Author Archive for Laura Johnson

Oct
25

Everyday Mindfulness for OCD

by Laura Johnson

Everyday Mindfulness for OCD: Tips, Tricks and Skills for Living Joyfully

By Jon Hershfield and Shala Nicely

Written by two clinicians who are honest about having their own personal struggles with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Everyday Mindfulness for OCD offers a unique perspective on strategies for staying one step ahead of OCD symptoms. As the title implies, the authors present tips not for just living despite OCD, but for living joyfully with OCD.

This book is not an introductory manual for OCD, instead filling a need for those who are further along in their treatment. It is tailored towards those who already have a solid understanding of OCD and exposure and response prevention, but are looking for more ideas to increase or maintain progress long-term. It may be helpful as a supplement to therapy, or as a secondary book for those who have already completed a self help treatment workbook.

Everyday Mindfulness for OCD is divided into three sections: mindfulness and self compassion, daily tools and games to promote joyful living, and long-term mastery over OCD. The strategies presented feel very practical and concrete. The authors’ suggestions regarding self-compassion seem especially useful, as self-compassion skills can be difficult to develop, yet essential to living a joyful life. There are also a variety of exposure games included, which offer a great way to mix up your ERP practice.

How to Get Help for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in San Jose/Los Gatos and Sacramento/Roseville

The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center specializes in therapy and counseling with adults, children and teenagers. Click to send an email for more information on how we can help you or your family members improve your outlook.

Silicon Valley and Sacramento Valley Communities We Serve

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder near the following Silicon Valley/San Jose communities:

San Jose Therapy Counseling • Saratoga Therapy Counseling • Los Gatos Therapy Counseling • Monte Sereno Therapy Counseling • Cupertino Therapy Counseling • Campbell Therapy Counseling • Mountain View Therapy Counseling • Los Altos Therapy Counseling • Sunnyvale Therapy Counseling • Santa Clara Therapy Counseling

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Sacramento Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) near the following Sacramento Valley and Sierra communities:

Sacramento Therapy Counseling • Roseville Therapy Counseling • Rocklin Therapy Counseling • Granite Bay Therapy Counseling • Lincoln Therapy Counseling • Folsom Therapy Counseling • Citrus Heights Therapy Counseling •  El Dorado Hills Therapy Counseling • Loomis Therapy Counseling • Grass Valley Therapy Counseling  • Auburn Therapy Counseling

CONTACT US
Click to send an email

0 Categories : Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Mindfulness, OCD
Oct
18

Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents

by Laura Johnson

Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents

Question: Would there be any difference in your answer to this question – What time are you picking me up from school today? – if your child was anxious or not?

Answer: Hopefully!

Reassurance-seeking is a major problem behavior in kids who are anxious. They continue to ask the same question well beyond the point at which they understand the answer. The way these questions function is to help get rid of a general uncertain and unsure feeling. For a kid who doesn’t have a problem with anxiety or uncertainty, it’s probably necessary to answer the question with a clear and certain answer. But then again, these kids aren’t going to ask you a second, third or tenth time.

Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents by Reid Wilson gets into great detail about why answering reassurance questions with clear answers – and doing it repeatedly until the child stops asking – is feeding the anxiety and making an already big problem even bigger. The goal is to gradually help the child be more okay with uncertainty. So in other words, we can help reduce anxiety by allowing the child to be uncertain on purpose.

Before embarking on a reassurance diet with your child, teach him or her about anxiety. The book does a good job of educating on anxiety and there’s also a companion book called Playing With Anxiety: Casey’s Guide for Teens and Kids, which is a free e-book. Next, try to get your kids’ buy-in; it can reduce conflict once you get started with the process. And eventually work on answering these pesky questions differently to help grow a tolerance for uncertainty.

How to Get Help for your Anxious Child in San Jose/Los Gatos and Sacramento/Roseville

The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center specializes in therapy and counseling with adults, children and teenagers. Click to send an email for more information on how we can help you or your family members improve your outlook.

Silicon Valley and Sacramento Valley Communities We Serve

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder near the following Silicon Valley/San Jose communities:

San Jose Therapy Counseling • Saratoga Therapy Counseling • Los Gatos Therapy Counseling • Monte Sereno Therapy Counseling • Cupertino Therapy Counseling • Campbell Therapy Counseling • Mountain View Therapy Counseling • Los Altos Therapy Counseling • Sunnyvale Therapy Counseling • Santa Clara Therapy Counseling

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Sacramento Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) near the following Sacramento Valley and Sierra communities:

Sacramento Therapy Counseling • Roseville Therapy Counseling • Rocklin Therapy Counseling • Granite Bay Therapy Counseling • Lincoln Therapy Counseling • Folsom Therapy Counseling • Citrus Heights Therapy Counseling •  El Dorado Hills Therapy Counseling • Loomis Therapy Counseling • Grass Valley Therapy Counseling  • Auburn Therapy Counseling

CONTACT US

Click to send an email

0 Categories : Anxiety, Children, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Teens, worry
Sep
19

What is CBT Anyway?

by Laura Johnson

Cognitive Behavior Therapy 101

Often in our initial assessment appointment, a new client will ask “so what is Cognitive Behavior Therapy anyway?” Most people have read some about the disorder they are seeking help for and know that CBT is the treatment of choice, but CBT itself can be a mystery.

The CBT Viewpoint

In order to understand what CBT treatment is like, you first need to understand how CBT views problems like anxiety, depression and OCD. There are four parts: the triggering thought or situation, unhelpful or inaccurate thoughts about that situation, negative emotions, and maladaptive coping strategies. Here is the cycle illustrated with two examples:

Maladaptive coping strategies don’t work because they only relieve your negative feelings in the short term and keep you from learning anything new about the triggering situations. These behaviors end up reinforcing your unhelpful thoughts and the cycle continues.

CBT Strategies

Once you understand how CBT view problems, and apply it to the difficulties in your own life, you are ready to look for solutions. There are skills that can help you in each stage of the CBT cycle. No one strategy will work for everyone, but once you acquire some that work for you, you can start to unhook yourself from the cycle and new, healthier patterns develop.

* For the triggering thought or situation we teach mindfulness skills. Here the important thing to do is learn to notice your triggers in an objective non-judgmental way. For example, in the case above of the person having anxiety about giving a speech, we might teach her to notice when the thoughts and feelings creep up and say things like “I’m noticing more worries about this speech”. The key with mindfulness is to notice your symptoms without trying to change them. This nonjudgmental perspective sets the stage for the strategies that come next.

** Next comes cognitive restructuring. Our thoughts have strong effects on how we feel but just because we think something, doesn’t make it true. Cognitive restructuring involves learning to evaluate our thoughts for accuracy and helpfulness and, when we find a thought that is inaccurate or unhelpful, we replace it with something that helps us to see the situation more clearly and to act in accordance with our values.

*** Some of the strategies we use to cope with unpleasant emotions are emotional regulation skills, distress tolerance and activity scheduling. These strategies are aimed at helping you cope with an unpleasant emotions even if you can’t change them.

**** This last category involves changing our behavior response when faces with negative emotions. Often it involves doing the opposite of what our thoughts and feelings try to convince us to do. With behavioral activation, we schedule potentially rewarding and productive activities into the day to break an avoidant cycle. Exposure involves being in a feared situation without trying to escape or avoid feeling anxious. Behavior experiments involve testing out beliefs about ourselves and the world instead of assuming that our thoughts are true.

How to Get CBT for Anxiety and OCD Disorders in San Jose/Los Gatos and Sacramento/Roseville

The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center specializes in therapy and counseling with adults, children and teenagers. Click to send an email for more information on how we can help you or your family members improve your outlook.

Silicon Valley and Sacramento Valley Communities We Serve

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder near the following Silicon Valley/San Jose communities:

San Jose Therapy Counseling • Saratoga Therapy Counseling • Los Gatos Therapy Counseling • Monte Sereno Therapy Counseling • Cupertino Therapy Counseling • Campbell Therapy Counseling • Mountain View Therapy Counseling • Los Altos Therapy Counseling • Sunnyvale Therapy Counseling • Santa Clara Therapy Counseling

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Sacramento Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) near the following Sacramento Valley and Sierra communities:

Sacramento Therapy Counseling • Roseville Therapy Counseling • Rocklin Therapy Counseling • Granite Bay Therapy Counseling • Lincoln Therapy Counseling • Folsom Therapy Counseling • Citrus Heights Therapy Counseling •  El Dorado Hills Therapy Counseling • Loomis Therapy Counseling • Grass Valley Therapy Counseling  • Auburn Therapy Counseling

CONTACT US

Click to send an email

0 Categories : Anxiety, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), OCD, worry
Sep
12

Overcoming Unwanted Thoughts

by Laura Johnson

Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts: A CBT-Based Guide to Getting Over Frightening, Obsessive, or Disturbing Thoughts

By: Sally M. Winston and Martin N. Seif

If you have ever struggled with unwanted intrusive thoughts, thoughts such as: “what if I get into a terrible car accident?”, “I could just jump off of this building since there’s no guard rail”, or “maybe I did something illegal in the past and I just don’t fully remember”, you are not alone. Research shows that millions of people are often plagued by upsetting worries that they just can’t shake away or disturbing ideas or images that feel very opposite of their values and character. Many individuals find these thoughts frightening and become concerned that the thoughts could be messages or say something about them as a person. In the book Overcoming Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts: A CBT-Based Guide to Getting Over Frightening, Obsessive, or Disturbing Thoughts, the authors provide extensive education about what intrusive thoughts are and where they come from, helping the reader to understand this very important concept: thoughts are just thoughts, and they don’t have to mean anything at all.

The authors describe in great detail the neurobiology that leads our brains to become more stuck on unwanted thoughts and the common strategies to get rid of these thoughts that tend to backfire, resulting in those thoughts popping up more and more often. They also present and challenge several myths about our thoughts, helping to normalize thoughts that many people may feel too nervous to share with others. Finally, they present a simple, CBT-based approach to coping with these thoughts and bringing your focus and energy back to the things in life that you really value.

How to Get Help for intrusive thoughts – San Jose/Los Gatos and Sacramento/Roseville

The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center specializes in therapy and counseling with adults, children and teenagers. Click to send an email for more information on how we can help you or your family members improve your outlook.

Silicon Valley and Sacramento Valley Communities We Serve

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder near the following Silicon Valley/San Jose communities:

San Jose Therapy Counseling • Saratoga Therapy Counseling • Los Gatos Therapy Counseling • Monte Sereno Therapy Counseling • Cupertino Therapy Counseling • Campbell Therapy Counseling • Mountain View Therapy Counseling • Los Altos Therapy Counseling • Sunnyvale Therapy Counseling • Santa Clara Therapy Counseling

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Sacramento Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) near the following Sacramento Valley and Sierra communities:

Sacramento Therapy Counseling • Roseville Therapy Counseling • Rocklin Therapy Counseling • Granite Bay Therapy Counseling • Lincoln Therapy Counseling • Folsom Therapy Counseling • Citrus Heights Therapy Counseling •  El Dorado Hills Therapy Counseling • Loomis Therapy Counseling • Grass Valley Therapy Counseling  • Auburn Therapy Counseling

CONTACT US

Click to send an email

0 Categories : Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Intrusive, OCD
Sep
6

The Worry Trap

by Laura Johnson

The Worry Trap

By Chad LeJeune, PhD

Most people have had the experience of worrying at some point in their lives. Anticipating problems, focusing on a potential negative event, and posing “what if” questions are all common thoughts from time to time. Yet when the worry-mindset becomes frequent and excessive, it can create a myriad of problematic symptoms ranging from physical, social, emotional, and behavioral. For those who struggle with excessive worry, Chad LeJeune, PhD provides a very helpful resource in The Worry Trap.

Many people with chronic worry find their efforts to manage or change their worry may at best provide temporary relief, but soon the worry pattern returns. Towards the beginning of the book, the author presents common beliefs people hold about how worrying is helpful and then goes on to dispel those beliefs. LeJeune discusses why most attempts to stop or avoid worrying often fail and can lead to increased distress. Drawing from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), The Worry Trap helps the reader develop a willingness and acceptance of not having control over the unknown or the unwanted experience of having worry.

A five step program teaches worriers how to label their worry thoughts, let go of control, accept and observe their experience, be mindful of the present moment, and proceed with actions that are in line with the reader’s values. For each step in the book,The Worry Trap contains easy to follow exercises and helpful metaphors to build the reader’s ability to break the cycle of chronic worry. Combining mindfulness, ACT, and Cognitive Behavior Therapy, The Worry Trap offers tools to lead the reader to a more meaningful and less anxious life.

How to Get Help for chronic worry in San Jose/Los Gatos and Sacramento/Roseville

The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center in Silicon Valley (San Jose/Los Gatos) and Sacramento Valley (Roseville) specializes in therapy and counseling with adults, children and teenagers.  Click to send an email for more information on how we can help you or your family members improve your outlook.

Silicon Valley and Sacramento Valley Communities We Serve

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder near the following Silicon Valley/San Jose communities:

San Jose Therapy Counseling • Saratoga Therapy Counseling • Los Gatos Therapy Counseling • Monte Sereno Therapy Counseling • Cupertino Therapy Counseling • Campbell Therapy Counseling • Mountain View Therapy Counseling • Los Altos Therapy Counseling • Sunnyvale Therapy Counseling • Santa Clara Therapy Counseling

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Sacramento Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) near the following Sacramento Valley and Sierra communities:

Sacramento Therapy Counseling • Roseville Therapy Counseling • Rocklin Therapy Counseling • Granite Bay Therapy Counseling • Lincoln Therapy Counseling • Folsom Therapy Counseling • Citrus Heights Therapy Counseling •  El Dorado Hills Therapy Counseling • Loomis Therapy Counseling • Grass Valley Therapy Counseling  • Auburn Therapy Counseling

CONTACT US

Click to send an email

0 Categories : ACT, Anxiety, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, worry
Aug
21

Anxious 9 to 5 Work Related Anxiety

by Laura Johnson

Work Related Anxiety

I recently read Anxious 9 to 5 by Larina Kase, PsyD. I know many of my clients experience anxiety related to their work and I was interested to learn more about how to apply Cognitive-Behavior Therapy to specific work-related problems.

Anxiety vs Stress at Work

One of the most helpful aspects of this book was the discussion of anxiety versus stress. Anxiety and stress are very easy to confuse but important differentiate because they require opposite strategies to overcome. Anxiety is characterized by fear and is often coped with by overcompensating or avoiding. To beat anxiety, you face the feared situation (without overcompensating or avoiding) and learn that your feared outcome does not come to pass or that if it does happen you can get through it. Stress on the other hand is characterized by feeling overwhelmed, missing things, making mistakes, and taking longer to do things. You reduce stress with problem solving and relaxation. Because of this distinction, it is important to figure out if a work problem is due to stress or anxiety or you could end up inadvertently

This book covers many different aspects of work anxiety including, perfectionism, self-defeating thoughts, speaking anxiety, fear of failure, as well as a chapter on anxiety around being the boss. In each section there are many practical exercises and strategies to identify your work related anxiety issues and create new patterns. In all, a very easy to read, helpful CBT book!

How to Get Help for work related anxiety in San Jose/Los Gatos and Sacramento/Roseville

The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center in Silicon Valley (San Jose/Los Gatos) and Sacramento Valley (Roseville) specializes in therapy and counseling with adults, children and teenagers. Call us in Los Gatos at (408) 384-8404 or in Roseville at (916) 778-0771 or Click to send an email for more information on how we can help you or your family members improve your outlook.

Silicon Valley and Sacramento Valley Communities We Serve

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder near the following Silicon Valley/San Jose communities:

San Jose Therapy Counseling • Saratoga Therapy Counseling • Los Gatos Therapy Counseling • Monte Sereno Therapy Counseling • Cupertino Therapy Counseling • Campbell Therapy Counseling • Mountain View Therapy Counseling • Los Altos Therapy Counseling • Sunnyvale Therapy Counseling • Santa Clara Therapy Counseling

Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Sacramento Valley offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) near the following Sacramento Valley and Sierra communities:

Sacramento Therapy Counseling • Roseville Therapy Counseling • Rocklin Therapy Counseling • Granite Bay Therapy Counseling • Lincoln Therapy Counseling • Folsom Therapy Counseling • Citrus Heights Therapy Counseling •  El Dorado Hills Therapy Counseling • Loomis Therapy Counseling • Grass Valley Therapy Counseling  • Auburn Therapy Counseling

CONTACT US
Saratoga: (408) 384-8404
Roseville: (916) 778-0771
Click to send an email

0 Categories : Anxiety, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Work Related Anxiety
Sep
19

Beck Institute on Depression

by Laura Johnson
Beck Institute Group Photo

Erica Russell, Dr. Judith Beck and the workshop participants

I recently attended the Beck Institute’s training on Cognitive Therapy for Depression and Suicidality in San Francisco. The Beck Institute was established by Dr. Aaron Beck, the father of CBT, and his daughter, Dr. Judith Beck. As a world-renowned resource for training in CBT, I felt extremely lucky to attend this event and receive training from some of the CBT field’s most prominent members. The three-day training was host to professionals from all over the world and was led by Dr. Judith Beck and Dr. Daniella Cavanaugh, the Beck Institute’s Director of Education.

The CBT treatment for depression focuses on building awareness of and shifting these negative automatic thoughts and core beliefs, as well as developing a plan to increase a client’s daily activities. The training began by reviewing the basics of the cognitive model and then went on to provide specific information on the conceptualization and treatment of depression and suicidality. The Beck Institute conceptualizes depression as a combination of negative core beliefs (which we formulate early in life based on our experiences), negative automatic thoughts (which are typically linked to our core beliefs, but are activated more immediately), and maladaptive coping behaviors (which may involve social isolation, a lack of physical activity, or avoiding previous activities or interests).

Dr. Beck delved into the most common core beliefs held by depressed individuals and then discussed how these beliefs influence negative automatic thoughts. Common core beliefs center around a negative view of the self, the world, and the future. Clients typically express thoughts about themselves related to being “helpless”, “hopeless” or “worthless”.

Through role plays, Dr. Beck demonstrated how to uncover core beliefs and shift negative automatic thoughts toward more realistic alternative thoughts. She utilized socratic questioning, which involves assisting the client in evaluating and clarifying his or her statements, to uncover and shift negative automatic thoughts. Examples of socratic questions include: “What evidence do I have that this thought is true?” and “what’s an alternative viewpoint?” To assist with uncovering the deeper core beliefs, Dr. Beck utilized the downward arrow technique, which involves asking questions to elicit the meaning behind an automatic thought, such as “what would it mean to you if that was true?” This segment of the training involved time for those in attendance to pair up and practice interventions in role plays together. As a therapist, getting to witness Dr. Beck in action was like getting to watch a favorite rockstar on stage!

Erica and Dr Cavanaugh

Erica and Dr Cavanaugh

After covering cognitive interventions, Dr. Beck spent time discussing the most helpful behavioral strategies for depression, including scheduling pleasant activities, teaching problem solving and interpersonal skills, and encouraging adaptive behaviors, such as exercise and relaxation.

The final day of the training was led by Dr. Cavanaugh and focused on the treatment of suicidal clients. I found the information about practicing coping skills to prevent relapses into suicidal thinking to be particularly helpful. One of my favorite new ideas for coping with suicidal thoughts is a free app called “Virtual Hope Box”. The app includes the ability to add pictures or music that help you to feel hopeful, play games or access relaxation excesses for distraction, and create coping cards with positive responses to your most common negative thoughts. Dr. Beck also recommended creating a physical hope box (an actual collection of photos or items that help you to feel hopeful), but I loved the idea of having this electronic option that you can always carry with you.

0 Categories : Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Depression, Uncategorized
Aug
3

2014 Annual OCD Conference

by Laura Johnson

 

OCD Foundation’s Annual Conference

OCD ConferenceI recently attended the 21st annual OCD Conference in Los Angeles put on by the International OCD Foundation. The conference was well organized and had a wide variety of session topics from highly respected speakers in the field of OCD and OCD spectrum disorders with respect to research and treatment. By OCD spectrum, I’m referring to issues such as Trichotillomania, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Hoarding, and Tourette’s Disorder. One aspect of this conference I appreciated was that attendees were not just treatment professionals, but included children, teens and adults with OCD, parents of children with OCD looking for support, and researchers. Not surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of treatment discussions focused on Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). ERP is the gold standard for treatment of OCD for all age groups. ERP involves identifying the underlying obsession(s), illuminating the patterns of being triggered and engaging in compulsions, developing a fear hierarchy and finally defining response prevention guidelines.

OCD Treatment with Children and Teens

Because I enjoy working with children and have a number of children with OCD on my caseload at any given time, I attended several talks geared toward OCD treatment for children and teens. A few of these were intended for children with OCD and others had content intended for treatment professionals. One of the talks I attended was about developing an effective toolbox for beating OCD, geared toward children with the disorder. One of the tools imparted on the attendees was knowledge about the adaptive nature of anxiety; for instance, when your heart races, it’s the body’s way of pumping blood to your muscles faster to help with fight or flight actions; when your body sweats, it’s so the body is slick if an attacker grabs onto you. So reduction in fear of anxiety itself can be a good first step. Another tool they wanted to arm attendees with was knowledge and experience with ERP. They helped the kids in the audience identify which type of OCD thoughts they had and as a group, we brainstormed ways to engage in exposures by figuring out how to test contamination fears, for instance, by exposure to different things in the meeting room we were in.

Using Mobile Apps for OCD

Teen OCD Cell PhoneAnother session I attended was geared toward mobile applications that can help kids and teens develop exposures using cell phones and tablets. One of the applications that was highlighted turns spoken fears into songs that the child or teen can listen back to as exposure homework. The goal of this application is to turn a fear into something slightly comical or entertaining through song and music. By creating a competing reaction, like laughter, the fear diminishes because it’s fairly difficult to be entertained and laughing while also being fearful or scared. A second mobile application discussed in the presentation is useful with fears of harming others. The essential feature of this application allows users to create characters based on people they fear harming, and then allows them to virtually kill these people through the application. In essence, the user is acting out the feared behavior in a virtual world while still eliciting the anxiety. Both applications are useful in situations where an in vivo exposure is either not appropriate or difficult to execute.

Insight Helps with Beating OCD

Insight is a valuable tool in therapy. Research indicates that lack of insight with OCD is associated with greater symptom severity and higher risk for co-morbidity, or an additional diagnosis or clinical issue. I attended a panel discussion that focused on the role insight in the treatment of OCD and BDD among others disorders. Insight is not fixed and can be encouraged and modeled through the therapeutic process. Overvalued ideation was another concept tossed around that looks similar to insight but refers to the strength of conviction about a belief. Without insight, it’s difficult for someone dealing with OCD to entertain the idea that the rituals aren’t accurate. Lastly, the panel mentioned that when insight is low and progress is difficult to come by, psychopharmacological options can be helpful.

 

Health Anxiety Sub-Types

Health anxietyThere is a fair amount of overlap between health-related OCD and Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD), formerly known as Hypochondriasis. Similar features include having thoughts about an illness, repeated self-checking, reassurance seeking with medical tests, doubting test results, and over-concern with the significance of bodily sensations. One of the main differences between the two is that with SSD, sufferers frequently experience visceral physical sensations, whereas OCD sufferers experience doubtful dysperceptions. It can be useful to think of health-related OCD and SSD on a continuum of doubt with OCD sufferers having considerable doubt and SSD sufferers having much less doubt. Exposure and Response Prevention can be an effective intervention with SSD as well OCD.

Another concept mentioned in the SSD vs. health-related OCD presentation was iCompulsions or CyberChondriasis, which both relate to the act of mining websites like WebMD for health and treatment information as a form of reassurance-seeking. This behavior typically results in an increase in anxiety from increased focus on the physical sensation or discomfort. This can quite easily lead to catastrophizing thoughts about what a possible diagnosis might be. Even for individuals without SSD or OCD, seeking health information online can be a confusing, scary and misleading process. So combined with a hyperfocus on physical symptoms and/or persistent doubt, it’s understandable to see how SSD and OCD can develop.

Face Your Fears!

And lastly, a quote that was provided during the conference that I think gets at the heart of ERP is as follows: “Do the thing you fear the most, and it will be the certain death of it,” attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Overcome Fear

0 Categories : Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), OCD