The Problem With Seeking Certainty
Many people believe certainty would finally allow them to relax.
If they could just know.
Know they are safe.
Know they made the right decision.
Know nothing bad will happen.
Then they could move forward.
The difficulty is that certainty is rarely available.
Life involves uncertainty.
Relationships involve uncertainty.
The future involves uncertainty.
For people with OCD or anxiety, uncertainty can feel unbearable.
The mind responds by trying to solve it.
It reviews.
Analyses.
Checks.
Predicts.
But the search for certainty often becomes the thing keeping anxiety alive.
The goal of therapy is not to make you stop caring.
It is to help you develop trust in your ability to handle uncertainty.
Because confidence does not come from knowing everything will be okay.
It comes from knowing you can cope even when you cannot know for certain.
Related Articles:
Living With OCD: Why Logic Isn't Enough
Why Does My Anxiety Feel So Real?