When OCD Tricks You Into Believing “Feelings = Facts”

One of the hardest parts of living with OCD is how convincing it feels.

That sudden surge of urgency — the thought that “this has to mean something important” — can feel impossible to dismiss. In that moment, the emotion is so strong that it masquerades as truth.

But here’s the reality: feelings are not facts.

This idea lies at the heart of Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT), a therapeutic approach that helps people separate what they feel from what is actually true.

OCD as a Master Storyteller

Think of OCD as a brilliant director, spinning stories that feel like award-winning films. The plot is gripping, the emotions are intense, and the ending always suggests danger unless you act right now.

But just because a story is convincing doesn’t make it real.

The more you get caught up in OCD’s narrative, the further you drift from what’s actually happening in front of you.

The Trap of Urgency

OCD thrives on urgency. It pushes you to believe:

• “If I feel this strongly, it must mean something.”
• “If I don’t act now, I’ll regret it forever.”

That intensity feels like evidence, but urgency is a feeling — not a fact.

Your nervous system is sounding an alarm, but alarms can be false.

What ICBT Teaches

Inference-Based CBT doesn’t ask you to argue with your thoughts. Instead, it invites you to notice the difference between:

• The story OCD tells you (based on feelings, fears, and “what ifs”), and
• The reality of your senses (what you see, hear, and know in the present moment).

It’s like stepping out of OCD’s movie theater and walking into daylight. The story may still play in the background, but you’re no longer trapped in your seat.

Feelings Are Valid, But Not Facts

Here’s the shift:

• Feelings are always valid. They tell you something about your inner world.
• But feelings are not proof. They don’t confirm reality the way OCD claims they do.

You can honor your emotions without letting them dictate what’s true.

Reclaiming Your Truth

When you practice stepping back from OCD’s story, you start to live more rooted in reality — in the present, in your truth, in what your senses can confirm.

OCD wants you to treat every wave of fear as undeniable evidence. But you can learn to watch the wave rise and fall without letting it drag you under.

And that is where freedom begins: not by erasing emotions, but by refusing to mistake them for facts.

3 Quick Reminders for When OCD Feelings Feel Like Facts

1. Pause before reacting. Urgency is OCD’s pressure tactic — not a signal of truth.
2. Check your senses. What do you see, hear, or know right now? Ground yourself in the present.
3. Name the difference. “This is a feeling, not a fact.” Saying it out loud can help break OCD’s spell.

The more you practice this, the easier it becomes to step out of OCD’s movie and back into your real life.