The Sensorimotor OCD Workbook: Inference-Based CBT Skills to Overcome Hyperawareness and Unwanted Body-Focused Obsessions Paperback – October 23, 2025

Do you feel trapped by constant awareness of your breathing, swallowing, or blinking?Every moment consumed by bodily sensations you can't ignore. Every attempt to stop noticing only makes it worse. The hyperawareness feels inescapable, and you're terrified it will never go away.You're experiencing sensorimotor OCD—and there's finally a proven path to freedom.Sensorimotor OCD, also called somatic OCD or body-focused obsessions, affects over 1.5 million people who struggle with intrusive thoughts about automatic bodily processes. Unlike contamination fears or checking compulsions, this subtype hijacks your attention and refuses to let go. Traditional exposure therapy often fails because it doesn't address the unique reasoning patterns that fuel body awareness obsessions.This comprehensive workbook introduces Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT)—a specialized approach that targets the root cause of sensorimotor hyperawareness.Inside This Evidence-Based Workbook:Understanding Your Symptoms• Why your brain gets stuck on breathing, swallowing, blinking, heartbeat, eye floaters, tongue position, and other automatic processes• The difference between normal body awareness and obsessive hypervigilance• How sensorimotor OCD differs from health anxiety, panic disorder, and body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB)• The inferential confusion that keeps you trapped in checking and monitoring loopsProven I-CBT Techniques• Reality-testing exercises to distinguish imagination from actual sensory experience• Step-by-step protocols for the most common somatic obsessions• Breaking free from mental scanning, body checking, and reassurance-seeking compulsions• Mindfulness strategies specifically adapted for hyperawareness symptoms• Cognitive restructuring for "what if I never stop noticing" catastrophic thoughtsPractical Recovery Tools• Daily worksheets targeting breathing awareness anxiety• Exposure exercises for swallowing hypervigilance and blinking obsessions• Scripts to challenge obsessive compulsive disorder thought patterns• Relapse prevention planning for long-term freedom• Self-compassion practices to reduce shame and frustrationSpecialized Guidance for Related Conditions• Managing sensorimotor OCD alongside generalized anxiety and depression• Addressing overlap with body-focused repetitive behaviors like skin picking and hair pulling• Navigating health anxiety triggers that amplify bodily sensation obsessions• Supporting recovery when intrusive thoughts extend beyond physical sensationsWhy This Workbook Is Different:Most OCD resources ignore sensorimotor symptoms entirely or lump them into generic anxiety programs. This specialized guide recognizes that hyperawareness obsessions require targeted intervention. You'll learn why trying harder to ignore sensations backfires, why distraction techniques fail, and how to retrain your brain's attention system using evidence-based CBT principles.The I-CBT approach addresses the specific inferential reasoning errors that convince your mind these normal bodily processes require constant monitoring. Instead of fighting your awareness, you'll learn to change your relationship with automatic sensations—allowing them to naturally fade into the background where they belong.Who This Workbook Helps:✓ People trapped in breathing awareness loops who fear suffocation or losing automatic breathing✓ Those obsessively monitoring swallowing, fearing choking, or fixating on saliva production✓ Anyone hyperaware of blinking patterns, eye movements, or visual sensations✓ Individuals experiencing tongue position awareness, jaw tension, or mouth sensations✓ Those whose somatic hyperawareness disrupts work, relationships, sleep, and quality of life Read more