– Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC The human mind is always active. We have approximately seventy thousand unique thoughts every single day. This probably comes as no surprise to the overthinkers out there who may be asking themselves “do I have that many thoughts per day? Does this thought count? Am I going over my ‘normal person thought quota’ by thinking about … Read More
– Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC Every day, twelve-year-old Emily is consumed with the fear that she might accidentally hurt somebody or cause them harm. One day, she sees a knife on the kitchen counter and the thought “you could walk into the other room and stab your father with that knife” immediately pops into her head. For the rest of the … Read More
– Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC “I’m so OCD!” “That’s just my OCD!” These phrases probably sound familiar—people often mistakenly assume they are describing behaviors they believe are synonymous with being a “perfectionist” or a “germaphobe”. For example, you might hear somebody say, “I’m OCD about dishes…I can’t sleep until they are all washed and put away.” These remarks usually come … Read More
Sexual Orientation OCD (SO-OCD) Sexual Orientation Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (SO-OCD) is a sub-type of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). When OCD is mentioned, most people think of excessive hand-washing due to fear of germs and counting prior to completing an action to prevent a dreadful situation (usually irrational). However, OCD does not discriminate; it latches onto anything the individual values. Women are slightly … Read More
Have you ever wondered, ‘what would I do if I were to ever be in a terrifying situation? Would I fight the threat, flee, or shut down?’ If you’ve ever gathered around your friends to theorize about this, or even watched the show “What Would YOU Do?”, it’s easy to say, “Well I would do XYZ and definitely not … Read More
Finishing up our in-depth review of negative thinking traps, there are another five common traps that can hijack us into negative feedback loops if we are not prepared. Taking us to places that are unproductive and skewing the truth when in reality, the situation may be easily resolvable. Rounding up the last of the prominent negative thinking traps we can … Read More
by Martin Prete, LCPC Suppressing Emotions or Storing Tough Emotions and a Healthier Alternative It’s no secret that feeling negative emotions can be intense, uncomfortable, and draining. As humans, emotions are naturally a part of us, whether we like them to be or not. This may be difficult to accept sometimes, especially if we endure long bouts of the not … Read More
by Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC Seasonal Affective Disorder Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is characterized by feelings of depression that start and end at the same time every year, in accordance with a change in seasons. SAD is generally used to refer to depression that occurs during the cold, dark winter months. This is because the reduced exposure to sunlight and warmth … Read More
Sufferers of OCD may already be distinctly aware of the ebbs and flows of their symptoms associated with the disorder. After all, it is quite common for many people diagnosed with OCD to still be able to achieve a certain level of balance to their lives, managing personal relationships or careers, and yet, still making time to address compulsions related … Read More
by Carolyn Moriarty, LCPC Journaling is a common technique used to manage stress, anxiety and overall mental health. It seems simple enough, but many people find themselves stumped on what they should be writing about or how they should even begin. Have no fear. This post will at as your guide in making use of journaling to your full advantage. … Read More
