We’ve crossed the halfway point of the A2Z Blogchatter Challenge, and it’s been such a meaningful ride so far. Each post has helped me reflect deeper not just as a mental health professional, but as a person who continues to learn and unlearn through stories—my own, and those people have trusted me with. Today, the letter O nudges me to sit with three incredibly important and often misunderstood themes: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Overthinking, and Optimism.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: More than “being tidy”
Let’s start by addressing a common misconception. OCD is not just about being neat, clean, or particular. That oversimplified portrayal we often see in films or casual conversations takes away from the real distress this condition brings.
OCD is a clinical anxiety disorder marked by persistent, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental rituals (compulsions) that someone feels driven to perform in response. The cycle is exhausting. I’ve met people who knew what they were doing didn’t make sense, but they couldn’t stop. Their mind kept telling them “something bad will happen if you don’t.”
It could look like:
- Rechecking the door ten times.
- Washing hands until they bleed.
- Mentally repeating words or numbers in a specific order.
And it’s not about choice. It’s not a quirk. It’s a condition.
The good news is—with therapy, especially CBT and exposure-response prevention (ERP), many find immense relief. But healing begins with recognising that OCD is valid and serious, even if invisible to others.
Overthinking: The mind’s endless loop
We all do it. At some point or the other, we’ve all laid awake wondering, “Did I say the wrong thing?”, “What if this doesn’t work out?”, “Why didn’t I do that better?”
Overthinking is when thoughts spiral so much that we become stuck—not acting, not resting, just… looping.
Sometimes, overthinking is a form of self-protection. The brain tries to control every outcome to avoid pain or embarrassment. But in doing so, it creates a kind of mental paralysis.
If you’re an overthinker, here are some grounding questions you can try:
- “Is this thought helping me right now?”
- “Can I do anything about it in this moment?”
- “What would I say to a friend who had this same worry?”
Your mind may never go completely quiet—but it can become a softer place to sit in.
Optimism: The light we sometimes resist
When you’re dealing with overwhelming thoughts, or a mental health condition, optimism can feel unrealistic—almost annoying.
But optimism isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s not toxic positivity. It’s the quiet, stubborn belief that even in chaos, something good is still possible.
I’ve seen optimism in the way someone said, “I want to feel better” even when they hadn’t slept in days. I’ve seen it in the way someone agreed to try therapy, even after years of being told mental health doesn’t matter. And I’ve seen it in the smallest actions—a deep breath, a tear wiped, a journal entry, a phone call.
Optimism doesn’t have to be loud. Sometimes, it’s just the whisper:
“I’m still here. I haven’t given up yet.”
As we wrap up today’s post for O, I hope you can hold space for yourself and those around you. Whether your mind feels too loud, or too empty, you deserve gentleness. And if you’re walking through your own healing, may you remember that there’s nothing wrong with needing help, nothing weak about struggling, and everything brave about continuing to hope.
Tomorrow, we’ll meet the letter P, and I can’t wait to explore the layers it brings.
Until then—be kind to your thoughts, and a little more patient with yourself.
