All tagged ocd

Reprogramming the OCD Algorithm: How Our Brain’s Feed Can Be Retrained

Reprogramming the OCD Algorithm: How Our Brain’s Feed Can Be Retrained

Belmont DAC Staff

Pretend your consciousness is like an Instagram feed, an infinite scroll of psychoemotional thoughts, images, and feelings. Some of which are positive, others neutral, and some distressing. You can engage with this feed similar to how you engage with Instagram: choosing to “like” a post, share it, click “not interested”, or spend time clicking deeper into a particular profile. In the same way, our brains respond to the attention we give to thoughts, reinforcing patterns based on what we engage with most. 

OCD, Harry Potter, and a More Helpful Kind of Magical Thinking

Belmont DAC Staff

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.