Living with OCD
We're creating resources to help people learn about OCD in the many ways it impacts their own lives—not just what it looks like on paper. You can search our resources to determine when your intrusive thoughts may be related to OCD.
OCD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is a mental health disorder defined by two kinds of symptoms: obsessions and compulsions. You may know about
By Dr. Keara Valentine
Reviewed by Patrick McGrath, PhD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) share some similar symptoms, which make it difficult for the
By Cody Abramson
Reviewed by Patrick McGrath, PhD
If you’re struggling with OCD, you probably know that the symptoms can fluctuate over time. Maybe you’ve observed a pattern and identified things that
By Stacy Quick, LPC
An exceptionally common experience among tens of millions with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) worldwide, is the way in which the condition latches on
By Grant Stoddard
While OCD can happen at any age, it’s most common for people to be diagnosed in their teenage years and during the transition from high school to college.
By Stacy Quick, LPC
Whether or not you like to celebrate Halloween, it’s a time of year that can bring about a sense of dread and anxiety for many people, including those
By Fjolla Arifi
Reviewed by April Kilduff, MA, LCPC
Anyone who’s dealt with the distress and anxiety of OCD knows how overwhelming it can be. In those moments of distress, it’s natural to turn to coping
By Stacy Quick, LPC
When you feel scared or uncertain, it’s understandable to seek reassurance. We learn from a very young age about the dangers of the world and most of us
By Stacy Quick, LPC
Having OCD can be a paradoxical experience filled with many ironies. The attempts to alleviate the anxiety and discomfort OCD causes instead often create
By Stacy Quick, LPC
Of all the ways OCD can significantly impact and interfere with an individual's daily life, its ability to make intrusive thoughts or obsessions “sticky,”
By Stacy Quick, LPC
Most people experience sleepless nights every once in a while. However, research has shown that those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have
By Patrick McGrath, PhD
For many people who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the feeling of calm and elevated mood they experience when drinking alcohol is a
By Patrick McGrath, PhD
Getting the right treatment for OCD can be transformative for many, but deciding to start on your recovery journey is often filled with many individual
By Stacy Quick, LPC
This is a guest post by Alegra Kastens, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who founded the Center for OCD, Anxiety, and Eating Disorders. We live in
By Alegra Kastens, M.A., LMFT
This is a guest post by Alegra Kastens, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who founded the Center for OCD, Anxiety, and Eating Disorders. Obsessive
By Alegra Kastens, M.A., LMFT
OCD is primarily associated with anxiety and high levels of distress, but it can also lead to confusion about one’s emotions. A large part of OCD is
By Stacy Quick, LPC
Rumination is a word that’s used somewhat often, and most of the time it has nothing to do with a mental health condition. It’s the act of repeatedly
By Stacy Quick, LPC
It is not uncommon during my first encounter with a member to have them state that if they could just get rid of their distressing thoughts they would be
By Stacy Quick, LPC
Experiencing any type of mental health condition can have devastating impacts on you and those around you. It can change your worldview, how you function,
By Stacy Quick, LPC
We all know by now that not everything we read on the internet is correct. Misinformation surrounding mental health conditions is rampant and can have
By Stacy Quick, LPC