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 is a difficult type of jealousy you feel about your romantic partner’s…
Obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic attacks can each 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 intrusive, unwanted, repetitive thoughts or…
One form of OCD that’s difficult to recognize is health OCD. If you or a loved one have been spending a lot of time researching medical conditions that might or might not be present, it might be time to seek help. Understanding Health OCD Do you have an intense, unwanted thoughts about getting a life-threatening…
Relationship OCD can lead you to think obsessively about your relationship and its shortcomings. But how can you know if it’s on your mind this much because of ROCD, or if it’s because it’s the wrong relationship for you? What Is ROCD? Relationship OCD, or ROCD, is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It involves…
Last updated: June 12th, 2025 The OCD cycle is the process by which obsessions and compulsions get worse over time if left untreated. Fortunately, there are effective ways to interrupt the cycle and overcome OCD. Many people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) find themselves saying things like: Thoughts like these often feel scary and stressful. Most…
Updated: April 27th, 2025 Definition and Overview “Pure O OCD” is a subtype of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a mental health condition. The large majority of people with OCD experience compulsions. Compulsions are behaviors that you do in an attempt to reduce an anxious or uncomfortable feeling. They are often repetitive, and many are obvious to others (e.g.,…
Striving for perfection might seem great – and sometimes, it is! But when perfectionism is excessive, it can take over your life and cause more harm than good. This is called “maladaptive perfectionism.” The Definition of Maladaptive Perfectionism Perfectionism means you strive to do things perfectly, without mistakes or flaws. There are three ways this…
Last updated: June 14th, 2025 The Reassurance Cycle Definition and explanation Asking for reassurance is a natural thing to do. However, constant reassurance seeking can become an unhealthy way to try to cope with anxiety and uncertainty. Reassurance seeking can look like many things: Reassurance seeking can feel productive in the moment, as if…
Last updated: June 14th, 2025 If you’re suffering from anxiety or panic attacks, it’s possible that you have difficulty tolerating uncertainty. If uncertainty avoidance drives many of your efforts to cope with anxiety, you may benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy. Living with Uncertainty Uncertainty is an inescapable part of life. And it’s something that, generally speaking,…
The fear that you’ll lose control, cause an accident, or panic while driving can have severe effects. Learn about why some people have a fear of driving and what helps improve the problem. Fear of Driving Driving is a daily activity for many people in most of the United States. So, if you are suffering…
Are you a germophobe? Typically, a fear of germs is actually not a phobia. Often, it is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder known informally as “contamination OCD.” with contributions from Gabrielle Ilagan What is Contamination OCD? OCD comes in many forms, and contamination OCD is one of them. People with contamination OCD experience obsessions about…
Updated June 14, 2025 Rumination is a common experience. If you have OCD, rumination can be a problem that makes your symptoms worse. Learn about this problem and what you can do about it. OCD and Mental Compulsions Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a distressing condition in which people experience obsessions or compulsions, and often both.…