Do you often have anxiety-provoking thoughts that cause you to act out in certain behaviors?
Do you find yourself overthinking about how you “should have” done something differently?
Have you ever felt “stuck”, like you can’t move forward unless you engage in a certain behavior?
Do you ever rearrange things after a loved one – like the dishes in the dishwasher – and feel anxious if you’re not able to?
Do you find yourself checking the stove, locks on the door, locks on your car, or Googling health concerns repeatedly?
Do you ever feel like not engaging in certain behaviors will make you a bad person?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involves having intrusive thoughts that cause anxiety. When people with OCD experience this anxiety, they tend to engage in certain behaviors that relieve that anxiety temporarily. These behaviors may be outward and visible, such as washing hands due to a fear of contamination. They may also be internal and seemingly invisible to others, such as rationalizing, seeking validation, or distracting.
Some Signs of OCD Include:
- Intrusive thoughts
- Checking behaviors (i.e. checking the stove or door locks)
- The repeated cleaning of one or more items
- Fear of contamination
- Hoarding
- Thoughts that you might be harmed
- Thoughts that you might cause others or yourself harm
- Compulsive validation seeking from others, or from external sources (like Google)
- Feeling disconnected from others because you’re consumed by your thoughts
If one or more of the above symptoms resonates with you, we encourage you to look into OCD therapy today. Research shows that some of the most effective therapy treatments for OCD are Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
Our therapists at Finding Peace Counseling Center are trained and ready to help you work through these issues. Together, we’ll create a strategy that works for you. Book an appointment today to get started on your journey of healing and recovery.
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