10. If You Love Someone With OCD

Do not try to think your way out of OCD! Using logic and rationale will only perpetuate the compulsive analysis cycle!

Instead remind the person it is OCD flaring up and what OCD is.

Do not provide incessant reassurance! This will give momentary relief only to reinforce the OCD cycle and more questions will come up, even anger and a more desperate attempt to have certainty that everything will be OK.

Instead lovingly and with warmth set limits of how much reassurance you will provide (we all do need reassurance sometimes).

Do not accommodate OCD! This will feed the cycle and make it last longer!

Instead create a step by step plan to reduce accommodations.