"Pure O" OCD: Letting Go of Obsessive Thoughts with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Pure obsessional obsessive-compulsive disorder, or “Pure O” OCD, is a subtype of OCD that is characterized by intrusive thoughts, images, or urges without any visible compulsive symptoms.  Instead, obsessive worry, regret, or uncertainty is accompanied by “hidden” compulsions like reassurance seeking, avoidance, or complex thought rituals. This can lead to decisions based on fears and compulsions rather than grounded in your values. The efforts to stop or change obsessive thoughts only leads to more anxiety and fear. So, how do you break this obsessive cycle?

Grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and written by a renowned ACT and anxiety expert, “Pure O” OCD explains the process of “cognitive fusion” that leads to obsessive thinking, and how efforts to avoid or control our thoughts reinforce the fusion in an unhelpful, positive feedback loop. Using the five skills in the book—labeling, letting go, acceptance, mindfulness, and proceeding with purpose—you’ll learn how to finally break free of the struggle, worrying, and avoidance that keeps you stuck.

With practice, you’ll find that you can change your relationship to anxiety and obsessive thoughts, responding with your own values-based choices, proceeding purposefully toward a life that reflects what matters most to you.