20 Engaging Activities to Help You Resist OCD Compulsions When Doing ERP
When you’re in the middle of OCD treatment and practicing Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the hardest moment can be right after an exposure, when the urge to do a compulsion feels overwhelming.
Resisting compulsions is the heart of ERP. But telling yourself “just don’t do it” is easier said than done. That’s why it helps to have physically and mentally engaging activities ready to go.
These activities do two things:
Physically occupy your body so it’s harder to perform the compulsion.
Mentally absorb your focus so your brain has less space to obsess.
The goal isn’t to “escape” the anxiety; it’s to give yourself something constructive to do while letting the anxiety naturally rise and fall, without compulsions reinforcing it.
20 Therapist-Approved Activities for Resisting OCD
1. Cook a new recipe: Chopping, measuring, and timing tasks keep both your hands and brain engaged.
2. Play a musical instrument: Learning a new song demands focus, coordination, and listening skills.
3. Dance to a choreographed video: Combines physical movement with the mental challenge of learning steps.
4. Build a puzzle: Visual scanning and problem-solving keep your mind busy and off autopilot.
5. Garden or repot plants: Grounding sensory input while keeping your hands occupied.
6. Play a fast-paced video game: Look for games that require active problem-solving, not passive scrolling.
7. Draw or paint: Creative, tactile, and attention-demanding and you can’t “half-do” it.
8. Try origami or paper crafts: Requires precision, focus, and patience.
9. Learn a short magic trick: Fine motor skills + memorization = a double distraction.
10. Practice a foreign language on an app: Speaking aloud and recalling words keeps the brain busy.
11. Knit, crochet, or weave: Repetitive yet focused handiwork that’s hard to stop midway.
12. Sing along to music while doing a chore: Combines vocal focus with physical movement.
13. Build with LEGO or blocks: Involves design planning, problem-solving, and hands-on work.
14. Practice calligraphy or hand lettering: Detailed and mindful work that demands steady focus.
15. Follow a guided workout video: Keeps you moving while following real-time instructions.
16. Write a short story or respond to a journal prompt: Forces your brain to create, not ruminate.
17. Go for a mindful walk: Notice five things you see, four things you hear, and three things you feel.
18. Bake cookies and decorate them: Multi-step and sensory-rich…plus a sweet reward afterward.
19. Create a playlist for a friend: Involves sorting, selecting, and sequencing, all brain-heavy tasks.
20. Build a birdhouse or small wood project: Requires problem-solving, planning, and careful attention to detail.
How to Use These ERP Activities
Plan ahead: Choose 3–5 activities and keep supplies ready before starting ERP practice.
Commit fully: Once you begin an activity, stick with it until the compulsion urge fades.
Don’t aim to escape anxiety: The goal is to tolerate discomfort without giving in to compulsions.
Practice nonjudgement: when (not if) intrusive thoughts arise, do not judge yourself for having the thought and do not place value judgments on the thought. Simply recognize that it is there, label it as an intrusive thought, and without engaging in the content of the thought, return your attention to the task at hand.
OCD Treatment in New York with ERP Therapy
If you or someone you love is struggling with OCD, Exposure and Response Prevention therapy can be life-changing. At RIT Psychology in Roslyn, NY, we specialize in evidence-based OCD treatment for teens and young adults.
Book a consultation today and take the first step toward freedom from OCD.
