Exposure Therapy
My teenage daughter has a diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder because of her intense fear of germs. She is really worried about getting sick. She washes her hands until they bleed. She misses a lot of school, especially in the winter, because she is afraid of the other kids who come to school sick. It has really been disruptive in our lives. After going to a few therapists, we finally found a place that specializes in OCD. They are doing something called “exposure therapy” for her germ phobia. I am a little confused about some of the things that we have to do. For example, I can no longer give her hand sanitizer to take to school or even offer it to her if we are out to dinner, which doesn't make sense to me because I don't want her to get sick either. Have you heard of this?
Cancer and Anxiety (Guest Blogger Susan)
I’m one of those people that has always been hypervigilant about my breasts–getting yearly mammograms and ultrasounds, checking myself constantly, and getting felt up (by my doctor) as often as my health insurance would allow. I’m also one of those people that has dense, lumpy breasts, so I often felt something, which always turned out […]
Why I Take Anxiety Meds: 10 Women Speak Out
From Katherine: I tried medication, reluctantly, when I was much younger but it made my heart start racing and I wanted to crawl out of my skin. After that, I was never going to go on meds again. I would just deal with my anxiety the best I could. Living with severe OCD became more and […]
Health Anxiety–Is This a Real Thing?
One of the most common questions we get in our inbox goes something like this: “Sometimes I get overwhelmed with anxiety because I truly believe that I have some form of cancer or another illness. I google my symptoms and that makes it worse. Am I the only one that has this?” Anxiety Sisters with […]
What is IAD?
One of the most common questions we get in our inbox goes something like this: “Sometimes I get overwhelmed with anxiety because I truly believe that I have some form of cancer or another illness. I google my symptoms and that makes it worse. Am I the only one that has this?” Anxiety Sisters […]
Obsessive Thoughts: The Pool Is Always Cleaner
If you read Abs’ last blog, you may have laughed a lot (I did) and assumed that it was based on a true story but exaggerated for the sake of comedy (I did). However, after speaking with Abs for a few minutes on the phone the next day, I realized that her blog reflected the […]
Life With OCD: The Grass Is Always Greener
I’m not proud to say this, but, sometimes, when I think about having panic disorder, I feel a bit sorry for myself. Why can’t I have something less disruptive and more easily cured, like say, excessive ear wax or a hammertoe? Well, I was having one of these self-pitying moments on Friday when I read […]
OCD & Me (Guest Blogger–Susan)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has been a presence in my life for as long as I can remember. During my early 20’s, when the OCD was at its strongest, I was plagued by various obsessions. One of my most vivid memories was standing in front of the stove, pointing at the individual knobs while saying […]
