Decision-making can feel overwhelming for anyone, but if you struggle with OCD, even the smallest choices can carry an enormous emotional weight. From deciding what to wear to making bigger life choices, OCD has a way of turning every decision into a spiral of anxiety, second-guessing, and compulsive behaviors. It’s exhausting, frustrating, and can leave you feeling paralyzed.

But there’s hope. It is possible to rebuild trust in your decision-making abilities and break free from the patterns that make choosing feel so heavy. Let’s talk about why decision-making feels so difficult with OCD, and explore some tools to help you trust yourself again.

WHY DECISION-MAKING FEELS SO DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WITH OCD

At its core, OCD thrives on uncertainty and doubt, which is why decision-making can be so challenging. When faced with a choice, someone with OCD often feels an overwhelming need to make the “right” decision. This pressure creates intense anxiety, as OCD convinces you that making the wrong choice could lead to catastrophic consequences.

For example, something as simple as deciding what to eat for lunch might spiral into thoughts like, “What if this food makes me sick?” or “What if I regret my choice and it ruins the rest of my day?” The fear of making a mistake—or the fear of not knowing if you’ve made the perfect decision—can trigger endless worry and indecision.

THE ROLE OF COMPULSIONS IN DECISION-MAKING

Then, compulsions often come into play during decision-making as a way to reduce anxiety. If you have OCD, you might feel the need to perform certain rituals or seek reassurance before making a decision. This could look like checking and re-checking information, repeatedly asking others for their opinions, or spending excessive time weighing every possible outcome.

While compulsions might provide temporary relief, they actually reinforce the fear and doubt that make decision-making so difficult. The more you rely on these behaviors, the less trust you have in your ability to make decisions independently, creating a cycle where every choice becomes more agonizing than the last.

THE EMOTIONAL WEIGHT OF INDECISION

Indecision itself can be incredibly draining. When you’re stuck in the loop of overthinking, it’s not just frustrating—it’s emotionally exhausting. The fear of making the wrong choice keeps you trapped in a state of uncertainty, often leading to feelings of guilt, shame, and self-doubt.

This emotional weight can spill over into other areas of your life, too. When small decisions feel overwhelming, larger decisions—like those related to work, relationships, or your future—can feel almost impossible. You might start to doubt your judgment and lose confidence in your ability to make choices, which can impact your overall well-being and mental health.

HOW TO REBUILD TRUST IN YOUR DECISION-MAKING ABILITIES

Rebuilding trust in your decision-making abilities takes time, but it’s absolutely possible. Here are some steps to help you get started:

1. Start with small decisions

Begin by practicing making small, low-stakes decisions without seeking reassurance or performing compulsions. For example, if you’re deciding what to wear in the morning, challenge yourself to make a choice within a set amount of time and stick with it. Over time, this helps retrain your brain to handle uncertainty without the need for rituals.

2. Set limits on decision-making time

If you find yourself spending too much time agonizing over decisions, try setting a time limit. Give yourself a set amount of time to gather information and make a choice, then commit to moving forward without second-guessing. This can help reduce overthinking and keep you from getting stuck in a cycle of indecision.

3. Practice self-compassion

It’s easy to get frustrated with yourself when decision-making feels so hard, but beating yourself up only makes things worse. Try practicing self-compassion by acknowledging that decision-making is tough for you right now and that it’s okay to struggle. Remind yourself that it’s a process and that progress takes time.

TOOLS TO REDUCE OVERTHINKING AND COMPULSIVE CHECKING

When you’re stuck in overthinking mode, decision-making can feel impossible. Here are a few practical tools to help you reduce overthinking and resist the urge to compulsively check:

• Use “good enough” thinking: Instead of striving for perfection, aim for a decision that’s “good enough.” Remind yourself that no choice will ever be 100% perfect, and that’s okay. Learning to accept “good enough” decisions helps ease the pressure to make the “perfect” choice.
• Limit checking behaviors: If you catch yourself repeatedly checking or seeking reassurance, challenge yourself to stop after a certain number of checks (or better yet, stop after the first check). Each time you resist checking, you’re teaching your brain that you don’t need to rely on compulsions to feel safe.
• Challenge “what if” thinking: When your mind spirals into “what if” scenarios, gently challenge these thoughts by asking yourself how likely the worst-case scenario is to happen. Often, the fears that keep you stuck in indecision aren’t grounded in reality.

CHALLENGING THE NEED FOR CERTAINTY

One of the biggest obstacles in OCD recovery is the need for certainty. OCD tricks you into thinking that if you could just be sure about something, you’d feel better. But the truth is, life is full of uncertainty—and that’s okay.

To challenge the need for certainty, start by accepting that not every decision comes with a guarantee. Remind yourself that you can handle whatever happens, even if it’s not the outcome you hoped for. By letting go of the need for certainty, you free yourself from the endless loop of overthinking and compulsive checking that keeps you stuck.

BUILDING RESILIENCE THROUGH SELF-COMPASSION

Finally, one of the most powerful tools in rebuilding trust in your decision-making is self-compassion. It’s so easy to get down on yourself when you’re struggling with indecision or feel like you’re “failing” at making choices. But learning to be kind to yourself during these moments is so important for long-term recovery. And you deserve it! 

Self-compassion means treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding you’d offer to a friend. When you feel overwhelmed by decision-making, remind yourself that you’re doing your best. It’s okay to struggle—it doesn’t make you weak or incapable. I often think of what I’d say to my son if he was struggling. I wouldn’t want him beating himself up over something and so I shouldn’t either.

MAKING DECISIONS WITH OCD

The emotional weight of decision-making in OCD can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to define your life. By practicing small steps, challenging your need for certainty, and being kind to yourself along the way, you can rebuild trust in your ability to make decisions.

If you’re looking for more structured guidance on managing OCD and anxiety, my OCD and Anxiety Recovery Blueprint offers evidence-based strategies to help you regain control and move forward in your recovery. You don’t have to do this alone.

You’re stronger than you think, and with the right tools and mindset, you can begin trusting yourself again, one decision at a time. You’ve got this!