Updated: March 15th, 2025 Sometimes we all skip out on things we don’t like. How is that relevant to anxiety? Very! Learn why avoidance may be the most important thing you’re overlooking to improve your anxiety. Why Is Avoidance So Important? We all try to get more of the things we like and less of……
It’s not uncommon to have a passing thought about your boyfriend’s or girlfriend’s sexual orientation. If questions like “is my boyfriend gay” take over, it may be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It’s natural to have doubts sometimes about our romantic relationships. It happens all the time. But what if you can’t stop trying to……
A behavior is compulsive when you have the urge to do it repeatedly — until a feeling of anxiety or unease goes away. A behavior is impulsive when you do it without forethought and without considering the consequences. Examples of Compulsive Behaviors Compulsive behaviors, also known as compulsions, are typically found in people who have……
Last updated: June 14, 2025 Negative reinforcement plays an important role in anxiety and related problems. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety, panic attacks, and other related disorders can all be worsened by it. So what is negative reinforcement? Anxiety is relatively well understood in the 21st century. A mere 50 or 75 years ago, that wasn’t……
Last updated: May 9, 2026 Sexual arousal can feel terrifying when it happens in the context of POCD. Learn how to understand this nuanced phenomenon. What is POCD? Pedophilic obsessive-compulsive disorder (POCD) is a term used for obsessive-compulsive disorder when the primary symptom is obsessions around pedophilia. Why Does the Arousal Happen? Attention and Arousal……
It’s one thing to be told you have POCD. It’s another to feel comfortable that your fears are “just OCD.” So is it POCD, or could you be a pedophile in denial? What Is POCD? POCD stands for pedophilic obsessive compulsive disorder. It’s not a separate condition from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, the isolating and……
ERP therapy (exposure and response prevention) and ExRP (exposure and ritual prevention) are psychotherapies used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). ERP was pioneered in the 1960s by British psychologist Vic Meyer. Edna Foa and her colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania further developed it and gave ERP its name in the 1970s and 1980s….
Last updated: June 14, 2025 OCD and Confessing A rarely discussed symptom of OCD is an overwhelming need to confess “sins,” even when the transgressions are very slight. Typically this will arise in the context of a marriage or romantic relationship. At first, what is confessed may not seem so minor. However, if the problem is not……
Deciding to seek help is a big first step. From there, it’s important to find the right therapist. But with so many psychotherapy options in New York, how can you know what to look for? Last updated: December 19, 2021 The best therapist for you has the appropriate training and expertise to treat the issues……
Could I really stab someone with a knife? What if I lost control? Thoughts and urges about hurting someone – against your will – characterize harm OCD. Harm OCD Thoughts Obsessions involving violence are common among persons with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Often, these obsessions start innocently enough with a fleeting thought — e.g., “Hey, there’s……
Updated: February 25, 2025 OCD comes in many varieties. HOCD is one of them — and it involves obsessive thoughts about one’s sexual orientation. Read on for three stories of HOCD and recovery. How Do Obsessive Thoughts Work? Obsessive thoughts come in several varieties. Among the most popular themes for these thoughts are blasphemy, violence,……
For those persons suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), there are effective ways to get help. In fact, research has shown two treatments for OCD to be quite effective in reducing symptoms: 1) Exposure and response prevention therapy (also known as ERP), and 2) psychotropic medication. Which is better?…