Safety Behaviors

Introduction

In this lesson, we go over an essential concept of contamination OCD recovery - the reduction of safety behaviors. Learn about the various forms of safety behaviors, why we need to stop engaging in them, and what do to do instead. Finally, identify your safety behaviors and create a plan for replacing them with positive behaviors.

Safety Behaviors

In the avoidance cycle, we learned that avoidance provides short term relief but creates long term associations in the brain that create and maintain contamination OCD. A type of avoidance is safety behaviors.

Safety behaviors are behaviors we take to relieve ourselves of the discomfort of anxiety. They often feel like the correct and safe thing to do. Let's take a look at some of the most common safety behaviors.

Preparation, Kits, and Distraction

Over preparation for worst case scenarios like having a safety kit or using distractions to avoid being present.

Rituals, Superstitions, Jinxes, and Magical Thinking

Sometimes, safety behaviors are about a 'feeling' that override our logical thinking. This can including things like knocking on wood or repeating a special word or phrase. Magical Thinking is a term borrowed from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and similar to superstitions can feel overwhelming. In magical thinking, we might get the sense that our thoughts or beliefs cause things to happen in the real world and this responsibility leads us to try to influence the world by adjusting our thoughts.

Reassurance

Reassurance is one of the most common and difficult forms of safety behaviors. Reassurance is when we ask others to relieve us from our anxiety, but this comes in many sneaky forms. Reassurance can be asking someone if things will be okay, searching the internet for people who have faced similar problems, or repeatedly checking your symptoms.

The Common Theme

Across the various forms of safety behaviors are a few common themes.

1. We use these behaviors to relieve ourselves of anxiety.
2. Safety behaviors are driven by a fear of uncertainty.
3. They often feel like the "safe" thing to do but the feeling of danger is often disproportionate to the actual danger.

When are Safety Behaviors Okay?

Safety behaviors are tricky because they feel safe! So a natural question is, when can I engage in my safety behaviors, what if it's actually the safe thing to do?

Ask Yourself Three Questions.

1. Am I doing this to reduce my anxiety?

Try not to fall into the trap of figuring out what 'normal' is. In life, people are very different and all have different preferences, opinions, and risk tolerance - there is no 'normal'. Instead, the key is to check in with yourself and understand the source of the urge. Will not acting on this safety behavior make you anxious? If so, there is a good change it is a safety behavior.

2. Can I handle not doing this behavior right now?

During contamination OCD recovery, we are going to challenge ourselves to break the avoidance cycle. Ask yourself, can I skip this safety behavior today? If the answer is yes, then you have a fantastic opportunity to break the avoidance cycle. If the answer is no, then reflect on why not. Is it because the discomfort from anxiety is too much? Is there a small step you can take today?

3. What does my anxiety want me to do?

Anxiety is tricky. It will try to convince you that safety behaviors are good, that they are needed. It will say 'I'm not doing this because of anxiety, I just want be careful today'. Remember, anxiety wants you to take a short term action that in the long term tells your brain that anxiety was right! So pause here, really think about what short term action anxiety is trying to get you to do, and instead, choose the behavior that helps you in the long term - which will typically be the exact opposite of what anxiety wants you to do.

But what about when I really need to be safe?

A contamination OCD is when the feeling of danger is disproportionate to the reality. That means, in a situation of actual danger, feeling fear and taking an action is not a contamination OCD. The challenge is for us with contamination OCD we experience the feeling of danger in non-dangerous situations and that feeling is completely real. To address this, MyOCD will help you identify and pause safety behaviors in small steps. Starting today, simply try to notice and keep track of your safety behaviors. Then, when you feel ready, start to reduce them in small steps.

What to do Instead.

Now we know what safety behaviors are and why they contribute to the development and maintenance of contamination OCD. Let's discuss some strategies for what do instead.

Remember that safety behaviors are a form of avoidance. The opposite of avoidance is facing discomfort. So, as you identify and reduce safety behaviors, find ways to stay present or move toward the discomfort. Breaking the avoidance cycles will let our brain re-wire and understand that anxiety is no longer required.

Three Strategies

1. Do the Opposite of What Anxiety Wants

When anxiety tells us to avoid a situation, we can move toward it. If Anxiety is telling us to complete a ritual to stay safe, we can skip the ritual.

2. Small Steps

We don't have to eliminate safety behaviors all at once. Ask yourself, what small step can I take this time?

3. Don't Answer the What If

When you notice anxiety asking 'What If', don't answer. We can say to anxiety 'Nice try. I am accepting uncertainty today.'

Tracking and Reducing Safety Behavior

With MyOCD, you can track your safety behaviors, come up with a plan, and slowly replace them with positive behaviors to break and reverse the avoidance cycle.