Social media OCD

Today we are more connected than ever. It’s become quite routine for us to simply just post something online and move on with our day. However, some people who struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) may experience difficulty of not knowing if they accidentally posted something they shouldn’t have. The anxiety can be particularly intense and may bring on several intrusive thoughts.

The Fear of the Digital Footprint

There has been a rising number of cases of people struggling with obsessive compulsive disorder who are worried that they may have accidentally posted something online via social media that may bring on some negative consequences. The fear of posting something inappropriate, embarrassing, or revealing is often what drives the fear. We know that the internet can be unforgiving and the permeance of the online content can be daunting for anyone, not only those with OCD. The fear of making a mistake online can trigger a cycle of obsessive thinking, leading to compulsive behaviours like over-checking or deleting posts.

I work with patients who experience difficulties with this subtype by understanding more about what challenges they imagine they would experience if they were to have posted something online accidentally. I try to help patients understand that the story that plays within their mind of what they think will happen is making them feel that it is more likely and possible. Of course, anything we imagine can happen, and really we are only left with figuring out how to manage the consequences. OCD wants us to create doubt and make us worry about those consequences. The goal of therapy is to help tolerate the uncertainty of not ever knowing and carrying on. Coping with uncertainty doesn’t mean that we take comfort in knowing that our feared consequences are highly unlikely, but rather figuring out how we plan on living if these bad things were to happen.

The goal for our work is to:

1. Help in understanding intolerance of uncertainty

2. Learn how to accept and carry out living with uncertainty

3. Help manage resistance to coping with intolerance of uncertainty and how it may influence Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

The fear of accidentally posting something online is a legitimate concern that many share, but for those with OCD, it can become an overwhelming barrier to expression and connection. By recognizing the unique challenges that come with this anxiety and implementing strategies to manage it, individuals can reclaim