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OCD-Fear Can Be Reasonable--It Is Our Reactions That Are UNreasonable

This article is a shortened excerpt from the book “Tiger by the Tail” available at http://Lulu.com

Tiger by the Tail is the story of my personal recovery from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This is not a scholarly work; it is a memoir. I have no credentials as a health care professional, nor am I a layperson who has done exhaustive research.

So much for what I am not—what I am, is a survivor of OCD—who has recovered. I wrote this book for others who would also be survivors and who would find the tools that they need to do so. It is also for those who love, wish to help, or live with someone who is afflicted with this disorder.

Many of my experiences in life served to support my fears. My apartment was broken into four or five times, twice during my last summer there, at 20 years of age. I had the same car stolen twice during that time and burned each time. The first time it was used in a robbery and only partially burned. The second time it was melted. My point is that for me to fear my car being stolen and my home being broken into was a reasonable fear. It was MY REACTION to that fear that was unreasonable. This is a major point.

FEAR CAN BE REASONABLE; IT IS USUALLY OUR REACTION TO THE FEAR THAT IS UNREASONABLE.

The bad guys violated my home. I myself violated my life and peace of mind. Which is worse, an occasional break-in or a life of daily worry over break-ins? Exposure is a part of life. To attempt to minimize exposure at the expense of a free and happy life is to choose non-life and slavery. In all cases, non-life and slavery are the worst things that can happen to you. Therefore, for me, the worst had already happened and continued to happen every single day, by choice, and I did not even know it. When real things occur like burglary, they make people want to prevent their reoccurrence. To get an alarm or other reasonable precaution is one thing. However, no degree of fear alone can justify not believing your own eyes and ears. To disbelieve that you have just locked the door and need to check it many times and shake the door handle many times is not a matter of a rational response to a real fear. It is something completely different. It hurts your life; it does not guard it.

Accept that the worst thing that can happen is to be a slave to your fear and choose to become free. This is not an easy thing to do, but it is not something you can do slowly. It is a decision. But isn’t that good news? We OCD sufferers are very good at making decisions—we make them about where to stand, what to touch and thousands of other things. Now, make a decision that will change your life into something free and light.

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About Author:
B.Rockrunner is a pen name used by the author of "Tiger by the Tail" A personal story of recovery from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. These articles are edited excerpts from that work.