Three causes of anxiety driven OCD

1. Obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors are used as a means for the defense mechanism of suppression. The feelings are layered under the thoughts and behaviors. The person is in essence distracted from their feelings and thus they are kept out of consciousness and hence do not have to be dealt with. Therapist asks or invites the client, “If you weren’t allowed to check the door 5 times what would happen” or “If you stopped thinking and went blank what would happen”. Usually some feelings would start to come up.



Solution deal with the feelings and then there is less need for the OCD in the first place.

2. Due to emotional abandonment and thus the development of the hurried child syndrome.

3. Parents were anxious as were the grand parents. We get modeling, possible natural temperament and the formation of the Don’t injunction. The “Don’t” message is given by scared parents. “Don’t do anything because it may lead to disaster”. The child may make the decision of “Don’t”. This person can often develop magical thinking which can result in the belief that if they do compulsive behaviors or obsessive thinking then that will some how ward off the evil and keep them safe.



The young child looks up at its parents and sees that they view the world as a dangerous and scary place and they may even be told that it is. They see their parents operate in a way that it is. They may be restricted from doing many normal things like going near steps, climbing trees, swimming in the ocean, roller skating, wandering off by itself.

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