Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Orange County Anxiety Counseling

When You Can’t Control Your Thoughts and Actions with OCD


Photo Credit: Simon Zirkunow

Obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD is a disorder driven by anxiety and is characterized by some uncontrollable or unwanted thoughts coming into your mind forcing you to behave in a repetitive and ritualized pattern. If you are suffering from OCD, you may recognize that your compulsive behavior and obsessive thoughts are illogical, yet you are still unable to control them. The thought gets stuck in your mind and it becomes impossible for you to take it out.

We all have routines and habits in our daily lives, like brushing our teeth before going to bed, which we seem to be doing without any conscious thoughts. However, for people with OCD, some of their behavior patterns are such that they start interfering with their normal daily life. The anxiety therapy in Orange County not only seeks to fix these behavioral issues, but gives support to those who have OCD.

Symptoms


Obsessions are images, ideas and impulses that run in the mind of the person repeatedly. The person suffering from OCD does not wish to experience these repeated thoughts as he finds them disturbing, but he realizes that it is not within his control to avoid those thoughts. The obsessive thoughts make him feel afraid or nervous. He may try to get rid of these thoughts by performing certain behaviors and this may give relief for a short period of time. The behavior patterns are called compulsions.

There are cases where a person suffering from OCD, may continuously experience some thought of a germ or bacteria, and may even form a hypothetical picture in his mind. He may then want to get rid of these obsessive thoughts, and replace them with an obsessive behavior pattern such as washing his hands repeatedly. These repetitive actions may offer short-term relief for the nervous feelings that he is experiencing. . Some of the common obsessions that people face are disgust with bodily waste, a need for constant reassurance, fear of harming a near and loved one; and thinking about certain images, words, sounds or numbers all the time.

Treatment Options


The most effective way of treating OCD is by combining therapy with medication. There are several medicines available to treat OCD but these medicines may have some side effects too. Behavioral therapy under the guidance of a trained therapist, who may use medication only when required, is considered the safest option to treat OCD.

In OCD therapy, the Orange County anxiety therapist exposes the patients to situations that cause their anxiety and obsessions. Then they encourage them not to perform the rituals that they usually do to control their nervous feelings in such situations. For instance, a person with obsession of germs may be encouraged to use a public toilet and wash their hands just once. By this method, the person who has OCD may be able to face their high levels of anxiety head-on. Therapists also teach you various techniques to divert your attention to something else when you experience obsessive thoughts.

Call Olga Wingood, a licensed MFT, at (949)231-8778 and regain control of your life. With years of expertise, Olga will help you deal with your OCD by assessing your individual case.

Providing Counseling Services in Orange County: Irvine, Tustin, Orange, Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Laguna, Santa Ana, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Corona Del Mar, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano, Rancho Santa Margarita, Ladero Ranch, Dana Point and San Clemente, California .

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