Sensorimotor OCD and the Perfection Trap: Stop Trying to Do It “Right”

Sensorimotor OCD has a very specific way of trapping you.

It convinces you that the way out is to do things perfectly.

To come up with the perfect recovery plan.
To breathe in the “right” way.
To blink correctly.
To swallow just right.

Because once you’re doing it properly again… you’ll finally feel normal again.

And that’s exactly why it keeps you stuck.

The moment you try to do it perfectly, you give it power

One of the biggest problems with sensorimotor OCD is that it turns normal bodily processes into a performance.

When you start asking questions like:

• “How do I swallow correctly?”
• “How do I blink the right way?”
• “How do I breathe properly so it feels normal again?”

…you’ve already stepped into the trap.

Because now the goal isn’t living your life.

The goal becomes getting your body sensations to feel “right”.

And that turns your day into a constant internal project — checking, adjusting, and evaluating.

The distraction trap (and why it backfires)

A lot of people try to cope by distracting themselves in very deliberate ways.

For example:

• “If I focus on their nose, I won’t notice my mouth.”
• “If I pay attention to their hair and facial expressions, I won’t be aware of swallowing.”
• “If I really study what they’re wearing, I’ll stay present.”

At first, that might sound helpful.

But there’s a problem.

When you do this, you’re no longer simply in the moment.

You’re doing a contrived strategy to try to feel normal.

And paradoxically, it often makes you more aware of the sensorimotor awareness — because you’re now monitoring whether the strategy is working.

So you end up in this exhausting loop:

1. Awareness shows up
2. You resist it (“Why is this here again? It’s so annoying.”)
3. You try a technique to get away from it
4. You become even more aware
5. You get more frustrated
6. You try harder

And suddenly your whole life becomes about the awareness again.

The better question: “What would I do if I wasn’t caught up in this?”

Here’s a shift that simplifies everything:

Instead of asking, “How do I stop noticing this?”
Ask: “What would I actually be doing right now if I wasn’t caught up in sensorimotor OCD?”

That question is powerful because it moves you out of “fixing mode” and back into living mode.

It helps you return to normal behaviour — which is exactly what the OCD tries to take away.

The key skill: act normal, even if the awareness is there

This is the part that people often find difficult at first:

The aim isn’t to get rid of awareness before you can live.

The aim is to start living even while awareness is present.

So if you’re aware of swallowing, blinking, breathing, heartbeat — whatever it is — the practice becomes:

• “Okay, it’s here.”
• “I don’t need to solve it.”
• “I’m going to do what I would do anyway.”

That’s what breaks the loop.

Because sensorimotor OCD thrives on the idea that you must eliminate the sensation first.

But you don’t.

You can be aware and still be okay.
You can be aware and still function.
You can be aware and still enjoy life.

What about grounding techniques?

Grounding techniques can be helpful — but only if you use them lightly.

Sometimes it’s useful to do a quick 10–15 second reset:

• feel your feet on the floor
• notice a few sounds
• take one slow breath
• look around and name a few objects

That can help you “drop back in” for a moment.

But if you turn grounding into a long, forced strategy — “Right, I’m going to keep focusing on their face… keep focusing on their clothes… keep scanning the room…” — you often stop yourself from acting naturally.

And again, you fall back into doing things “perfectly” to feel okay.

So the best approach is usually:

Use a small technique briefly… then let it go… and return to normal behaviour.

A practical example: talking to someone

If you’re speaking to someone and sensorimotor awareness shows up, here’s the practice:

1. Notice it’s there (without panicking)
2. Stop trying to fix it
3. Put more energy into the conversation
4. Be more active, more expressive, more engaged
5. Let the awareness come along for the ride

Sometimes you might even need to “act as if” you’re already feeling the way you want to feel.

Not fake in a weird way — more like practising the version of you who isn’t battling their body all day.

Because the more you do that, the more you naturally drop back into the present.

And you often end up in a bit more of a flow state.

When you’re caught up in sensorimotor OCD, you’re in anything but flow — you’re stuck in your head, irritated, resistant, trying to control.

So the antidote is simple (not always easy):

Let go. Return to life.

The takeaway

Sensorimotor OCD often keeps you stuck by pushing you toward:

• the perfect plan
• the perfect technique
• the perfect way of breathing/blinking/swallowing
• the perfect solution

But recovery begins when you stop chasing perfect.

You practise living normally again.

And if awareness is there at the same time?

No problem.

You don’t need to get rid of it in order to be happy.

Want help with sensorimotor OCD?

If this is resonating, I do have a 12-week program specifically for sensorimotor OCD — based on my own experience and years of helping people overcome it.

You can apply and book a free discovery call here: https://robertjamescoaching.com/#rjcpackages

DISCLAIMER
This blog post is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are dealing with OCD, anxiety, or any mental health concerns, please consult a licensed mental health professional for support.