Fall is my favorite season. It wraps the city in warm, golden hues and the crisp air feels refreshing after an eventful Chicago summer. “You should write down everything you did this summer so you don’t forget.” The Bears are back, Caleb Williams looks legit, and I’m watching the game with a bowl of Pho in my hands. “They’ll lose by a hail mary if you don’t trace the screen with your eyes.” After the game, I’ll walk through Lincoln Park and down to the lakefront, which feels like a painting this time of year. “Did you lock the door on your way out? Is the crockpot still on? Your renter’s insurance policy doesn’t cover death, right?” On the way back, I’ll pick up some Halloween-themed cookies to bake for the grand finale- my annual Harry Potter marathon. “You should wash your hands before you bake those cookies, or-” Riddikulus!

For those of you who are less familiar with this spell from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, let me explain: In the magical world of Harry Potter, “boggarts” are shape-shifting creatures that embody our greatest fears. When confronted, boggarts take on a form that terrifies us most. In the scene, Professor Lupin teaches the students a clever technique to combat these fearsome beings. By envisioning the most ridiculous version of their fears, the students cast the spell “Riddikulus,” transforming the boggart into something comical and thereby banishing it. The students banish boggarts in the form of giant spiders, snakes, and even Professor Snape. You can watch the scene here.

This lesson offers a profound analogy for understanding and managing obsessive-compulsive disorder. Just as the students learn to confront their fears with humor, individuals struggling with OCD can benefit from a similar approach toward their obsessive thoughts.

The Power of Perspective

In OCD, intrusive and obsessive thoughts can feel overwhelming and all-consuming. They often trigger a cycle of anxiety and compulsive behavior aimed at alleviating that discomfort. However, when we respond to these thoughts with fear, anxiety, or avoidance, we reinforce the idea that they hold significant power over us. This reaction tells our brains, “Thanks for keeping me safe, we’d better watch out for this,” leading to an escalation of obsessive thoughts and compulsions.

Conversely, treating these thoughts with less gravity - like the students confronting boggarts - we can send a message to our brains that these fears are not as significant as they may seem. They’re the same old OCD tricks. Any sort of incompatible response (that is, something your brain isn’t expecting) will offer it valuable feedback about what you find important. In OCD therapy, we teach clients to respond with indifference and the acceptance of uncertainty, using an assertive or even belittling tone. Why not add on a spell to put it in its place once and for all?

Common OCD Obsessions and their Boggart Counterpart

To illustrate this concept, let’s explore some common obsessions experienced by those with OCD and their corresponding boggart manifestations:

1. Fear of contamination
   ○ Boggart: Yourself, lying in the hospital, coughing endlessly as doctors question

   what novel disease in spreading on the handrails of the CTA.
   ○ Riddikulus: An enormous bacteria-shaped piñata being smashed by all your

   friends and family.

2. Fear of causing harm

   ○ Boggart: An intrusive thought of losing control and stabbing your dog.
   ○ Riddikulus: The knife tranforms into a foam finger and your dog is tearing it to

   shreds like everything else in your apartment.

3. Fear of going to hell

   ○ Boggart: Write a prayer each time something feels “off”.
   ○ Riddikulus: The prayer ends up in the mailroom from “Elf”, and Buddy sends it up

   the sucky tube.

These are just a few examples that have come up recently. The beauty of this technique is that it can be completely tailored to your own unique subtype, content, and imagination. If you have the perfect “Riddikulus” spell for your boggart, comment down below!

While it might seem impossible to treat intrusive thoughts with levity, practicing exposure and response prevention can help individuals gradually confront their fears without resorting to compulsive behaviors. By using humor and imagination, much like the students in Harry Potter, we can begin to shift our perspective on these thoughts. The journey of managing OCD may not be easy, but with patience and the right strategies, we can transform our boggarts into something far less intimidating.

Ty Oreskovic, BDAC Staff Therapist