Obsessions and Compulsions / OCD

Although I can’t know what is happening in your therapy and how this may pertain to your question, clearly this is an important issue, and I hope you will discuss it directly with your ... Read More

Perfectionism is one of those things that carry both positive and negative qualities, making it a tricky and complicated issue to understand. If you are detail-oriented or want the best ... Read More

It usually comes at the end of a long day, when you are most in need of rest and settling into the comfort of a warm bed, eager for respite. It is the arrival of “busy brain,” or “monkey ... Read More

Twisted lips, contorted mouth; you know the look of someone who is biting the inside of their cheeks when they are stressed. Why do people do that? Most of us understand it as a bad habit ... Read More

That girl in your head—she was your first love, perhaps? And your first heartache too? You still have feelings for her, it seems, and I think that while she may have many wonderful features, ... Read More

Thank you for your honest question. If anyone were to tell you that you’re “going straight to hell” for this, believe me, you’d have plenty of company on the way down—and an especially ... Read More

I see you understand yourself very well—better than most people do, in fact, and I think your understanding comes from your intellectual abilities, which I believe are way above average. ... Read More

Editor’s note: Tammy Nelson, PhD, is the author of The New Monogamy and Getting the Sex You Want. Her continuing education presentation for GoodTherapy.org, titled Couples in Recovery ... Read More

Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often have personality features that mimic those found in depression, anxiety, and even obsessive compulsion (OC). Behaviors such as extreme ... Read More

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders serves as the “bible” of mental health practitioners, who rely on it to match diagnostic criteria with behaviors. The American ... Read More

Most people experience some form of irrational fear or anxiety, and many are concerned about germs and disease in particular. Amid a flurry of films and media reports about antibiotic-resistant ... Read More

Obsessive compulsion (OCD) can begin with obsessive, irrational thoughts and fears. These irrational thoughts are followed by ritualistic actions, such as repetitive hand washing, door ... Read More