When I work with a client with Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD), one of the first things I do is try and provide a clear understanding of what OCD is and how it operates. I try and make it clear that OCD thrives and is usually made worse with reassurance strategies. For example, if a client comes to me with a concern that they might lose control and end up harming a loved one, (often known as harm OCD), such as with a child or spouse, but has no history of doing so, I might feel inclined to provide the client with reassurance that the likelihood of them doing so is very low.
The problem with me providing this reassurance however is that learning to live with uncertainty, as uncomfortable and scary as it is, provides the best long term treatment and symptom relief for the disorder. I am more inclined then to remind the client, especially if they are looking for reassurance, that me providing them with reassurance is not likely to help with their OCD, but that accepting some uncertainty about their fears is.
While it might be true that most OCD sufferers are not likely to act on their obsessive fears, it is probably not a good idea to overly emphasize this fact. The goal here is to help sufferers to learn to accept and live uncertainty, much like the general population does.
