escape? – No. | |
| Do I want to do it right now? – No | |
| Can I therefore risk it and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that I might cut myself deliberately because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even if it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like avoiding using this box cutter. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my Harm OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that I might cut myself deliberately because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even if it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like avoiding using this box cutter. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not avoid and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, I do harm myself deliberately, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not avoid using the box cutter. I will use the box cutter as often as I can. |
Table 3.21.6: Dimension 6 – Me Deliberately Hurting Others
| Harm caused by | Self – What if I cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Deliberate – What if I cause harm on purpose? |
| Harm caused to | Others – What if I cause harm on purpose to others? |
| Outcome | Hurt – What if I cause harm on purpose to others and hurt them? |
| Obsession | I am getting the urge to scratch my partner’s face with my nails |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Do I want to harm or inflict pain on my partner? – No. |
| Do I find the thought pleasurable or an escape? – No. | |
| Do I want to do it right now? – No | |
| Can I therefore risk it and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that I might deliberately scratch my partner’s face with my nails because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like assessing my urge to figure out if I really want to scratch my partner. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through constant assessment of my feelings. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that I might deliberately scratch my partner’s face with my nails because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like assessing my urge to figure out if I really want to scratch my partner. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through constant assessment of my feelings. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not assess my feelings and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, I do end up scratching my partner’s face with my nails, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not assess my feelings even though it feels like the right thing to do, to make sure. Even if I get the urge, I will not engage. |
Table 3.21.7: Dimension 7 – Me Deliberately Killing Myself
| Harm caused by | Self – What if I cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Deliberate – What if I cause harm on purpose? |
| Harm caused to | Self – What if I cause harm on purpose to myself? |
| Outcome | Death – What if I cause harm on purpose to myself and die? |
| Obsession | I feel like I want to jump off the 15th floor and commit suicide |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Do I want to die? – No. |
| Do I find the thought pleasurable or an escape? – No. | |
| Do I want to do it right now? – No | |
| Can I therefore risk it and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that I might kill myself deliberately because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like staying away from my balcony to not be tempted. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through physical distance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that I might kill myself deliberately because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like staying away from my balcony to not be tempted. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through physical distance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not stay away from the balcony and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, I cannot resist the temptation to jump off, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not stay away from the balcony. I will try to go to the balcony as many times as I can. |
Table 3.21.8: Dimension 8 – Me Deliberately Killing Others
| Harm caused by | Self – What if I cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Deliberate – What if I cause harm on purpose? |
| Harm caused to | Others – What if I cause harm on purpose to others? |
| Outcome | Death – What if I cause harm on purpose to others and kill them? |
| Obsession | I feel the urge to strangle my pets and kill them |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Do I want to kill my pets? – No. |
| Do I find the thought pleasurable or an escape? – No. | |
| Do I want to do it right now? – No | |
| Can I therefore risk it and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that I might kill my pets deliberately because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like not cuddling my pets when I am with them. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that I might kill my pets deliberately because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like not cuddling my pets when I am with them. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not stay away from cuddling my pets and something goes wrong as a result, that is, I do end up hurting them, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now. | |
| Action Expected | I will not stop myself from cuddling my pets. I will cuddle them as often as I can and as often as I want to. |
Table 3.21.9: Dimension 9 – Others Accidentally Hurting Me
| Harm caused by | Others – What if others cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Accidental – What if others cause harm accidentally? |
| Harm caused to | Self – What if others cause harm accidentally to me? |
| Outcome | Hurt – What if others cause harm accidentally to me and hurt me? |
| Obsession | What if someone accidentally stabs me with a screwdriver? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Are other people careless? – No. But what if they lose control someday and do it even if they are not careless? |
| Have they caused accidents in the past? – No/I don’t know. | |
| Is what I think could happen (my fear coming true) a common/average occurrence or a rarity? – A rarity. | |
| Can I therefore take steps to risk the rarity and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that someone might hurt me by accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even if it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like avoiding being around people using tools. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my Harm OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that someone might hurt me by accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even if it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like avoiding being around people using tools. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not avoid people using tools and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, I accidentally do get harmed by them, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now. | |
| Action Expected | I will not avoid people, especially people using tools. I will be around them as much as I can. |
Table 3.21.10: Dimension 10 – Others Accidentally Hurting Others
| Harm caused by | Others – What if others cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Accidental – What if others cause harm accidentally? |
| Harm caused to | Others – What if others cause harm accidentally to others? |
| Outcome | Hurt – What if others cause harm accidentally to others and hurt them? |
| Obsession | What if my dad gets into an accident and breaks a leg? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Is my dad careless? – No. But what if he gets into an accident someday even if he is not careless? |
| Has he gotten into any accidents in the past? – No. | |
| Is what I think could happen (my fear coming true) a common/average occurrence or a rarity? – A rarity. | |
| Can I therefore take steps to risk the rarity and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that my dad might get into an accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like constantly checking on my dad if he is okay. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through checking. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that my dad might get into an accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like constantly checking on my dad if he is okay. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through checking. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not keep checking on my dad and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, he does get into an accident, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not keep checking on my dad. I will resist the temptation to get certainty about my dad’s safety and learn to live with the uncertainty. |
Table 3.21.11: Dimension 11 – Others Accidentally Killing Me
| Harm caused by | Others – What if others cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Accidental – What if others cause harm accidentally? |
| Harm caused to | Self – What if others cause harm accidentally to me? |
| Outcome | Death – What if others cause harm accidentally to me and kill me? |
| Obsession | What if someone has poisoned my food by mistake? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Are other people careless? – No. But what if they lose control someday and do it even if they are not careless? |
| Have these people lost control over things in the past? – No/I don’t know. | |
| Is what I think could happen (my fear coming true) a common/average occurrence or a rarity? – A rarity. | |
| Can I therefore take steps to risk the rarity and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that someone might kill me by accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like avoiding eating food cooked by anyone else. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that someone might kill me by accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like avoiding eating food cooked by anyone else. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not avoid eating outside food and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, I accidentally do consume poison, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not avoid eating food cooked by someone else. I will not refuse an opportunity to eat food cooked by someone else. |
Table 3.21.12: Dimension 12 – Others Accidentally Killing Others
| Harm caused by | Others – What if others cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Accidental – What if others cause harm accidentally? |
| Harm caused to | Others – What if others cause harm accidentally to others? |
| Outcome | Death – What if others cause harm accidentally to others and kill them? |
| Obsession | What if my dad gets into an accident and dies? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Is my dad careless? – No. But what if he gets into an accident someday even if he is not careless? |
| Has he gotten into any accidents in the past? – No. | |
| Is what I think could happen (my fear coming true) a common/average occurrence or a rarity? – A rarity. | |
| Can I therefore take steps to risk the rarity and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that my dad might get into an accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like constantly checking on my dad if he is okay. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through checking. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that my dad might get into an accident because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like constantly checking on my dad if he is okay. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through checking. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not keep checking on my dad and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, my dad does get into a fatal accident, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not keep checking on my dad. I will resist the temptation to get certainty about my dad’s safety and learn to live with the uncertainty. |
Table 3.21.13: Dimension 13 – Others Deliberately Hurting Me
| Harm caused by | Others – What if others cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Deliberate – What if others cause harm on purpose? |
| Harm caused to | Self – What if others cause harm on purpose to me? |
| Outcome | Hurt – What if others cause harm on purpose to me and hurt me? |
| Obsession | What if my friends are planning to hurt me? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Would my friends want to harm me? – No. |
| Have I done anything to incur their wrath? – No. | |
| Would they risk criticism or arrest by harming me on impulse without reason? – No | |
| Can I therefore risk it and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that my friends are planning to hurt me because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even if it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like avoiding meeting my friends. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my Harm OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that my friends are planning to hurt me because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even if it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like avoiding meeting my friends. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not avoid and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, my friends do harm me, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not avoid my friends. I will seek out opportunities to meet them more often. |
Table 3.21.14: Dimension 14 – Others Deliberately Hurting Others
| Harm caused by | Others – What if others cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Deliberate – What if others cause harm on purpose? |
| Harm caused to | Others – What if others cause harm on purpose to others? |
| Outcome | Hurt – What if others cause harm on purpose to others and hurt them? |
| Obsession | What if my manager wants to harm my girlfriend? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Would my manager really want to harm my girlfriend? – No. |
| Has my girlfriend done anything to incur my manager’s wrath? – No. | |
| Would my manager risk criticism or arrest by harming my grilfriend on impulse without sufficient reason? – No | |
| Can I therefore risk it and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that my manager may harm my girlfriend because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like spying on my manager to make sure he does not do that. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through constant vigilance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that my manager may harm my girlfriend because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like spying on my manager to make sure he does not do that. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through constant vigilance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I am not constantly vigilant and anything goes wrong as a result, that is, my manager does hurt my girlfriend, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not spy on my manager and try to keep my girlfriend safe. I will look for more opportunities to make my girlfriend meet my boss. |
Table 3.21.15: Dimension 15 – Others Deliberately Killing Me
| Harm caused by | Others – What if others cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Deliberate – What if others cause harm on purpose? |
| Harm caused to | Self – What if others cause harm on purpose to me? |
| Outcome | Death – What if others cause harm on purpose to me and kill me? |
| Obsession | What if my friends are planning to kill me? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Do my friends have a sufficiently strong reason to want to kill me? – No. |
| Have I done anything to incur their wrath? – No. | |
| Would they risk arrest by killing me on impulse without reason? – No | |
| Can I therefore risk it and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that my friends might kill me because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like avoiding meeting my friends. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that my friends might kill me because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like avoiding meeting my friends. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through avoidance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I do not avoid my friends and if anything goes wrong as a result, that is, my friends try to kill me, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not avoid my friends. I will seek out opportunities to meet them more often. |
Table 3.21.16: Dimension 16 – Others Deliberately Killing Others
| Harm caused by | Others – What if others cause harm? |
| Nature of Harm | Deliberate – What if others cause harm on purpose? |
| Harm caused to | Others – What if others cause harm on purpose to others? |
| Outcome | Death – What if others cause harm on purpose to others and kill them? |
| Obsession | What if my best friend wants to kill my cat? |
| Mindful Acceptance of Harm OCD | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| Rationalization of the Obsession | Does my best friend have a sufficiently strong reason to want to kill my cat? – No. |
| Has my cat done anything to incur my best friend’s wrath? – No. | |
| Would my best friend risk losing my friendship or getting arrested by killing my cat on impulse without reason? – No | |
| Can I therefore risk it and stop myself from worrying about it right now? – Yes | |
| Distancing from Obsession | I am getting this obsessive thought that my best friend might kill my cat deliberately because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Distancing from Compulsion | I feel like watching the movements of my best friend around my cat. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through hypervigilance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. |
| Response Prevention Script | I have Harm OCD. These thoughts are my OCD thoughts. I accept that I will get these obsessive thoughts. These thoughts will also seem real, which also I accept. I don’t need to do my compulsions to deal with these thoughts. |
| I am getting this obsessive thought that my best friend might kill my cat deliberately because of Jay. Jay is asking me to give meaning to the thought, but I will not, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| I feel like watching the movements of my best friend around my cat. That is my compulsion. Jay is asking me to respond to this obsession through hypervigilance. I will not do it, even though it gives me anxiety. | |
| If I am not vigilant and do not watch my friend’s movements around my cat and something goes wrong, that is my friend tries to kill my cat, I will handle it then. I will not dwell on it now | |
| Action Expected | I will not watch my friend’s movements around my cat. I will let him play with my cat and even leave them alone with each other. |
Use these rationalization tables to perfect your response prevention script and understand what action needs to be taken in case of each dimension.
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