HOCD vs Denial: What’s the Difference? People with HOCD (sexual orientation OCD) typically experience intrusive thoughts, anxiety, doubt, and compulsive attempts to gain certainty about their sexual orientation. What is denial? Denial, by contrast, is a psychoanalytic concept referring to unconscious avoidance of painful truths. Because denial is unconscious, trying to “prove” whether you are……
Emetophobia is a fear of vomiting or vomit. It can make being around sick people very stressful, and can impact your life significantly. Read on to learn about this phobia and how to overcome it. Fear of Vomit – Some Basics Although it relates to a bodily function, emetophobia is a mental health condition, not……
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is treatable. Research shows that people with PTSD can achieve meaningful improvement and even remission with the right treatment. The best treatments are typically trauma-focused, meaning that they address the traumatic experience directly. Medications can help too, but usually in a secondary role to the right therapy. However, there isn’t one……
If you’re trying to figure out how to stop obsessive thoughts, you’ve probably already noticed something frustrating: pushing them away doesn’t work—at least not for long. In fact, trying to suppress intrusive thoughts often makes them come back stronger. I’ve been a psychologist for 20 years and have treated many people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).……
You’ve probably heard of PTSD – but did you know there are different types? Here’s what they are, how they show up, and what you can do about them. What Is PTSD? Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition. It can happen after someone experiences or sees something terrifying, dangerous, or life-threatening. That……
How Safe Is Flying? Flying is one of the safest forms of transportation in the world. The risk of a fatal commercial airline accident is extremely low — about 0.06 deaths per million flights. This means that you would need to fly every day for tens of thousands of years to, statistically, experience a fatal……
What Is “Just Right” OCD? Have you ever felt like something isn’t quite right? Maybe it’s your shirt collar that doesn’t sit perfectly, or your handwriting that isn’t as neat as it could be. For most people, these moments come and go. But for individuals with “just right” OCD, the need for things to feel……
Are you plagued by doubts about things that happened in the past? Are you concerned that things may not have happened just the way you remember them? Does the possibility that you’ve remembered things incorrectly fill you with anxiety, guilt, or shame? If these questions speak to your experience, you could be dealing with real……
Jumping to conclusions is something we all do sometimes. For some people, however, it can become a problem that feeds anxiety. Consider the following example: Anita is a college student who has been struggling in her history class. Her grades have been bad, and she worries that the professor thinks she should drop the class.……
What Is Retroactive Jealousy? Jealousy is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences at times. It often happens in the context of romantic relationships. Usually, waves or moments of jealousy pass, like other uncomfortable emotions, without lingering or damaging your relationship. Retroactive jealousy can become emotionally exhausting when thoughts about a partner’s past begin dominating……
Last updated: September 21, 2025 Obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic attacks can both limit your ability to live the life you want. Sometimes they’re meaningfully related, and sometimes they’re not. Read on to learn more. What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)? OCD is a mental health condition that involves two primary symptoms: obsessions and/or compulsions. Obsessions are……
Anxiety and Mindfulness Anxiety can look and feel different from one person to the next. However, for all types of anxiety, your thoughts and feelings take you out of the present moment and into worries and fears about the future. You might not know what to do in those moments, but there are tools that……