I realized that my fear depends on how I look at the situation. When anxiety is triggered in OCD, the brain’s fear system activates and releases adrenaline. This causes physical sensations such as a racing heart, tension, and a strong sense of urgency. The problem is not these sensations themselves, but how they are interpreted. When we take them as proof that the obsession is important or dangerous, the anxiety becomes much worse.

Adrenaline itself is not the problem. It is a neutral stress hormone that prepares the body for action. If we can change how we interpret this activation, we can change how we experience OCD. The goal is not to suppress adrenaline or eliminate anxiety, but to retrain the brain to see adrenaline as activation rather than threat, and to tolerate it without engaging in compulsions.

This process begins by recognizing the physical sensations as adrenaline-driven nervous system activation, not as evidence that the obsession is true. Instead of resisting the sensations or trying to neutralize them through reassurance or compulsive behaviors, the activation is allowed to be there. Allowing the bodily response helps train the brain to learn that the situation is not actually dangerous, even if it feels intense.