Why is my OCD worse at Christmas? Why OCD Flare Ups Are Common During Times of Stress
The holidays can be stressful for everyone. They can be financially tough, they can stir up family conflict, and with travel, holiday meal prep, holiday parties, and gift shopping, they can make already busy schedules feel even fuller.
If you have OCD, there’s a chance you’re coping with all of these challenges and noticing a spike in symptoms. Not everyone with OCD will experience this during the holidays, but the risk is there, and I want to talk through a few reasons why OCD might get activated this time of year.
Why Does Stress Make OCD Feel Louder?
The first thing that comes to mind is that we’re more vulnerable to OCD during periods of high stress. This may seem obvious, but it’s worth breaking down.
When we’re stressed, we naturally feel anxious, and that’s totally normal. Anxiety is part of life; it isn’t always pathological. Many situations bring up anxiety, and the holidays are often one of them. But when we have OCD and start to feel that anxiety, it can be harder to use our skills to manage intrusive thoughts and take care of ourselves.
Stress wears us down, and we simply have less energy. It’s easy to slip into autopilot. For some people, autopilot looks like more scrolling, less patience for small frustrations, or letting household tasks slide. Everyone’s version is different, but overall, during high-stress times, most of us have less bandwidth and less energy to care for ourselves in the ways we normally would.
What Autopilot Looks Like When You Have OCD
So what does this look like when you have OCD? It can look like more rumination after an intrusive thought, giving into other compulsions more easily, and having less insight into what’s happening.
For many people with OCD, their auto-pilot response to intrusive thoughts is exactly that: ruminating or overthinking, seeking reassurance, checking, researching, and falling into the OCD cycle without realizing it. When you’re on autopilot, it’s harder to notice what you’re doing, and insight naturally drops.
Common Holiday Triggers for People With OCD
Another reason OCD might get worse during the holidays is that the holidays can be triggering in general, both for people with OCD and for people without OCD. As previously noted, they can bring up financial issues, family issues, and perfectionism (wanting to give the perfect gift, make the perfect food, be the best guest or host), and that’s just to name a few of the challenges associated with the holidays.
These are already tricky themes for most people, and what does OCD do with difficult things in our lives that also matter a lot to us? That’s right…it latches onto those things. As a rule, OCD latches onto the things we care about the most—that’s why it gets our attention. Think about it—if you had an intrusive thought about something you didn’t care about, you would just notice the thought and easily go on with your life. In fact, you do this all the time with non-OCD triggers.
But the holidays represent so many things that matter to most people: relationships, happy memories, finances, our reputations, and I could go on and on. Therefore, it is common for OCD to get activated for people during the holidays—most people care about all of these things in one way or another.
Disrupted Routines & Self-Care Changes
Another reason OCD can spike around the holidays is that our basic self-care tends to slip when we’re stressed or overwhelmed. This season is busy. We might sleep less, skip cooking and eat whatever’s around, miss workouts, drink more at social events—you get the idea. And I want to be very clear: I think it’s completely understandable that our self-care fluctuates. Life is demanding, and rigidity about routines isn’t realistic for most people.
And honestly, self-care itself is a privilege. Some people are working multiple jobs, exhausted, or simply don’t have the time or resources for meal prep, gym time, or perfect sleep hygiene. This is one of the reasons I’m always hesitant to talk about self-care—some of the wellness messaging out there is, frankly, offensive. Those 20-step morning and evening routines that some influencers swear by are built on layers of ableism and privilege. It grinds my gears. I’m definitely not advocating for that kind of optimization mindset, which, in my opinion, just creates more neurosis.
Why Being Stretched Thin Can Make OCD Feel More Present
All that said, we also can’t ignore that when we’re unable to take care of ourselves—whatever “care” realistically looks like for us—we’re more vulnerable to stress, and that vulnerability can lead to an OCD spike. Travel, disrupted routines, and the general chaos of the season only add to that. So yes, OCD often ramps up during the holidays, and part of the reason is simply that we’re stretched thin.
This doesn’t mean you need to double down on self-care or cancel all your plans to avoid symptoms. Instead, this season invites us to practice flexibility and acceptance—with ourselves, with others, and with life in general.
I’ll get into more detail in my next blog about how we can build these skills and support ourselves during the holidays. Stay tuned.
OCD Therapy in Boston & California: Support for Navigating Holiday Stressors
If you’re noticing that the holidays tend to activate your OCD—whether through stress, disrupted routines, or the pressure to “get everything right”—working with an OCD therapist can offer clarity, structure, and support. I offer virtual OCD therapy for residents of Massachusetts and California, and together we can explore what this season brings up for you in a way that feels steady, compassionate, and collaborative.
Our work won’t be about eliminating thoughts or creating a perfect routine. Instead, we focus on strengthening skills, building insight, and practicing flexibility so that when stress rises, you feel more anchored and less pulled into old patterns. Therapy at Jen Lescher LCSW can help you understand your triggers, notice when auto-pilot is taking over, and reconnect with the values that matter most to you—especially during times of the year that already carry so much meaning.
A Steadier Way to Move Through the Season
If this time of year tends to make your OCD feel louder or more demanding, you don’t have to navigate that shift on your own.
OCD counseling can offer a grounded space to slow down, notice what’s happening, and build a more supportive way of responding to stress—without the pressure to be perfect or “do the holidays right.”
If you’re ready to explore what this could look like, you can schedule a consultation.
Explore my blogs for more insights into OCD therapy, rumination, and more.
Let’s take the next step together, at a pace that feels approachable and doable for you.
Other Resources I Recommend as an OCD Therapist
Alongside individual OCD therapy, I offer additional resources that many people find helpful as they learn more about their patterns and experiences. On the Common OCD Themes page, you’ll find clear, compassionate explanations of the thoughts and behaviors that show up for a lot of people with OCD—often bringing a sense of relief and recognition.
I also created an OCD and Social Life page, where I talk about the very real challenges of navigating friendships, dating, and relationships when OCD or anxiety is in the mix. These resources are here to complement our work together, offering practical guidance and supportive insights you can return to anytime.
About the Author: OCD Therapist in Boston
Hi, I’m Jen.
I’m a therapist, coffee enthusiast (honestly, it’s my favorite ritual of the day), and a big believer in finding small moments of presence—whether that’s through mindfulness, photography, or a quiet walk with my camera in hand. Photography helps me stay grounded and see the world with a little more curiosity, and that same mindset shows up in my work with clients. I’ve been drawn to spirituality and healing work since I was a teenager, exploring everything from meditation to energy practices. But I’m also someone who loves blasting music in the car and getting lost in a true crime podcast. I think healing can include both stillness and movement, reflection and laughter. Therapy should have room for all of that. Since 2007, I’ve worked in a range of mental health settings, which taught me that healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s personal, evolving, and sometimes messy—but always possible.
Training & Background:
Inference-Based CBT (ICBT) for OCD – The OCD Training School & The Cognitive Behavioral Institute
Certified in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) – The Cognitive Behavioral Institute
Gottman Method Couples Therapy – Level 1
Master’s in Social Work – Portland State University, 2012
