OCD Is a Greedy Child

"Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is marked by repetitive thoughts and strategies, either mental or physical, used to silence the thoughts and the accompanying anxiety. It entails an extreme need for certainty and emotional security and, therefore, is strongly associated with perfectionism, or the preoccupation with cultivating the perfect self and circumstances. It's based, in large part, on wishful thinking, essentially believing what you want to believe."

"Challenging these beliefs is difficult because the individual cherry-picks information and, at times, even romanticizes the past to provide examples of where their thinking came true. Rather than being merely irrational, OCD is also arational, meaning it stands above reason, refusing to be governed by it. In essence, OCD is a greedy child and, like a real one, doesn't take responsibility for its beliefs,"

"Considering OCD as a greedy child may help create distance from it. Just as we don't take every child's tantrum seriously, we can also learn to somewhat dissociate ourselves from our own inner babies. In the pursuit of certainty, the individual with OCD fails to note the instances in which they attained a high degree of certainty, only to discard it as not good enough. In treatment, a patient may ask, "But, how can you ever really know?" So, goalposts are always moved."

Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves repetitive thoughts and mental or physical rituals aimed at silencing intrusive thoughts and anxiety. The disorder is driven by an extreme need for certainty and emotional security and is closely linked to perfectionism and wishful thinking. Individuals with OCD often cherry-pick evidence and romanticize memories to support their beliefs, rendering the condition arational and resistant to reason. OCD depends heavily on external reassurance, shifts goalposts by dismissing attained certainty, and magnifies perceived flaws. Conceptualizing OCD as a greedy child can help create distance and reduce engagement with its escalating demands.

Read at Psychology Today