Anxiety

Thinking, and even overthinking, is normal but when it becomes a mental health disorder, known as hyperawareness OCD, the person feels completely distracted and out of control.

Limit the depth of exposure to details. People can consume news in limited ways. In other words, learn what’s happening, then stop there. Avoid the urge for disaster voyeurism. If you have heard the story, you might not need to search for the images or the videos; if you have seen them, there is no need to revisit them over and over.

Choosing a therapist can be an overwhelming decision: there are so many therapists out there, how can you be sure you are choosing someone who is the right fit for you?

Whether we hear the term from a client, another provider, or our own classification of someone’s symptoms, “compulsions” tend carry with them some level of assumption – that this might just be OCD.

It can be difficult to talk about suicide. It’s a taboo topic, fraught with discomfort. Couple that with some harmful misunderstandings and our tendency, as a society, to shy away from hard conversations, and it’s no wonder that you may struggle to find the right words.  

In the U.S., anxiety disorders affect about one-third of the population. So it’s no surprise that a good number of artists and writers also suffer from anxiety and depression.

My question to my fellow therapists who treat women with OCD is this: “How can we teach women to whole heartedly love themselves, when a mind that creates negative, intrusive, and terrifying thoughts is such a large part of us?”  

Obsessive and compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms intensely impact individuals and the entire system in which they live. It can be beyond challenging and painful to watch someone you love struggle with severe anxiety, panic attacks, and engage in behaviors (or thoughts) that do not seem rational.

Check out our ADAA members' new books - CBT for social anxiety, an action mindset for teens and thriving with anxiety. Helpful resources to support your mental health journey.