Could I really stab someone with a knife? What if I lost control? Thoughts and urges about hurting someone – against your will – characterize harm OCD.
What Are Harm OCD Urges?
Three HOCD Stories: Case Examples of Sexual Orientation Obsessions
OCD comes in many varieties. HOCD is one of them — and it involves obsessive thoughts about one’s sexual orientation. Read on for three stories of HOCD and recovery.
How Do Obsessive Thoughts Work?
Obsessive thoughts come in several varieties. Among the most popular themes for these thoughts are blasphemy, violence, and sex. Obsessions typically consist of a thought (e.g., “I want to pick up that knife and stab myself”) followed by intense anxiety at having had that thought. “Am I Gay?” is an obsessive thought that can create intense anxiety for some people.
[Read more…]Treatments for OCD: Comparing Medication and ERP Therapy
For those persons suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), there are effective ways to get help. In fact, research has shown two treatments for OCD to be quite effective in reducing symptoms: 1) Exposure and response prevention therapy (also known as ERP), and 2) psychotropic medication. Which is better?
[Read more…]OCD Reassurance: How to Deal With This Common Anxiety Problem
One way to recognize OCD is to look for excessive efforts to get reassurance. This can take many forms, and in my experience often comes up as questions asked to a spouse. “Did you check the locks on the door?” “I’m feeling a little ill, do you think I have lupus?”
[Read more…]OCD Counseling: 3 Reasons Why It Might Not Be Helping
For people suffering from OCD, it can be hard to find helpful counseling. Being an informed consumer can make all the difference.
It is common for people who think they might have OCD to say, “I’d better see someone,” and go to see a psychotherapist. So far, so good. However, there are different types of therapy for OCD, and evidence suggests that some work better than others. Many people who seek help for obsessions or compulsions with a psychotherapist find that sometimes, after months or years of therapy, their symptoms are still a problem. There can be many possible reasons for this.
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