Olfactory reference syndrome (ORS) is a lesser-known mental health condition where you falsely believe that there is an odour coming from you. This belief can seriously affect your life, leading to social isolation, excessive showering, distress and extreme anxiety around others. Even though MoodSmith is predominately about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), I decided to write about … Read more

Do you ever feel the need to remember everything that happens in excruciating detail in case you need to recall the memory in the future and you want to get it right? This fixation, known as memory hoarding, can be a sign of OCD. The need to memorise everything is very different from taking a picture to remember … Read more

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

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

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

Living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is difficult enough, but if you lack self-compassion, it can not only make daily life more difficult but can also slow down your recovery. I shall give you a quick example before I go on with the article. Let’s say you came to me for therapy ( I am a … Read more