Anxious
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This is not going to be easy

So this is what my neurologist wants me to start working on every day

🧠 COMMON OBSESSIONS
“The house has to be cleaned perfectly or something bad might happen.”

“I can’t relax until I’m sure everything is ‘just right.’”

“If I don’t clean this now, I’ll forget or regret it later.”

“What if I didn’t finish that task the right way?”

🔁 COMMON COMPULSIONS
Re-cleaning the same area multiple times.

Mentally reviewing cleaning steps.

Excessive planning before or after cleaning.

Avoiding tasks for fear of “doing them wrong.”

Seeking reassurance that it’s clean/organized “enough.”

🧱 SAMPLE ERP HIERARCHY – Overthinking + Cleaning OCD
Rank Exposure Avoid This Compulsion SUDS (0–10)
1 Make bed once, even if it's not perfectly smooth Don’t fix wrinkles
2 Wipe a counter just once, then walk away Don’t check it again
3 Leave dishes in sink for an hour Don’t mentally justify or recheck
4 Sweep without vacuuming afterward Don’t redo the floor
5 Fold laundry with mismatched corners Don’t re-fold
6 Skip cleaning one room for the day Don’t make up for it later
7 Allow clutter on coffee table for 24 hrs Don’t tidy
8 Don’t clean anything after a meal Don’t seek reassurance or over-plan
9 Let someone else clean, even if “wrong” Don’t redo it later 1

📅 DAILY ERP SCHEDULE (for this theme)
🌅 Morning (15–30 min)
Mindfulness Prep (5 min): Breathe and remind yourself, “I will do things imperfectly today on purpose.”

Planned Exposure #1: Do something out of your cleaning routine (like fold towels sloppily) and leave it that way.

Record your distress level before and after.

🕛 Midday (10–15 min)
Brief Check-In: Write down any intrusive cleaning/overthinking urges and what you resisted.

Mini-Exposure: Try skipping or delaying a compulsive task (like don’t wipe kitchen counters after lunch).

🌆 Afternoon (15–30 min)
Planned Exposure #2: Pick one task from the hierarchy that feels like a 5–6. (Ex: Leave clutter out, or sweep without vacuuming.)

Sit with the discomfort and let it fade naturally.

Do not fix it later — this is the hardest but most important part.

🌙 Evening (10 min)
Reflection Journal:

What did you resist today?

How long did the anxiety last?

Did you notice it fades without giving in?

✅ Tips for Overthinkers:
Practice saying: “I’m allowed to do this imperfectly.”

Delay compulsions — tell yourself, “I’ll wait 10 minutes before I act.”

Repetition is key — the brain learns over time that the feared consequence doesn’t happen
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Lol….. I feel your pain. I try to do some of that exposure work for my own OCD. An opportunity presented itself today as a matter of fact. Central AC in my apartment broke down and it’s gonna take a few days to get parts. So management brought in a portable unit to use in the meantime. They set it up in the living room. So the only way I won’t roast in the bedroom tonight is if I sleep with the door open. I NEVER sleep with the door open. So it should be an interesting little test.

Then there was another time when my husband dared me to go to bed and get through the night while leaving a couple of the kitchen cabinets open. Man that was hard but I did it! 😅

I really do think that the more you do these exercises, the easier it’ll get. Sometimes the only way around a problem is by driving straight through it. 🙂
Cigarguy101 · 41-45, M
@OlderSometimesWiser yeah I think so too, start with something small and work my way to something bigger. Just thinking about leaving a mess for 24 hours really stresses me out.