Coping With Rising OCD Anxiety from Pressure to Post Perfect Content

Have you ever had a heavy knot in the pit of your stomach just before hitting “share” online? Even when you get that perfect snap and apply a killer filter to it you are still stuck, staring at the “post” button. Your heart starts beating with your mind running all kinds of thoughts; “Will they like it?”, “Is the caption clever enough?”, or “Is it perfect?” You may be experiencing OCD anxiety.

All this pressure for perfect posts is sending OCD anxiety cases in younger people through the roof, leaving them stuck in a continuous circle of overthinking and self-doubt. More and more young people are feeling the weight of digital perfectionism.

What’s driving this rise in online posting OCD anxiety?

Social media platforms have become such central parts of our lives, especially for young people. The pressure to present a perfect online persona is extreme. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, almost 45% of teens in the US alone have reported feeling stressed out more by social media than any other trigger.

The continuous need for validation by way of likes, comments, and shares fuels OCD anxiety and makes it impossible to break out of that perfectionism cycle.

One of the main triggers for anxiety in OCD is the fear of posting something inappropriate or making a mistake. This may lead to hours of editing and re-editing posts, trying to get everything just right. Especially for teenagers, this pressure becomes overwhelming. The very thought of accidentally sharing something that can be misjudged or misinterpreted causes a huge amount of stress.

Another way OCD anxiety can play out in the digital age is through digital hoarding. This involves keeping every photo, video, and file for fear of losing something important. Feeling out of control and the need to capture and save everything only leads to digital spaces filled with clutter and increased levels of stress.

Great Ideas to Manage Digital Stress

• Set a daily limit of time spent on social media. Use apps that track your screen time and help you stay within that limit.
• Take digital detox breaks from your devices once in a while. Remember to do other things that make you happy, without screens like cycling, swimming, or reading a book.
• Be kind to yourself and be ok with not being perfect or trying to look perfect. Not all your posts should be perfect. It’s fine to make some mistakes, start by adding some deliberate little typos and errors as a joke to learn to lighten up.
• Practice some mindfulness exercises like deep breathing or meditation when you feel the compulsion to obsess about posting and try to focus on being in the here and now.
• Talk to any good friend or close family member. Sometimes opening up about such anxieties relieves them, if only partly.

If you are feeling OCD anxious because of digital stress, and it is affecting your life, then it is time to seek help from a professional. Talking to a counselor or therapist will offer you some real-world advice and give you tips on how to handle your anxiety. You are not alone, and there is help available to see you through these pressures that bombard you from the digital world.

Your mental well-being matters more than a perfect shot. Contact us today to learn more and to schedule your first appointment with a therapist.