Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Symptoms

Posted by in Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Symptoms of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a somatoform disorder that closely resembles obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder include excessive concern about perceived physical flaws, defects, or imperfections. Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder become obsessed with these unwanted aspects of their appearance and perform...
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Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

Posted by in Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)? Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is not formally classified as an anxiety disorder; however, it shares many overlapping features with anxiety disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In contrast to OCD which typically focuses on specific external feared outcomes, body dysmorphic disorder involves hyper-attention to one or more perceived bodily...
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Worry & “What If” Questions

Posted by in CBT, ERP, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Anxiety, Worry, & What If Questions If you have anxiety, it’s likely that you wrestle with worry and “what if” questions. Many what if questions are easily recognizable and start with the obvious, “What if…?” Others are more subtle and begin with phrases like “How am I ever going to…?” By definition, what if questions prompt us to solve...
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Hit-and-Run OCD

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) “Hit and run” OCD involves the fear of accidentally hitting a pedestrian while driving.  In most cases of hit-and-run obsessive-compulsive disorder, fears focus on unintentionally killing, injuring, or maiming a victim.  Other individuals worry about causing car accidents or causing other vehicles to swerve and hit pedestrians. Fear of Driving Hit-and-run OCD, or motor vehicle...
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Scrupulosity

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) What is Scrupulosity? Scrupulosity is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by religious and/or moral obsessions. Scrupulosity can sometimes be difficult to recognize because even within a single faith community, religious beliefs and practices vary widely. There is no singular belief or behavior that is diagnostic for scrupulosity. Instead, scrupulosity is best regarded as...
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Scrupulosity & OCD: Religious/Moral Symptoms

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Question: I have scrupulosity (religious/moral obsessive-compulsive disorder), and I am triggered by religious posts on Facebook. When I see a religious post, I feel like I have to repost it or God will be mad at me. I also worry about what other people think about these reposts, which then leads me to fear that God will judge me for worrying. Any suggestions for treating scrupulosity (religious...
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Exposure and Response Prevention: An Analogy

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is just like a fitness program for your brain. However, instead of shaking up your fitness level, it’s designed to shake up stubborn OCD symptoms. Let’s expand on this analogy. Reasons for Doing Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) People don’t adopt fitness routines for no reason at all; physical...
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Starting Exposure Therapy: What’s it Like?

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) For anyone new to exposure-based therapy, such as exposure and response prevention (ERP), there is often much anticipatory anxiety about starting treatment. “What is it? What will it be like? How bad will it be? Can I handle it? Will I be forced to do things I’m unwilling to do?” These uncertainties are typical for most people beginning the process. They’re also...
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Treatment of Unwanted Thoughts & Sensations in OCD

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) In my post about the treatment of sensorimotor OCD, a reader asked about the ultimate goal of treatment. Should the goal of treatment be to never notice an unwanted thought or symptom? Suppressing Unwanted Thoughts & Sensations in Pure-O & Sensorimotor OCD Let’s explore this idea in detail. Suppose I adopt the goal of being 100% symptom free. After all, this is the endpoint of...
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Thought Control & OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) OCD & Thought Control Can I learn to eliminate my OCD thoughts? I hear this question all the time from new patients who are searching for ways to suppress their unwanted thoughts. When I answer this question with a resounding “no”, there is often much surprise and grief. After all, this is why they’re coming to see me. Many people with Pure-O OCD imagine thought control...
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Fear of Saliva Swallowing & Choking: Treatment & Symptoms (OCD)

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Social Anxiety Question: I have sensorimotor OCD, and I’m suffering from conscious swallowing. My main fear is that I’ll choke or swallow my own saliva whenever I’m speaking or singing. Any tips for how to tackle this fear via exposure and response prevention (ERP)? Great question. Consistent with general exposure and response prevention (ERP) principles, your exposures need to address your...
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Reassurance Seeking in OCD

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Although contamination OCD and washing rituals often go hand-in-hand, many rituals in this domain do not actually involve cleaning or disinfecting. These more subtle rituals are often based around reassurance seeking behaviors that become ingrained in everyday habit. In the context of exposure and response prevention (ERP), reassurance seeking OCD rituals are just as important to address as...
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OCD & Contamination: Washing & Cleaning Compulsions/Rituals

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) OCD: Common Compulsions In my last post about OCD, I discussed reasons why people do rituals. This time, I’ll identify specific rituals that are common in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by a fear of germs, contamination, diseases, and other health-related ills. OCD: Hand-washing Rituals/Compulsions Hand-washing is a very common ritual and typically involves prolonged and...
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OCD & Contamination: Reasons Why People Do Rituals/Compulsions

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) In my last post, I identified several idiosyncratic feared outcomes in OCD that are associated with contamination/health-related obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Obsessions are intrusive, recurrent, and distressing thoughts, impulses, or images related to these feared outcomes. Today, I’ll discuss the function of compulsions. Why do people with OCD do rituals? Compulsions, or rituals,...
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OCD & Contamination Fears: Feared Outcomes (Example: HIV/AIDS)

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) In my last post, I identified several types of obsessions that are associated with contamination/health-related obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). These include the fear of: Germs and getting sick. Making others sick. Developing an incurable illness in the future. Experiencing extreme and uncontrollable disgust or distress. Other unwanted negative outcomes related to the spread of germs,...
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Contamination & Health-related OCD: Obsessions, Fears, & Worries

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) What are common obsessions in contamination/disease/illness/health-focused OCD? OCD: Fear of Getting Sick Contamination- or health-related OCD is associated with persistent worries about one’s health or the health of loved ones. Common obsessions in contamination-related OCD include the fear of getting sick with a serious illness like rabies, ebola, H1N1 (swine flu), Creutzfeldt-Jakob...
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OCD: Screaming, Blurting Out Obscenities/Cursing/Profanity, & Other Unwanted Impulses

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Question: I’m a teenager and keep having OCD symptoms related to impulse control. I often worry that I’ll lose control and scream or blurt out obscenities. I am especially triggered in quiet public places like classrooms, churches, and movie theaters. I have never actually acted on my impulses and cursed in public, but I still feel very anxious whenever these thoughts occur. Do you...
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OCD Triggers in Daily Life? Don’t Ritualize. Be Strategic! 3 Tips for Fighting OCD.

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Question: I know about ERP, and I understand that OCD symptoms can be reduced by resisting rituals and then habituating to the anxiety brought on by obsessive thoughts. However…what if an obsessional thought requires no ritual? Confused! Great question. I think that in all cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), there is some type of ongoing ritual that maintains the obsessional...
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Exposure Therapy’s Most Common Mistake: All Eggs in the Habituation Basket

Posted by in CBT, ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Many people have an incomplete understanding of exposure therapy… …be it exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD, intentional mistake practice for social anxiety, or interoceptive exposures for panic disorder… This is true for exposure newbies, seasoned exposure veterans, and even some good CBT therapists. This limited understanding is based on the following flawed...
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Sensorimotor OCD & Social Anxiety Differential Diagnosis: “Obsessive Swallowing”

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Social Anxiety Reader Question: For the past year, I have been dealing with OCD-related sensorimotor obsessions focused on swallowing. My symptoms started during a class discussion in which I noticed myself swallow. Since then, whenever I am in a lecture or quiet place surrounded by people, I become deeply focused on my own swallowing and worry that others will notice my swallowing and then judge me. I am...
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Palm Beach (South Florida) OCD Support Groups: Adults, Kids, Teens

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Support Groups Attention all residents of Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Juno, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Delray Beach, Pompano Beach, Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Greenacres, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale. I am pleased to announce that the Center for Psychological & Behavioral Science is now sponsoring free monthly support groups for Palm Beach County...
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Treatment for Body-Focused Obsessions & Compulsions in OCD (e.g., Swallowing, Breathing, Blinking)

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) This post is the last in a series of posts discussing body-focused obsessions and compulsions (aka, sensorimotor, somatosensory, or somatic obsessions and compulsions) in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This series was inspired by an original article written by Dr. David Keuler for OCDchicago.org. You can access Dr. Keuler’s excellent article here. Ruling out Medical Causes for...
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OCD Core Fears Related to Body-Focused Obsessions & Compulsions (e.g., Swallowing, Breathing, Blinking)

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) This post is the second in a series of posts discussing body-focused obsessions and compulsions (aka, sensorimotor, somatosensory, or somatic obsessions and compulsions) in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This series was inspired by an original article written by Dr. David Keuler for OCDchicago.org. You can access Dr. Keuler’s excellent article here. OCD Core Fears Related to...
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Body-Focused Sensorimotor Obsessions & Compulsions in OCD (Swallowing, Breathing)

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) This post is the first in a series of posts discussing body-focused obsessions and compulsions (i.e., sensorimotor obsessions and compulsions) in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This series was inspired by an original article written by Dr. David Keuler for OCDchicago.org. You can access Dr. Keuler’s excellent article here. Body-Focused Obsessions and Compulsions in OCD (sometimes...
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OCD Treatment (ERP & CBT): Exposure & Cognitive Restructuring

Posted by in CBT, ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Question: To what extent would a change of mindset (e.g., changing my expectations for myself) be helpful in recovering from OCD? What is likely to happen if I delay formal treatment with a psychologist and work instead on changing my own mindset? OCD Treatment Components: Cognitive Restructuring + Exposures Regardless of whether or not it occurs in the context of formal psychotherapy, changing...
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OCD Treatment: OCD vs. Me. How do I Tell the Difference?

Posted by in CBT, ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Question: Because many of my OCD rituals are related to my professional identity, I’m worried that changing my rituals will somehow change those parts of me that I like (e.g., my personal goals and ambitions). Should I be concerned about this? Early Onset OCD in Kids & Teens (Pediatric OCD) Many people worry that by fighting their OCD, they will lose essential parts of themselves. ...
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Pure-O OCD Rituals: Starting Over, Resetting, & Undoing

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Question: It’s hard to describe this, but I feel like every few days I need to mentally “start over” by doing a variety of mental and behavioral rituals. I don’t want to live like this, but I’m afraid that if I undergo treatment and stop my OCD rituals, I won’t be the same person with the same drives. Starting Over, Resetting, & Undoing Compulsions in...
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Health-Related Anxiety: Symptoms, Disorders, & Treatment

Posted by in Health Anxiety Think about the most significant health scare you have ever experienced. Then multiply this experience by a factor of about 10. Unfortunately, this is a daily reality for many individuals suffering from health-related anxiety, a debilitating condition that can have devastating effects on one’s mood, relationships, and ability to function in academic and professional settings. What is...
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Agoraphobia – Symptom Attacks, Triggers, Panic, & Avoidance Behaviors

Posted by in Agoraphobia, Panic Let’s dispel a common misconception about agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is not a fear of the outdoors. Many people mistakenly believe this myth, due to the word’s Latin roots.  Because agoraphobia can be broken down into the roots agora (“marketplace”) and phobia (“fear of”), many people assume that agoraphobia is a “fear of the marketplace” or a fear...
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Social Anxiety Treatment: CBT & Intentional Mistake Practice (an example)

Posted by in CBT, Social Anxiety When I was a kid, one form of mischief that was briefly popular in my neighborhood was crank calling strangers. Usually, the bravest kid in the group would pick up the phone, and with the encouragement of all the other kids in the room, would dial a random telephone number. A brief, very Bart Simpson-esque conversation would then ensue. Usually it would go something like this: Kid: Hello,...
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OCD & D-cycloserine: A Promising Medication for OCD Treatment

Posted by in Medication, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) As someone who has long been enamored with basic science, I find it fascinating when classic medications are re-purposed in surprising ways.  One of the newest examples of this is the use of D-cycloserine (also known as Seromycin) in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). What’s interesting about D-cycloserine is not so much what it is…but what it...
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Symptoms of Depression / Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Posted by in Depression Signs of depression can be obvious or subtle, but regardless, they often severely impact your quality of life.  For help in addressing your symptoms of depression, seek the assistance of a therapist or psychologist trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is an evidence-based depression treatment. This will help reduce your symptoms and make you less prone to future relapse. I am...
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Depression / Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): The (Sometimes) Hidden Ailment

Posted by in Depression For some individuals with major depressive disorder, signs of depression can be pretty obvious. Depressive symptoms can be utterly disabling and leave you with very little hope that things will ever get better. Depression can make you feel like giving up or actually cause you to give up. But in other cases, depression can be nearly invisible to both the sufferer and his/her family, friends, and...
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School Refusal & Parental Stigma: Am I a Bad Parent?

Posted by in School Refusal Like any other behavior, school refusal does not have a singular cause. This is pretty self-evident, but in the heat of the moment when your child is having a tantrum, this fact is quickly forgotten. It is simply too easy to conclude that you have raised a “bad child.” Sadly, much of society might wrongly agree with you. For many, the term “school refusal” has automatic...
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School Refusal Causes (Social & Anxiety-Related Factors)

Posted by in School Refusal With the summer quickly fading to black and the academic year looming largely, we will soon be entering the season of school refusal. When I use the term “school refusal,” I’m not talking about that once-in-a-blue-moon occasion when a child forgets about an important test or project and decides it’s easier to feign illness than face the music. That’s pretty typical...
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Panic Attack Causes: Fight-or-Flight & the Sympathetic Nervous System

Posted by in Panic Panic attacks feel awful. However, despite the unpleasantness of panic attacks, we’re actually lucky to have the neural circuitry that drives them. Although it might not feel like it, panic is caused by one of your body’s most important self-protective mechanisms. What causes panic attacks? When we are safe, our bodies are designed to conserve resources in order to promote long-term...
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One Panic Treatment Basic that Even Your Therapist Might not Know

Posted by in Panic If you have panic disorder or suffer from panic attacks, chances are you might be inadvertently doing one simple thing that is making your panic attacks and anxiety worse. You might have even learned this strategy from your therapist.  Although beneficial in many different contexts, when used inappropriately, this technique has the potential to dramatically increase symptoms of anxiety and...
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Test Anxiety Treatment & Diagnostic Considerations

Posted by in Test Anxiety When considering treatment for test-taking anxiety, make sure that you have a comprehensive diagnostic assessment to rule out other possible causes of your symptoms.  Not all cases of test anxiety are alike, and sometimes symptoms of test anxiety actually reflect a separate, underlying condition.  If you’re located in South Florida (Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Fort...
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Test Anxiety & Test-taking Anxiety Myths

Posted by in Test Anxiety Although most of us (at one point or another) have experienced significant fear, uncertainty, or dread about an upcoming examination or evaluation, oftentimes these milestones pass without incident. We get scared, our hearts race, and we ultimately live to fight another day. For millions of Americans, however, test anxiety poses potentially serious, life-altering problems that can indelibly...
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“Pure-O” OCD: Common Obsessions & Mental Rituals

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) As a follow-up to my previous post on Pure-O OCD, I thought it might be helpful to identify some obsessions that are commonly reported by individuals with Pure Obsessional OCD.  These same obsessions may also be experienced by individuals with non-Pure-O forms of the disorder.  Keep in mind that some of these symptoms are quite common (when experienced in a limited form) and may or may not...
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Pure-O OCD (Pure Obsessional OCD): Hidden Rituals

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) “Pure-O” OCD, or Pure Obsessional OCD, is a relatively less common form of OCD that seemingly differs from classic presentations of the illness.  What distinguishes Pure Obsessional OCD from classic OCD is that in Pure-O OCD, symptoms are predominantly obsessive (rather than compulsive) in nature.  Although individuals with Pure-O OCD frequently experience intense and...
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Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD: Treatment Mechanism

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Question: How does ERP work?  What mechanism underlies it? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by obsessions and compulsions.  Obsessions are disturbing thoughts, images, or impulses that increase feelings of anxiety. Compulsions (also known as “rituals”) are the strategies that individuals with OCD use to reduce the anxiety associated with obsessions.  Rituals are...
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Decision Making Abnormalities

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Does OCD affect decision making processes? Now that we have reviewed the neurobiological and cognitive abnormalities associated with OCD, what relevance might this have for predicting abnormalities on tasks of decision making?  Sachdev and Malhi (2005) recently have drawn attention to the substantial overlap between the circuitry implicated in OCD and the circuitry required for intact...
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Cognitive Deficits

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) What cognitive deficits are associated with OCD? Cognitive abnormalities associated with OCD have been documented within the domains of basic learning processes, attention, and executive functioning, each of which arguably is requisite for intact decision making.  We will begin by highlighting abnormalities in basic associative learning processes that have been observed in OCD and subsequently...
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Neurobiology

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) What causes OCD? Researchers have had much recent success in elucidating the neural circuitry involved in OCD.  Advances in functional neuroimaging have identified robust alterations in neural activity within particular functional circuits in individuals with the disorder (Graybiel & Rauch, 2000).  Specifically, OCD is associated with pervasive disruptions in frontal subcortical circuitry...
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Overview

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) What is OCD? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental illness that affects nearly 2.5% of the population (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).  The primary features of the disorder include obsessions, which are recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that cause severe anxiety and distress; and compulsions, repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed in...
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OCD perfectionism & social anxiety treatment: Tweet your way to greater health

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Perfectionism, Social Anxiety Looking for ways to overcome social anxiety or OCD-related perfectionism?  At the end of this post, you’ll find some strategies I use to help individuals in South Florida (Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, & Miami) overcome their anxiety.  These exercises are examples of “Intentional Mistake Practice”, a CBT-based technique that can be used to...
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Perfectionism in OCD: When the pursuit of success turns toxic

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Perfectionism There is more than one type of perfectionist. First, there is the adaptive perfectionist.  This perfectionist is the prototypical workaholic student/employee who goes above and beyond expectations.  This person is intelligent, hard-working, dependable, and passionate about meeting or beating deadlines.  He or she sets high personal standards of performance and has an attention to detail...
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Although it might feel like you’re dying, you’re not. That’s just what the panic wants you to think.

Posted by in Panic Disclaimer: Because panic attacks can mimic the symptoms of several serious medical conditions, it’s important that you talk with your doctor before beginning any panic treatment program.  Never begin panic treatment without first obtaining medical clearance from your physician. Panic attacks feel horrible. If you are one of the 5% of Americans suffering from recurrent panic attacks due to...
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Don’t feed the reassurance monster…and other quick tips to help your child fight OCD

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Many excellent parents struggle with how to appropriately parent their child with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Unfortunately, this process is rarely straightforward and is often counter-intuitive, which leaves many parents feeling anxious and confused. As a psychologist in Palm Beach, Florida, I work closely with kids, teens, and parents throughout the greater Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale,...
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Trichotillomania: Goodbye “Trich Police”, Hello HRT

Posted by in Trichotillomania Imagine that you have a rather large blemish right in the middle of your forehead. It’s not one of those pseudo-invisible blemishes that can only be perceived by you. Rather, it’s an angry, red mark that is readily apparent to nearly all the people with whom you interact throughout the day. Most people are polite enough and don’t acknowledge it out loud, although you can...
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Hoarding: Treatment, symptoms, and personal impact/costs

Posted by in Hoarding The topic of hoarding is rarely met with disinterest.  Maybe that’s because nearly all of us can relate to hoarding on one level or another. Perhaps you yourself have been touched personally by hoarding.  You may have a strong emotional attachment to objects, or you may have a loved one who inexplicably continues to add to an already existing surplus of items.  This surplus may be...
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Hoarding treatment: Choosing the right therapist

Posted by in Hoarding If you are an individual who struggles with hoarding, you might have been frustrated by negative treatment experiences in the past.  For most individuals who hoard, treatment can be challenging.  However, it is an essential ingredient for regaining control and reclaiming your life. When selecting a therapist to help you address your hoarding, make sure that your potential therapist practices...
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Specific phobias: symptoms & CBT treatment (reader question)

Posted by in CBT, Phobias Question: Basically, I wanted to know from an expert, what can a phobia do to a person? How does it affect them mentally? Also I see that you’ve got a new treatment philosophy — is there any way you can talk me through it? One of the goals of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is to learn to better understand the interrelationships among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.  Once you...
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ERP therapy for OCD: Shifting from destructive to constructive to gestalt notions

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Here’s a question for you: Is ERP fundamentally a destructive or constructive process? I think that many people naturally conceptualize it as more of the former than the latter. They conceive of ERP as being the process by which we can “unlearn” or “weaken” maladaptive associations. We learn, through repetition, to no longer be afraid of those things that previously...
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Advanced ERP for OCD: how subtle rituals can limit your progress

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) As any good psychologist experienced in treating OCD can tell you, the most effective treatment for OCD is exposure and ritual prevention (ERP).  You may also see this type of therapy referred to as exposure and response prevention.  In this case, the semantics are immaterial; the concepts are exactly the same.  ERP is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that is based on the premise...
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OCD and DSM-V: Taking the “anxiety” out of OCD

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Psychiatrists and psychologists continue to debate the fundamental nature of OCD, trying to decide whether or not OCD should continue to be classified as an “anxiety disorder.”  In some ways, OCD overlaps with other anxiety-related conditions, such as panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  In other...
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OCD & ECT (electro-convulsive therapy): Not a first-line treatment

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) If your only diagnosis is OCD and you don’t have any other complicating factors, be cautious when considering electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) for treating your OCD.  ECT can be a very helpful intervention for many types of conditions (e.g., severe depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia), but it is not considered to be a first-line treatment for OCD.  Unfortunately, I have...
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OCD guilt, shame, disgust, anxiety & depression: Why treatment sometimes fails (and what to do about it)

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) OCD isn’t just about anxiety. Although anxiety is certainly a prominent feature of the disorder, clinicians who only attend to anxious symptoms can easily overlook some of its other core features. As a psychologist in Palm Beach, Florida, I work closely with kids, teens, and adults throughout the greater Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami areas on strategies for recovering from OCD. In...
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OCD, ERP, & doubt sensitivity: Shattering the illusion of certainty

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Many individuals with OCD hunger for certainty. It’s a craving that often can’t be easily sated. Early conceptions of OCD from the 19th century acknowledged this issue directly, in that OCD was often termed the “doubting disease.” It is this need for certainty, the need to eliminate doubt, that leads many people with OCD to perform repetitive behaviors, which are known as...
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Palm Beach trichotillomania (trich) support group

Posted by in Support Groups, Trichotillomania Okay, so in addition to the possible Palm Beach OCD support group, I am also thinking about forming a trichotillomania (trich) support group. For those of you who aren’t familiar with trichotillomania, it’s an impulse control disorder that is associated with compulsive hair-pulling behaviors. It is likely that trich will soon be officially reclassified as an OC-spectrum disorder in...
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Miami/Fort Lauderdale OCD support groups for adults and kids

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Support Groups Several support groups for individuals with OCD are conveniently located near Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Boca Raton.  Some groups are facilitated by licensed clinical psychologists, whereas others are led by individuals with OCD.  To view current support groups in South Florida (Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties), visit the IOCDF”s support group page here.  Each support group...
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OCD symptoms: the obvious (and the not so obvious)

Posted by in ERP, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Turn on your television, and you’re likely to catch at least a fleeting glimpse of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Many popular TV shows feature characters with OCD (e.g., Emma on Glee, Monk), and it is through this lens that many members of the general population get their first exposure to OCD. Unfortunately, if your understanding of OCD is based solely on depictions in the popular...
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Palm Beach OCD support group

Posted by in Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Support Groups So I’m thinking about starting an OCD support group in North Palm Beach. There are many details that would have to be ironed out (location, time, etc.), but I think it’s troubling that Palm Beachers have such little access to OCD-related resources. Possibilities for the location include Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Juno, or West Palm Beach. PBG is probably the front runner at this...
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