Why do I think this way?
Here’s what Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT) has to say.
OCD happens when there is a reasoning shift. When OCD is triggered, your mind moves from normal, evidence-based reasoning to obsessional, imagination-based reasoning.
According to I-CBT, people with OCD have two types of reasoning:
Normal reasoning – This is when you are using relevant information, trusting the senses, and relying on evidence in the present moment. This is how you typically make decisions—like when it’s safe to cross the street. If you see that the coast is clear, you are good to cross.
Obsessional reasoning – When OCD is triggered, there is a shift to this type of reasoning, which relies on irrelevant associations, distrust of the senses, over-focus on possibility, and ignoring real evidence. When you are using obsessional reasoning, you might imagine danger despite there being no actual threat. For example, you may see an empty street in front of you, but you imagine - what if a car comes out of the blue, just behind the corner, ultimately causing a crash? This “what if” scenario, while spooky, is happening only in your imagination, not in reality.
Why Compulsions Arise
When an imagined scenario causes distressing feelings that feel very real, your brain sounds an alarm bell. Your anxiety spikes, and you quickly try to solve the imagined problem with real thoughts or actions — these are called compulsions.
Compulsions can be outward, physical actions, but also can be invisible or mental, like ruminating, checking, reviewing, or self-reassuring.
They feel like they should help because they’re meant to relieve anxiety. But they don’t fix the problem—because the problem isn’t real. It’s imagined. The relief that comes is only momentary, and actually, they end up reinforcing your false belief that the fear was meaningful.
How can I-CBT help?
I-CBT can help you understand how your mind gets pulled into imaginative “what if?” thinking. Even better, it then teaches you how to step out of it!
When you change the reasoning process that leads to obsessive doubt, the doubt loses all of its power.
After treatment, you will be able to:
Recognize the moment an OCD story begins so you can interrupt the cycle at the earliest point possible.
Reconnect with your senses and the present moment, rather than imagined “what if?” possibilities.
Trust yourself again by strengthening your confidence in your own perception and intentions.
See your compulsions for what they are: real attempts to solve imagined problems.
Return to your normal reasoning instead of getting stuck in imaginative “what if?” thinking.
Live your life with clarity, trust, and freedom from the constant pulls of doubt.
Why I love I-CBT
I love this treatment because it changes your whole way of thinking—not just your behavior.
This treatment targets the root of the problem that drives OCD and is known for creating lasting, life-long change.
Ready to begin?
Written by Maggie Duret, LPCC, sourced from: O’Connor, K., & Aardema, F. (2012). Clinician’s handbook for obsessive compulsive disorder: Inference-based therapy. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. www.icbt.online
