Asking for reassurance is a common behavior in people with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders. The purpose behind this coping skill is to relieve anxiety- but does it actually work in the long term?
Welcome fellow therapy lovers and those that are therapy-curious! (I personally think therapy can benefit everyone to build helpful skills!) I am passionate about working with older teens and adults with OCD and anxiety, but also with those dealing with issues such as social anxiety, perfectionism, and overthinking.
Welcoming a new baby into your life is often a time of joy and excitement, but for some parents, it can also trigger feelings of overwhelming anxiety and fear. Postpartum OCD is a type of OCD that can affect new parents, fathers included. It is characterized by intrusive, unwanted thoughts, also known as obsessions, that often focus on harm coming to the baby, and compulsions, or repetitive behaviors, designed to prevent these imagined harms. These obsessions can take many forms, and the related compulsions are be time-consuming and distressing, making it difficult for parents to enjoy their new role. Fortunately, treatments exist that can help parents to manage their anxieties and fears. The gold standard treatment for postpartum OCD (and OCD in general) is exposure and response prevention therapy, or ERP.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by intrusive, repetitive thoughts, images, or impulses (obsessions) that lead to compulsive behaviors or mental acts, aimed at reducing the distressing thoughts or preventing a feared outcome (compulsions).