Overcoming common OCD triggers

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic condition, which means that it may never completely go away. Even if you’ve learned to manage your symptoms, you may still come across OCD triggers that cause your symptoms to flare up.

These triggers can include things like being under stress and getting exposed to your OCD fears. But triggers don’t have to cause full symptom relapse. By knowing what your triggers are and having a plan to deal with them, you can continue making progress in managing your OCD.

What triggers OCD?

Many different things can trigger a symptom flare-up if you live with OCD. Every person with OCD is unique, and there are just as many OCD triggers as there are people with OCD. Obsessions and compulsions can revolve around any topic, although some themes are more common. Being exposed to certain thoughts, environments, or stressors can sometimes lead to a spike in symptoms, even if things were relatively stable before.

Here are some potential triggers that might lead to a flare-up if you live with OCD.

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Stress

Stress isn’t necessarily a direct cause of OCD (although early childhood stress may be a cause), but it can heighten symptoms and make obsessions feel more intense. Research shows that stress can not only contribute to the development of OCD but can also make symptoms worse.

Relationship conflict

Relationship conflict can be a major source of stress — especially if your OCD revolves around interpersonal themes. For example, if you live with relationship OCD (ROCD), arguments or even small misunderstandings can trigger obsessive thoughts, like, “What if I don’t really love them?” or “What if I did something wrong and ruined everything?” This can also apply to scrupulosity OCD, in which you’re constantly questioning whether you did something morally wrong.

Major life changes

Similarly, going through any big life change — like divorce, a big move, or a career shift — can cause a lot of stress and trigger an OCD episode. This can happen even if it’s a “happy” change, like getting married or buying a home. Any big change can be stressful, which can increase the chances of symptom flare-ups.

News stories

Many people with OCD find that their symptoms are triggered when they read a news story or hear about another person’s experience with something they fear. For example, if you live with harm OCD, reading a story about someone who lost control and hurt their family might trigger intrusive thoughts, even though you have no intention or desire to cause harm yourself.

Dirt, disease, or body fluids

Contamination is one of the most common themes of OCD obsessions. This is when you have intrusive thoughts about being dirty or contaminated in some way. With contamination OCD, a common trigger is seeing or perceiving any kind of dirt, germs, or bodily fluids. For example, if you need to use a dirty public restroom or see someone vomit, your OCD symptoms could get triggered.

Identifying your personal triggers

OCD triggers can continue to impact your everyday life once your symptoms are generally well managed. You may not be able to avoid triggers altogether, but by being aware of what your triggers are, you can make a plan for how you’re going to manage them.

If you live with OCD, you probably already know what some of your triggers are. You may even go out of your way to try to avoid them. For example, if you live with contamination OCD, you may know that public restrooms are a trigger for you. At the same time, there may be other triggers that you’re not as aware of. For example, you may not realize that when you haven’t slept well or are under a lot of stress, you’re more likely to have a flare-up.

Building a mindfulness practice can help you more easily identify what your triggers are. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to meditate every day. Rather, being mindful is more about practicing everyday awareness over your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

It can help to keep a daily log where you note when your symptoms spike and what was going on around you at the time. This can help you make connections between stressors and symptom flare-ups.

How to cope with OCD flare-ups

Triggers are a complex concept in OCD because you might naturally want to avoid them completely. But the most effective treatment for OCD — a type of cognitive behavioral therapy called exposure and response prevention (ERP) — suggests the exact opposite. In ERP, you’re guided to intentionally expose yourself to triggers. By going through these exposures and restraining yourself from responding with compulsions, you can start to break the cycle of OCD.

So, in other words, being able to recognize your OCD triggers isn’t necessarily about avoiding them. And, in many cases, avoiding them may even make things worse. However, it’s important to understand how to cope with the symptom flare-ups when they do happen. Try these tips.

Use them as an exposure

According to ERP, you can use triggers to intentionally expose yourself to OCD fears. If you find yourself being triggered, try to simply sit with the emotional distress — and, most importantly, don’t do compulsions.

For example, say that you’re feeling triggered because you’ve seen a news story about someone who snapped and hurt their family. Instead of responding with compulsions — like asking others for reassurance or trying to find evidence that this would never happen to you — simply try to sit with the fear for as long as you can. The more often you can do this, the more practice you get with breaking the OCD loop.

Take care of your basic needs

There’s a strong link between your physical well-being and ability to cope with stress and anxiety. Make sure you’re sleeping enough, eating regularly, moving your body, and spending time outside when possible. These things may not treat OCD directly, but they support your nervous system and help you manage daily stress, which can lower your overall vulnerability to flare-ups.

Tell someone

Telling someone you trust that you’re going through an OCD flare-up can help you feel more supported. This isn’t about seeking reassurance or asking them to talk you out of your fears. Rather, it’s about having support and feeling understood. 

Be specific about what you need from them. For example, do you need them to spend time with you as a distraction or simply someone to talk to?

Keep up with treatment 

Even if you’re in a maintenance phase of treatment, it’s important to continue with your treatment plan. If you’re thinking about stopping therapy or medication, always talk to your provider first and make a plan. Never make changes or stop treatment without the supervision of your mental health provider.

Find care with Rula

Living with OCD means that triggers can show up at inconvenient times. But treatment for OCD is highly effective. Recognizing your triggers is the first step to learning how to cope with them, and effective treatment, like ERP, can help you manage your symptoms.

At Rula, we’re committed to delivering a comprehensive behavioral health experience that helps people feel seen and understood so they can get back to feeling their best.

Rula makes it easier to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who accepts your insurance so you don’t have to choose between affordable care and excellent care. With a diverse network of more than 15,000 providers, 24/7 crisis support, and appointments available as soon as tomorrow, we’re here to help you make progress — wherever you are on your mental health journey.

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