Name: How to stop a compulsion - OCD and Anxiety
Uploaded: 2026-03-03T01:00:35.000Z
Duration: 7 min 8 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

People used to put them on their arms, and

they would snap them every time they wanted to not do something.

Or they would snap it so they could stop a thought.

The problem is, it doesn't actually work that way.

A snap on the wrist is not enough to get our brain to stop thinking.

All right, maybe I need to stop doing that.

What if I'm not really attracted to them?

After the painful experience, it's natural for us to check to see if it worked.

But it's actually bringing more attention to these thoughts because we're trying to do something to get rid of the thought.

Instead, it's teaching our brain this thought has way more value.

Instead, I say we think about this rubber band in a completely different way.

Think about your compulsions, these things that your anxiety tells you you must do or complete.

And maybe you won't stop thinking about these thoughts.

These compulsions could be washing your hands, asking for reassurance, checking on forums, going to the doctor.

Often rumination, Just problem solving, problem solving, and even praying.

These compulsions become such a pattern that can be hard to break.

It seems as if the more you attempt to not do the compulsion, the more you're driven towards it.

Your brain will not let go of the thought.

It's attached to you, and it's attached to the compulsion that you feel like you need to do.

You may be super motivated to not give in to this compulsion, your brain says, but

if the door isn't locked, something bad could happen.

Here are you, you say, I am walking away.

It's like this opposing force is pushing you back to the door to perform that compulsion.

That tension only lasts so long, and then it pushes you right back.

It's a constant reminder, tricking you into thinking that this is important.

You have a hard time moving forward because the brain says you cannot do so until you Perform this compulsion, but

Just do releases that tension, that doubt, that feeling to go check.

But guess what happens once you give in to the compulsion?

So it's like that was the right thing to do.

You must walk away from that door again, thus causing more strain on the rubber band and doubt.

It almost feels impossible for you to move forward, but you have all the power in the world.

Do you know what happens if we keep pulling at this rubber band?

What do you think happens if we take this rubber band and we keep pulling?

It takes a lot of hard work, but it happens.

I cannot not, not, not, not walk away from this compulsion.

One of the most important parts is commitment.

If you even have a small strand or a thought of going back to do this compulsion, you will likely give into it.

You must fully commit to not checking that door again, not trying to solve a perceived threat, not asking for reassurance, not commitment means you are walking so far away from this compulsion, the rubber band snaps.

Feeling this tension, this uncomfortableness, the doubts, the questioning, because it can't last forever.

As long as you have that attitude of I really don't care, I'm risking that the door is unlocked.

If that's the compulsion, I'm risking that whatever it is, I am living life.