Tag: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

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OCD Test: 10 Questions to Find Out if You Need Support

We all have worries and routines. But when unwanted thoughts or repetitive behaviors begin to take over your mind and disrupt your life, it may be time to ask: Could it be obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?

An OCD test is a self-assessment tool designed to help you reflect on your mental patterns and determine whether they align with the symptoms of OCD. It doesn’t diagnose, but it can offer clarity. It’s a starting point for those wondering whether their distressing habits, thoughts, or routines may be signs of something deeper.

Disclaimer: This tool is not a diagnosis. It is meant to help you reflect and identify if further support may be helpful. If you’re concerned about your results, speak with a licensed mental health professional or healthcare provider.

Why Take an OCD Self-Assessment?

Many people live with obsessive thoughts or engage in compulsive behaviors without realizing that their experiences fit the clinical picture of OCD. Because of stigma or misunderstanding, symptoms often go untreated for years.

Taking a self-assessment can help you:

  • Recognize patterns that align with OCD symptoms
  • Clarify whether your thoughts or behaviors are part of a larger mental health condition
  • Identify how much time, energy, and distress these patterns create in your daily life
  • Decide whether it’s time to seek formal evaluation, diagnosis, or OCD treatment

Understanding your experience is a powerful first step. This test can offer a language for what you’re going through and guidance for what comes next.

What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by two main components:

  • Obsessions: recurring, distressing, and often intrusive thoughts (e.g., fear of contamination, fear of harming others, or religious guilt)
  • Compulsions: repetitive behaviors or mental rituals performed to neutralize or reduce the anxiety caused by the obsessions (e.g., excessive hand washing, checking locks, counting)

The DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) lists OCD as a diagnosable mental illness when these thoughts and actions are time-consuming, distressing, and interfere with your ability to function.

People with OCD often know their thoughts are irrational, but the compulsive cycle can feel impossible to break.

Common Symptoms of OCD

Symptoms of OCD vary from person to person, but most involve a pattern of obsession, distress, and temporary relief through compulsion.

Some examples include:

  • Constant fear of contamination leading to hours of hand washing
  • Intrusive thoughts about harming a loved one, followed by avoidance or mental rituals
  • Needing items arranged “just right” to reduce anxiety
  • Counting steps, tapping, or praying to prevent a feared event
  • Excessive checking (doors, appliances, locks)
  • Avoiding certain people, objects, or places due to specific obsessive thoughts

These behaviors often go unnoticed by others, but for the person struggling, they can dominate every moment of the day.

How the Online OCD Test Works

An online OCD test typically includes a questionnaire that screens for common obsessive and compulsive patterns. It may ask:

  • How often do you experience unwanted thoughts you can’t control?
  • Do you feel compelled to perform certain rituals or behaviors to ease distress?
  • Have these behaviors become difficult to stop, even when you try?
  • Are these patterns interfering with your relationships, work, or well-being?

Your answers help assess whether your symptoms match those of OCD or a related disorder and whether professional evaluation may be helpful.

What If You Score High on the OCD Test?

A high score on a self-assessment may suggest a possible mental health disorder, but it is not a clinical diagnosis. Still, your score can be a wake-up call.

Here’s what you can do next:

  1. Speak with a licensed mental health professional who can conduct a full assessment.
  2. Ask about CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and ERP (exposure and response prevention)—the gold standard for treating OCD.
  3. Consider medication options like SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), often prescribed to help manage OCD symptoms.
  4. Explore local or virtual support groups to connect with others facing similar challenges.
  5. Educate yourself about treatment options, recovery timelines, and how OCD may co-occur with conditions like autism or other mental health disorders.

Early treatment can greatly improve your quality of life and reduce the impact of OCD on your day-to-day functioning.

What OCD Can Look Like in Daily Life

To understand the impact of OCD, it helps to consider real-world examples:

  • A college student spends four hours a night checking their homework repeatedly to avoid making a mistake, leading to sleep deprivation and poor grades.
  • A new parent avoids holding their baby because they fear having a violent thought—despite never acting on it.
  • A young teen avoids social situations and hand washing rituals take over their school day.

In these cases, the fear is not the problem. It’s the cycle of obsession and compulsion that traps the person in distress.

OCD and Related Disorders

OCD shares features with several related disorders, including:

  • Hoarding disorder
  • Body dysmorphic disorder
  • Skin-picking (excoriation) and hair-pulling (trichotillomania) disorders
  • Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorder

These conditions can also be treated, and often respond to similar treatment options as OCD.

What the OCD Test Can—and Can’t—Tell You

What it can do:

  • Highlight symptoms consistent with OCD
  • Help you reflect on your mental habits and patterns
  • Motivate you to seek care if your well-being is being affected

What it can’t do:

  • Replace a clinical diagnosis from a mental health professional
  • Determine what type of OCD or related disorders you may have
  • Account for your full psychological history or trauma background

Self-assessments are powerful tools, but they are most effective when followed by a conversation with a clinician.

Who Should Take the OCD Test?

You might consider taking the test if you:

  • Experience obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors that interfere with work, school, or relationships
  • Feel exhausted by your need to repeat certain actions or avoid specific triggers
  • Suspect your thoughts or behaviors are more than just anxiety or routine
  • Have a family member or loved one expressing concern
  • Want to understand more about mental health conditions that impact your functioning

If any of this resonates, the test can be a safe place to begin.

Treatment That Works for OCD

OCD is treatable. Many people go on to live full, connected, and joyful lives after diagnosis and treatment.

The most effective approaches include:

  • Exposure and response prevention (ERP): Helps reduce fear by gradually facing obsessions without engaging in compulsions
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Teaches tools to identify and challenge obsessive thinking patterns
  • SSRIs: A class of antidepressants that can reduce symptoms by altering serotonin levels in the brain
  • Talk therapy to process trauma or shame related to OCD symptoms
  • Peer-led support groups to build connection and reduce isolation

In more complex cases, intensive treatment programs or collaboration with psychiatry may be needed.

If you’ve been battling constant doubts, rituals, or fears that just won’t go away, you’re not weak, and you’re not alone. The OCD test is a tool for awareness, not diagnosis. But that awareness can lead to hope, treatment, and freedom.

OCD doesn’t define you. With the right support and interventions, life can become more spacious, grounded, and your own again.

Resources and Next Steps

External Resources:

FAQs

Q: Is OCD the same as being neat or organized?
 

A: No. OCD is a mental illness, not a personality trait. While some people associate OCD with cleanliness, the condition is defined by obsessions and compulsions that cause distress and interfere with life.

Q: Can I have OCD without visible compulsions?


A: Yes. This is often called “Pure O” OCD, where compulsions are mental rather than physical. People may perform mental rituals, such as praying or repeating phrases silently.

Q: Is OCD caused by low serotonin?

A: Serotonin may play a role, but OCD has complex causes, including genetic, neurological, and environmental factors. SSRIs can help by regulating serotonin levels in the brain.

Q: Can adolescents have OCD?

A: Absolutely. OCD often begins in childhood or adolescence. Early signs may include ritualistic behavior, intense worries, or a sudden change in daily function.

Q: Does everyone with intrusive thoughts have OCD?

A: Not necessarily. Many people have intrusive thoughts occasionally. With OCD, these thoughts become frequent, distressing, and lead to compulsive behaviors meant to neutralize them.

Q: How long does OCD treatment take?
 

A: It varies. Some people see improvement in weeks, while others benefit from longer-term therapy. The key is a consistent, personalized treatment plan guided by a mental health professional.

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Navigating Addiction: 6 Ways Elizabeth Pearson Found Hope and Healing in Recovery

Navigating the path to recovery can often feel like an isolating journey, fraught with personal battles and internal struggles. Yet, as Elizabeth Pearson, a content creator, marathon runner, and the powerhouse behind @eatlizabeth, profoundly shares, “You are not unique… You’re not alone. The experiences that you’re having, the things you’re grappling with. So many of us go through those same things.” Her story, as explored in a candid interview on Recoverycast with hosts Brittani Baynard and Tom Farley, illuminates the transformative power of embracing vulnerability, finding community, and understanding the deeper roots of addiction and mental health challenges.

1. The Mask of Perfection: High-Functioning Addiction

Elizabeth’s early life was marked by a relentless pursuit of perfection. As a “super type A, compulsive rule follower” involved in countless extracurriculars and academically driven, the idea of substance use was entirely off her radar, primarily driven by a fear of jeopardizing her future and disappointing her parents. However, college presented an opportunity for reinvention, and with it, the introduction of alcohol.

“When I drank alcohol for the first time, it was like, okay, all of a sudden I get to turn off the noise in my brain,” Elizabeth recounted. This initial experience offered a deceptive sense of ease and confidence, leading her to believe that drinking made her “funnier and smarter and wittier and more confident.” This feeling became a relentless chase, particularly within a college environment where binge drinking was normalized.

Her ability to maintain academic excellence and a robust social life while drinking masked the developing problem. Her grades remained high, her social circles thrived, and externally, there were no red flags for her family or friends. This highlights a crucial, often overlooked aspect of addiction: it doesn’t always manifest as immediate, visible collapse. High-functioning addiction can be particularly insidious because the individual maintains a semblance of normalcy, delaying the recognition of a problem for themselves and those around them. This can lead to significant confusion, as Elizabeth notes, “You know how nothing, there is no negative to this except this feeling.” The absence of immediate negative consequences makes it incredibly challenging to recognize that a problem exists.

Explore alcohol addiction treatment options.

2. Unpacking the Roots of Insecurity and Self-Punishment

Beneath the surface of Elizabeth’s high-achieving exterior lay a profound sense of insecurity and a pervasive feeling that “something inherently being wrong with me, but not necessarily being able to name what that thing is.” This deep-seated discomfort fueled a pattern of self-punishment, which first manifested as an eating disorder in middle and high school. This provided a twisted sense of control and a means to “keep me in line,” driven by a belief that “there’s something inside of me that feels broken or bad and like I need to be punished.”

This underlying theme continued into her relationships, as she gravitated towards verbally and physically abusive partners. Her rationale was chillingly clear: she believed she couldn’t trust herself to stay “in line” and needed external forces to do it for her. This demonstrates how unresolved emotional pain and self-perception can drive destructive patterns across different areas of life.

Elizabeth also grappled with the impact of a sexual assault during her senior year of high school. Growing up in a Christian household, she initially interpreted this traumatic event as “divine punishment for making a mistake.” Drinking became a way to “silence so much of that noise and not actually have to confront things that had happened.” While acknowledging the traumatic elements of her past, Elizabeth offers a powerful insight: “I wanted to hold onto that trauma really, really tightly and closely because I felt like it gave me reasons to drink.” This speaks to the complex interplay between trauma, narrative, and the justification of self-destructive behaviors.

3. The Catalyst for Change: When Rock Bottom Isn’t What You Expect

Despite maintaining external success, Elizabeth’s internal world was crumbling. Her drinking escalated, particularly during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she found herself in an unsafe relationship. “I started drinking alone all the time,” she admitted, driven by “layer upon layer of shame and feeling like I had failed.” The situation became dire when her partner began to abuse her dog, Sawyer. “My self-esteem was so low at that point that I didn’t really care what happened to me,” Elizabeth revealed, but the abuse of Sawyer was the line she couldn’t cross. “That was really what got me out,” she said, crediting her dog with saving her life.

Even after escaping that abusive relationship, sobriety wasn’t immediate. She continued to drink for three more years, using the trauma as another “reason for me to drink.” She was stuck on a “hamster wheel,” trying everything to cope, all while maintaining a good job and a boyfriend. However, the emotional toll was immense. “I was so deeply depressed. I had a plan for how I wanted to end my life,” she shared.

The turning point came one Wednesday morning. “Nothing out of the ordinary had happened the night before, but I was just hung over again.” In that moment, Elizabeth experienced what she describes as a “divine intervention,” a stark realization: “You have two choices right now. You are either gonna stop drinking or you’re going to die.” This led to a period of being “dry,” abstaining from alcohol but without a structured recovery program. While physically feeling better, her mind was still consumed by thoughts of drinking. This illustrates the critical distinction between simply not drinking and actively engaging in the work of recovery.

4. Finding Community and the Power of Shared Experience

Unsure of where to turn, Elizabeth sought out an AA meeting, initially with the cynical expectation of finding people “worse off” than herself to justify her own continued drinking. “I walked into my first meeting and I thought, oh, this is gonna be great because I’m gonna go in and I’m gonna see how much worse off everybody else is, and then I’m gonna know that I don’t really belong here and I can go back to drinking,” she confessed. What she found instead was a profound sense of recognition and belonging. “I walk into that room and it is like a bunch of people exactly like me.”

This immediate connection, reinforced by a “ticket meeting” where she was called to speak, was a pivotal moment. “It was the scariest, but one most wonderful moment of my life is when I said like, hi, I’m Elizabeth and I’m an alcoholic.” This declaration, made in a room of strangers who understood her, lifted a decade-long weight of confusion and self-blame. “Finally it was just this weight lifted off my chest of being like, I have been trying to figure out for like a decade what is wrong with me. And I’m now sitting in a room full of people who just understand the way that my brain is wired. And I have a solution now.”

The response from her then-boyfriend was less supportive, as he dismissed her declaration with “Elizabeth, you’re being dramatic. You’re not an alcoholic. I know alcoholics. You’re not one of them.” Elizabeth astutely observed that “people take your choices around drinking very personally,” often seeing it as an “indictment on their choices.” Despite this, her decision to return to the meeting the next day was her “burning bush moment,” a clear commitment to herself over external validation.

Elizabeth strongly recommends women-only meetings, emphasizing that “the connection and the honesty I found in rooms of, of women has been like beyond anything that I’d experienced before.” This specialized support can foster a deeper sense of trust and shared understanding among individuals facing similar challenges.

5. Building a New Life: The 12 Steps and Rigorous Honesty

The gift of desperation, as Elizabeth calls it, was her greatest asset in recovery. She was “so desperate to feel differently and to feel well that I was willing to do anything that anybody told me to live a different life.” This willingness is paramount in embracing the 12-Step program, which Elizabeth credits with changing her life.

The 12 Steps provided not only a path to sobriety but also a framework for rebuilding relationships, particularly with women. She recognized that active addiction fosters selfishness, making genuine connections difficult. In recovery, she found an opportunity to learn “how I think about being in relationships with other people and how I can show up for people.”

A core component of Elizabeth’s transformation has been the embrace of “rigorous honesty.” Previously, her dishonesty was largely for “deception for image maintenance’s sake,” constructing a facade to prevent anyone from discovering her problem and potentially taking alcohol away. This involved blaming others for her struggles, a common defense mechanism in addiction. However, through the 12 Steps, she learned a profound lesson: “Your resentments aren’t necessarily the ways that people have wronged you, but it’s the ways that you give away your power.” This realization shifted her perspective from victimhood to accountability, allowing her to let go of anger and move forward.

The difference between being “dry” and “sober” became vividly clear. Dryness was merely the absence of alcohol, while sobriety, achieved through the 12 Steps and community, brought a profound sense of connection and purpose. “I went from feeling like I had nobody in my corner to… just having a room of strangers so ready to love me.” This unconditional acceptance, regardless of her past actions, allowed her to shed the shame and the belief that a seat in AA needed to be “earned” through a dramatic rock bottom.

6. Embracing Gratitude and a “Second Life”

Gratitude has become a cornerstone of Elizabeth’s daily practice, a tool for combating resentment, jealousy, and comparison. She reflects on her “two lives” – her “drunk life and our sober life,” seeing it as a “miracle” and a unique opportunity to choose again. This perspective fosters appreciation for the seemingly ordinary aspects of her current life that were unimaginable during her addiction.

The journey through recovery, particularly the step work, allowed her to understand the deeper layers of her struggles. She came to realize that alcohol was not her problem, but rather her “only solution.” This reframe is crucial for those grappling with addiction, suggesting that the substance itself is a symptom of underlying issues rather than the sole cause. For individuals questioning their relationship with alcohol, asking “Do you feel that like alcohol is your solution for life?” can be a powerful diagnostic question.

Elizabeth’s story underscores that true recovery is a holistic process that addresses not just substance use but also the mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of an individual. It’s about building self-esteem through “esteemable things,” taking “the next right action,” and cultivating an unwavering commitment to honesty and self-awareness. Her journey from the depths of depression and self-hatred to a life of sobriety, community, and marathon running is a testament to the fact that transformation is indeed possible, even if it’s “often pretty messy.”

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Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy: Insights for Family Reunification and Restoring Connection

In mental health care, we often treat interventions like compartments—one tool for anxiety, another for trauma, another for family systems. But healing rarely lives in silos. It moves in circles, overlaps, and reemerges across seemingly unrelated landscapes. 

This is especially true when it comes to exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, long considered the gold standard treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).1

When we step back, we begin to see how foundational ERP principles—tolerance, trust, and transformation—can also offer structure and insight in areas like reunification therapy, family systems2 work, and court-ordered treatment plans.

Illustration of a man calmly shaking hands with a red monster, symbolizing fear, alongside the quote, Exposure and Response Therapy teaches that freedom is not the absence of fear, it is choosing not to run from it. Image from Recovery.com promoting ERP therapy.

ERP is most commonly known for treating OCD symptoms, specifically obsessions, intrusive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors. But it’s not just a type of therapy reserved for those battling contamination fears or checking rituals. Its roots in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)3 and its reliance on gradual, anxiety-provoking exposures make it surprisingly adaptable to relational spaces—especially when those spaces are defined by avoidance, fear, or rupture.

What ERP Really Teaches Us

Exposure and response prevention therapy is about facing fear—and doing it differently. It invites the client to approach a feared situation or stimulus (real or imagined), while resisting the urge to engage in the habitual safety behaviors that once offered relief. That might look like resisting a hand-washing compulsion, or sitting with the discomfort of not seeking reassurance.

Infographic listing conditions and behaviors treated by Exposure and Response Prevention or ERP Therapy, including OCD, anxiety disorders, body-focused repetitive behaviors, relational avoidance, and trauma-linked patterns. Examples include contamination fears, panic disorder, nail biting, emotional shutdown, and fear of being seen.

ERP isn’t just for obsessive thoughts—it’s for any place where fear keeps us from connection. In reunification therapy, it becomes a path back to trust, one tolerable step at a time.

The process is structured, intentional, and often uncomfortable. But in that discomfort is possibility: a new way of relating to fear. And over time, with practice, the nervous system learns something crucial—this feeling won’t last forever. I can survive it. This is the mechanism of habituation, and it’s a cornerstone of ERP’s effectiveness.

In the world of OCD treatment, this model has revolutionized care. From in vivo exposures to imaginal exposure, ERP has helped countless individuals reclaim their lives from obsessive thoughts, perfectionism, and debilitating rituals. 

But what if we considered ERP’s logic not only in treating OCD, but in addressing the relational phobias that often show up in families experiencing estrangement or high-conflict divorce?

Infographic titled 5 Steps of ERP Therapy showing how Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy works. Steps include identify the fear, create a fear hierarchy, begin gradual exposure, prevent the usual response, and repeat until habituation. Visuals include icons of a brain, fear ladder, exposure ramp, cycle-breaking symbol, and clock.

The Therapist’s Role: Skilled Guide, Not Enforcer

In this context, the mental health professional becomes a kind of behavioral cartographer—charting the terrain of fear and walking alongside families as they navigate it. Just as ERP therapists track rituals and avoidance patterns in OCD, reunification therapists can identify emotional compulsions: the urge to withdraw, to vilify, to control.

The clinician’s job is not to insist on connection, but to foster capacity—to help the child sit with what’s hard, to help the parent resist reactive behaviors, and to guide both toward emotional flexibility. These are evidence-based treatment strategies, grounded in CBT, but translated to a relational domain.4

This is particularly powerful when considered as a tool for court-ordered therapy, such as in cases involving CPS, family law, or mandated co-parenting plans. ERP’s deliberate pacing, collaborative structure, and emphasis on inhibitory learning (rewriting what the brain has learned about safety) align well with the delicate pacing required for long-term family reunification.

Healing doesn’t live in compartments. The same tools that help us face intrusive thoughts can help families face each other again—with honesty, discomfort, and the courage to try.

Dr. Mala Chaudhery-Malgeri

What ERP Is Not: A Word of Caution

While ERP therapy is an effective treatment for many anxiety-related disorders,5 including social anxiety, panic disorder, and OCD, it must be used with deep ethical care when applied in family contexts. This is not about forcing reconciliation. It is not about exposure for exposure’s sake. In families where child abuse, domestic abuse, or ongoing mental health conditions have created genuine safety concerns, no exposure should be initiated without comprehensive evaluations, trauma-informed oversight, and clear legal and clinical safeguards.

ERP is a tool—not a shortcut. And in complex family systems, it must be paired with humility, cultural sensitivity, and attunement to each individual’s readiness and consent.

Real-Life Implications: Beyond OCD, Toward Connection

The gifts of ERP reach far beyond the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Its structure teaches distress tolerance, insight into cognitive distortions, and the courage to face relational fears. These skills are invaluable in reunification therapy, co-parenting relationships, and even outpatient psychotherapy with adolescents who are navigating estrangement, identity confusion, or loyalty binds between caregivers.

For clinicians, ERP reminds us that healing doesn’t always look like comfort—it looks like commitment. A commitment to therapy, to presence, to uncertainty. And for families,6 it offers something far more sustainable than a quick fix: the possibility of true, hard-earned repair.

Whether we are helping someone resist a compulsion, sit with shame, or face a loved one they haven’t spoken to in years, the heart of the work is the same: exposure to fear, and the slow, steady unlearning of resistance.

ERP as a Bridge Between Clinical Rigor and Human Repair

At its best, exposure and response prevention is about more than treating OCD symptoms. It is a way of saying: we can face what scares us, and still move toward love. That principle doesn’t just belong in psychiatry textbooks or first-line treatment guidelines—it belongs in family rooms, courtrooms, and therapy spaces where pain and possibility sit side by side.

ERP works because it reflects how healing actually happens—not in perfect conditions, but in real life, with real people, doing the brave work of showing up again and again.

In this light, we don’t just see ERP as an effective treatment for anxiety—we see it as a roadmap for restoration. Not just of functioning, but of family, belonging, and hope.

FAQs

Q: What is exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy?

A: ERP is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) specifically designed to help individuals confront their fears and anxieties without falling into the trap of avoidance or compulsions. It involves two key steps: exposure to anxiety-provoking situations or thoughts, and response prevention, which is the practice of resisting the usual reactive behaviors that follow. Over time, this helps the brain learn that fear doesn’t need to control your life.

Q: What is the history of exposure and response prevention techniques? 

ERP emerged in the 1960s as a treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), rooted in behaviorism and the understanding that avoidance reinforces fear. Over decades, research has consistently validated ERP as one of the most effective treatments for OCD and other anxiety-related disorders. It’s evolved to address a wide range of compulsive behaviors, including health anxiety, perfectionism, and intrusive thoughts.

Q: Can I do ERP therapy on my own?

While some people can begin exploring ERP principles on their own (especially with guided workbooks or digital tools), working with a trained therapist is strongly recommended—especially for complex or deeply distressing fears. A therapist can tailor the exposures, monitor progress, and help prevent unintentional re-traumatization or avoidance cycles.

Q: What is the difference between CBT and ERP?

CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is the umbrella under which ERP falls. CBT focuses broadly on identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. ERP zeroes in on the behavioral aspect of anxiety disorders—specifically how rituals and avoidance maintain distress—and aims to break that cycle through repeated, supported exposure.

Q: How long does ERP therapy take?

ERP is often short-term and structured. Many people begin to see improvement within 12 to 20 sessions. However, the length can vary depending on the severity and complexity of symptoms. What’s important is consistency—change happens through repetition and support, not overnight.

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Finding Your Worth: Evelyn’s Inspiring Anxiety and OCD Recovery Journey

Evelyn’s recent heartfelt conversation on the Giving Voice to Mental Health Podcast, hosted by Recovery.com, offers a beacon of hope and practical wisdom for anyone navigating the complexities of mental health recovery.

Her personal journey underscores a fundamental truth: recovery is not a passive event but an active, ongoing choice deeply intertwined with recognizing one’s inherent worthiness. In her own words, “Recovery is a choice every day that you have to choose to do… and it truly is something everyone deserves.”

Recovery Beyond Diagnosis: Healing the Belief of Unworthiness

Evelyn’s perspective on recovery moves beyond simply addressing diagnostic labels like OCD and anxiety. Instead, she emphasizes the crucial work of healing the often underlying and deeply ingrained belief of unworthiness. “I’m just recovering from not feeling worthy… recovering from the belief that I did not deserve to be happy,” she shared.

This reframing highlights the importance of tackling the core emotional wounds that can fuel mental health challenges. True recovery, in this light, involves recognizing and embracing your fundamental right to happiness and well-being, irrespective of any mental health diagnosis you may have received.

Explore treatment options for anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.

The Crucial First Step: Recognizing the Need and Seeking Help

Evelyn powerfully stresses that seeking help for mental health challenges should never be viewed as a last resort, reserved only for times of absolute crisis. “I don’t want you to think that you have to be a certain amount of sick in order to get treatment because I don’t think that’s true.”

Early intervention is paramount and can significantly improve the trajectory of recovery. Exploring available resources, such as those found on Recovery.com, is a vital first step. Reaching out for support is not a sign of weakness but rather a courageous act of self-awareness and a powerful commitment to your well-being.

Finding Effective Treatment Pathways

For Evelyn, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy proved to be a cornerstone of her recovery from OCD. “ERP… is a lot of work… but it’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.” ERP is a well-established and evidence-based treatment for OCD that involves gradually confronting feared thoughts and situations1 while actively preventing the usual compulsive responses.

What works for one individual may not resonate with another, making the search for the right support and treatment essential. An individual approach can encompass various forms of therapy, medication, peer support groups, lifestyle adjustments, or an integrated approach. Exploring different options and feeling empowered to advocate for your specific requirements are crucial steps in discovering what truly facilitates your healing and growth.

Cultivating Empathy Through Personal Struggles

While acknowledging the significant difficulties posed by OCD and anxiety, Evelyn also discovered an unexpected and profound outcome: a heightened capacity for empathy. “I do think that they provided me with such wonderful insight on the amount of struggle… I think it gifted me with empathy and gifted me with compassion.”

This insight underscores the potential for personal growth and a deeper connection with the shared human experience, even amidst challenging circumstances. It reminds us that navigating adversity can cultivate a greater understanding and compassion for others facing their own battles.

Breaking Down Barriers: Challenging the Stigma of Mental Health Support

Evelyn’s narrative serves as a powerful challenge to the pervasive stigma surrounding mental health support. “Why do you have to do it alone? Asking for help is not a bad thing… you deserve to feel better.” Seeking assistance when you are struggling is not a sign of failure but rather an act of profound self-care and self-respect. There is no shame in needing support, and connecting with mental health professionals, support groups, and loved ones can create a stronger, more resilient path toward recovery.

Remember, you are inherently worthy of feeling well, and accessing available resources is a testament to that worth.

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Demystifying Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Traditional therapy and medications aren’t always effective for treating mental health disorders. If this is the case for you, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) could be a viable alternative. This non-invasive treatment works by stimulating different parts of your brain to alleviate symptoms of mental health conditions like depression and PTSD.

Your primary care physician, mental health treatment provider, or rehab treatment team can help you determine if TMS is right for you.

Health Conditions TMS Can Treat

TMS can be used to treat1 several conditions:

About 20-30% of patients with MDD continue to experience depressive symptoms2 despite therapy and medication. For those patients, looking for alternatives to traditional treatment approaches is often a logical next step. TMS shows significant potential to improve depressive symptoms among people with treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. It may take several weeks to see results, so it’s imperative for patients to consistently attend the number of sessions prescribed by their doctor.

Repetitive TMS, or rTMS, has also been shown to be successful for anxiety and bipolar disorders,3 although it’s more effective in treating depression than manic episodes. It may also speed up recovery after a stroke, and help alleviate symptoms that arise after the event. In addition, low-frequency rTMS can help control the symptoms of Tourette syndrome and OCD. High-frequency rTMS helps people quit smoking by reducing cravings. rTMS can even reduce cocaine use and cravings4 in people struggling with addiction.

What Exactly Is TMS?

TMS is a non-invasive procedure that stimulates brain tissue5 by producing a high- or low-intensity magnetic field through a copper wire. There are 3 main methods of TMS used today:

  • Single-pulse TMS (spTMS) stimulates the motor cortex while a machine measures and records electrical activity.
  • Paired-pulse TMS (ppTMS) delivers 2 pulses through the same coil, with long or short intervals in between.
  • Repetitive TMS (rTMS) is a popular variation of TMS that applies repeating pulses to a specific area of the brain. This method treats the symptoms that come from mental health disorders. Deep TMS (dTMS)6 is a newer type of rTMS that stimulates deep brain areas because their larger helmet allows for more surface area. All Points North Lodge is one rehab center that offers dTMS treatment.

Typically, spTMS and ppTMS evaluate brain functioning, while rTMS actually creates changes in the brain. If you’re treated for a mental health condition, you’ll most likely undergo rTMS. There are several different coils available for use in TMS treatment. The specialists who deliver your treatment will determine the best one for your needs.

You can either complete TMS sessions at an inpatient rehab center (Inspire Malibu, for example, offers this in partnership with a physician’s office) or at a private clinic as an outpatient. In the latter option, you’d stay at home and commute to your sessions each day.

What Happens During a TMS Session?

Before you undergo any TMS procedures,7 you’ll take a physical and mental health screening to confirm your candidacy. This includes discussions of symptoms, conditions, and any medications you take with your treatment team, who will then guide you through the process.

During your session, you’ll sit in a reclining chair with earplugs (or some sort of hearing protection) with an electromagnetic coil attached to your head. The Dawn Rehab in Thailand even lets you listen to music so you feel as comfortable as possible. During rTMS (the most common type of TMS procedure), the operating physician will turn the coil on and off repeatedly to deliver pulses to your brain. During this process, you’ll feel a tapping sensation, called “mapping.” The professional administering rTMS will slowly increase the dose of magnetic energy to determine the right amount for you.

Most people don’t find TMS painful,8 but some people may feel slight discomfort. The Dawn Rehab describes their TMS sessions:

“A TMS-trained nurse will place an electromagnetic coil against your head which will painlessly deliver brief magnetic pulses – the same as those used in MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machines – to the region of the brain involved in mood control and depression.”

After your session, you can continue your regular daily routine as usual.

How Long Are TMS Sessions?

Duration can vary from person to person, and will also depend on your diagnosis. Standard rTMS treatment for major depressive disorder,9 for example, averages around 20-30 daily sessions for around 4-6 weeks. However, research recommends a minimum of 6 weeks. One study found that 38.4% of MDD patients responded well to just 4 weeks of treatment, but then surveyed patients who didn’t respond well to the initial 4 weeks after an additional 12 weeks of biweekly sessions. 61% of those patients responded well to the longer treatment phase.

Some studies have explored another, faster form of rTMS called “accelerated rTMS” or arTMS. During rTMS, people undergo multiple sessions in one day. Some studies suggest promising outcomes from this procedure, but more research will determine if this is actually a more viable option. Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is another, newer form of rTMS that can produce quicker results.10 Some studies found that, after only 5 days, patients enrolled in TBS arTMS trials reported success rates of 90%.

Some people may continue to attend “maintenance sessions” after their first set of TMS sessions. This involves slowly reducing the number of sessions per week from 3 to 1, which is eventually reduced to 1 session every 2 weeks. However, some people stop rTMS altogether, and go back to therapy and medications after completing their sessions. Unfortunately, rTMS maintenance isn’t well studied, and needs more research before making any determinations.

Should You Try TMS Therapy? Consider the Cons

While TMS has relatively few drawbacks, they do exist. Side effects are possible, but are usually minimal. And, TMS can be expensive and time-consuming. However, it may still be worth it for you, since lifting your depression to any degree can greatly impact your quality of life. Here are some factors to consider before trying TMS:

Possible Side Effects

Although TMS is non-invasive and seldom produces side effects,11 it can cause seizures in rare cases, and doctors do not recommend it for patients with epilepsy. While the risk of a seizure is small (less than 0.01% if you don’t have epilepsy, and less than 3% if you do), it’s still a possibility. If any of the following apply to you, you may be more likely to experience seizures:

  • Pre-existing neurological conditions
  • Adolescent
  • Changes in medication
  • Active substance use

You should talk to your doctor if you have any metal or electronic implants that will be near the TMS coil. This includes cochlear implants. These may cause problems with the therapy, and can be dangerous.

You may feel some slight discomfort in your scalp or neck during the procedure or pain afterward. You might also become more sensitive to sounds or experience ringing in your ears—which is why treatment providers should always provide ear protection. Some people report feeling fatigued afterward. However, it’s unlikely that you’ll encounter any of these side effects, and if you do, they will most likely be mild and short-lived.

Cost

rTMS is expensive,12 ranging from $200-300 USD per visit in a private clinic. If you complete the full course recommended by your doctor, you may end up paying $5,000-10,000 USD. Of course, this can differ depending on the duration and number of sessions you attend. Check with rehabs you’re considering to see if TMS is included in the cost of your program, or how much additional costs are.

Could TMS Provide the Relief You’ve Been Looking For?

Being unresponsive to treatment is incredibly frustrating when you’re living with depression or other mental health issues. But the good news is, you still have options. Alternative treatments like TMS just might do the trick for you, and the simple act of being open to trying something new can empower you to move forward in your recovery journey.

To learn more about residential treatment programs that offer this and other alternative therapies, browse our collection of rehabs and connect with centers directly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Addiction Treatment

How does Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) work for addiction treatment?

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate specific areas of the brain. It works by delivering targeted magnetic pulses to activate or inhibit brain cells, which can help regulate mood and alleviate symptoms of mental health conditions.

Is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation safe for treating depression and anxiety?

Yes, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is considered a safe procedure for treating conditions like depression and anxiety. It has been extensively studied and approved by regulatory authorities. Common side effects may include mild headache or scalp discomfort during or after the session, but these are generally well-tolerated.

What are the potential benefits and risks of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation?

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation offers several potential benefits, including its non-invasiveness, minimal side effects, and efficacy in treating certain mental health conditions. However, it may not be suitable for everyone, and some individuals may experience rare side effects such as seizures. It’s essential to consult with a qualified healthcare provider to determine if TMS is a suitable treatment option.