Dr Elaine Ryan

Written By Dr Elaine Ryan.

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Dr Elaine Ryan PsychD is a highly experienced Chartered Psychologist with 20+ years of experience in treating OCD and Anxiety Disorders. Member of the British Psychological Society (BPS), Division of Neuropsychology | EuroPsy Registered| Member of The UK Society For Behavioural Medicine 

What is compulsive reassurance-seeking, and how to stop it

compulsive reassurance seekinbg

Compulsive reassurance-seeking is a behaviour that many grapple with, often unknowingly. It is associated with anxiety disorders, mostly obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and involves repeatedly asking others for reassurance to reduce their fears, uncertainty or anxiety. It is not just a simple need for reassurance to feel a bit better or to get a second opinion … Read more

Ego dystonic thoughts in OCD

Ego dystonic thoughts in OCD

Understanding the complexities of our thought processes is essential in all aspects of mental health, but particularly for those of you who have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). With OCD, there are ego-dystonic thoughts—intrusive, unwanted thoughts that conflict with your belief system, how you view yourself and the values you hold dear, causing significant distress. This article … Read more

Thinking traps that keep you stuck in your ocd

image of thought bubble with Moodsmith logo and words break free from ocd thinking traps

If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the main thing that keeps you stuck in your condition is thinking traps or cognitive distortions, to give them a formal name. The ‘ thinking traps’ can exacerbate or maintain the symptoms of the disorder. I’ve written quite a bit about distortions, and I’ll list a few related articles … Read more