The following articles are to help you understand Intrusive Thoughts and OCD. There are explanatory articles on Intrusive Thoughts, as well as treatments and self help options.In this article, I want to present a case study of POCD to help you understand how it can manifest within Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Living with POCD All names and personal details have been changed. Olivia, a 43-year-old woman, self-referred herself to my clinic for help with OCD. Olivia is married with three children and works […]
Doubt and uncertainty in OCD
Doubt occurs when your mind oscillates between two or more competing positions and can lead to uncertainty and anxiety if no resolution occurs. This failure to reach a satisfactory answer is paramount to understanding and eventually overcoming OCD and intrusive thoughts. Resolution is not deciding between two competing things but having the ability to accept […]
Diagnostic labels; what if there is none that fits?
This article is going to talk about the labels applied to mental health conditions. In particular, I want to talk about diagnostic labels you are familiar with, such as OCD and labels that are not accepted, such as Pure O or HOCD. Why do we need labels? Labels and categories help you and me to […]
Exposure Response Prevention
What is ERP? Exposure Response Prevention, abbreviated to ERP, is a type of therapy designed to target, reduce and eliminate the compulsions (rituals) within OCD. The cornerstone of ERP is two related learning processes called habituation and extinction. The treatment affords you the chance to change your reaction to your fears by lowering the initial […]
Coronavirus and OCD
I have been updating some articles on MoodSmith, relating to OCD, specifically contamination, and decided it would be more helpful if I write my thoughts on the implications of the coronavirus and OCD. I think the most significant difficulty with the coronavirus and OCD is that proper handwashing and being aware of cross-contamination is necessary to […]
Thinking Errors in OCD
If you have OCD, your thoughts and images that cause you so much distress are more than likely not correct. You are probably making mistakes in your thinking, known as thinking errors or cognitive distortions. Correcting these mistakes in your thinking is part of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and a good first step to helping you with your OCD. Your […]
Reassurance seeking in Intrusive Thoughts; does more harm than good.
If you have intrusive thoughts, you probably have looked for reassurance to help you cope with your thoughts’ content. Even though it might feel like it helps, albeit short term, you are, in fact, doing more harm than good, and I want to talk to you about that today. I am going to talk about […]
Planning for bad things to happen and why you need to be specific!
Planning for bad things to happen, trying to prevent bad things, or expecting the worse not only takes up time, but it also can affect your mood, how you feel about yourself and can even stop you from getting things that you want from life. I want to talk about why you might feel the […]