Although primary care physicians and other non-specialists in mental health feel comfortable managing less complicated anxiety-related disorders, OCD is a more complex diagnosis and ideally should be managed by a psychiatrist. Before initiating medication, the psychiatrist will first do a thorough assessment to ensure that the diagnosis of OCD is accurate, and to determine the presence of coexisting conditions that may complicate the treatment.
Harm inducing types of thoughts, images and urges are typically referred to as Harm OCD and they can cause significant distress and anxiety in sufferers.
Is my OCD going to get worse during pregnancy or after giving birth? The worry that OCD symptoms may be exacerbated during reproductive events is common among individuals trying to become pregnant, currently pregnant, or after delivering a baby, and it’s a question that I often get asked in my practice.
The idea that mental illness and psychiatric disorders are afflictions that only affect the brain is now regarded as incorrect. We know that the brain controls the body and when the brain doesn’t function properly, the body suffers the consequences, and vice-versa.
It’s common for a new mother to experience thoughts or worries about her newborn child. I remember the worrying thoughts I had shortly after my son was born when I left for an ADAA conference for a few days.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can affect people of all races, color, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, sexual orientation and/or different cultural backgrounds, and culture can have a large influence on how someone might perceive or report their symptoms.
Subtypes are helpful in normalizing symptoms for OCD sufferers and even for diagnosing purposes. And it is common for OCD sufferers to have multiple subtypes.
As therapists, we know that OCD is no laughing matter. But that doesn't mean we can't use humour when fighting back OCD. In fact, as an OCD therapist the use of humour can be an integral part of the ERP experience.
