Doubt and Dysfunction in OCD

Johns Hopkins Medicine recently highlighted Gerald Nestadt, Psychiatrist, who has studied and treated patients with OCD for the past 30 years. He has found strong evidence for a biological basis for OCD, while he acknowledges that one’s environment also plays a role. Recently, Gerald Nestadt has been studying the role of doubt in OCD. He has found that the more self-doubt one has, the more dysfunctional their OCD tends to be. For instance, one does not simply act on an obsessive thought (compulsion) for the sake of performing the act, but out of their own self-doubt that they had performed the act correctly or thoroughly enough.

We know that with OCD, the behaviors (compulsions) are performed in an effort to reduce one’s own anxiety. This may work for the short-term, but anxiety is not decreased overall unless the person is able to resist acting out on their compulsions. At Pinnacle CTC, we guide clients through this process by using Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP). ERP is not only effective in the treatment of OCD, but for many anxiety disorders as well.

Learn more about the Conditions We Treat and other information on the Evidence-Based Treatment modalities we offer at both our San Diego and Murrieta, CA offices.

Read the full article.

Secondary Emotions

Anger is often considered a secondary emotion because it is used as an attempt to protect ourselves against feeling or showing primary emotions such as sadness, grief, fear, and anxiety.  We may unintentionally hurt others as a form of self-protection.  Only when we decide to take off the mask of anger can we allow ourselves to begin to heal.

The next time you find yourself angry, I challenge you to look beneath the surface.  Are you feeling embarrassed?  Disrespected?  Undervalued?  Afraid?  Open yourself up to learning more about the real you, and let the healing begin.