Online therapy for OCD in virginia
You’re tired of struggling with your own thoughts and feelings.
You recognize that you have a hard time “letting go” of certain thoughts and feelings. At times, you feel overwhelmed by them and wish they would stop. You notice that other people don’t seem to get “stuck” on issues like you do. Your thinking easily snowballs to all sorts of “what if” scenarios. Despite your great efforts and desire not to have these upsetting thoughts and feelings, you still have them.
Along with these thoughts comes a heavy weight of responsibility and shame.
It fuels you to do something, anything, to get rid of the discomfort. You may have tried talking to others about what you are experiencing. But, you were only met with more shame or told to lighten up. You may get lost in your thoughts in a never-ending pattern of problem-solving or reassuring yourself. Others spend considerable time googling, checking, and reviewing. Regardless, the goal of all these efforts is to reduce the discomfort associated with the upsetting thoughts. It works at times but the relief doesn’t last.
Does this sound like you? If so, you may be dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Thanks to movies and television, OCD has come to be known as an obsession with cleanliness and order and people who often wash their hands. Or, they may do things like checking the stove and doors. While this is OCD, this is only one narrow view of OCD.
Online OCD treatment can help you get “unstuck.”
Seeking therapy for OCD will help you get “unstuck” and “out of your head.” Working with an OCD therapist can allow you to be present and engaged with life right in front of you. You will have more time to do what matters instead of spending your time and energy struggling with your thoughts and feelings. Plus, you will also learn that you are not alone in your suffering. According to the International OCD Foundation, about one in a hundred adults have OCD. Knowing you are not alone, will help to reduce the shame you’ve experienced as a result of OCD symptoms.
SYMPTOMS OF OCD
OBSESSIONS
Anything can become an obsession but there are some obsessions that are more common than others:
- Moral/religious obsessions (scrupulosity)- an excessive concern for right and wrong, being certain that you haven’t “sinned” or acted against God
- Identity obsessions- excessive concern with sexual or gender identity
- Harm obsessions- fear of hurting yourself or someone else, experiencing violent images
- Responsibility obsessions- fear of being responsible for something bad happening
- Perfectionism obsessions- concern with preciseness, making things even, needing to do everything “correctly” or “perfectly”
- Contamination obsessions- fear of being dirty, getting sick, or poisoned
- Existential obsessions- concern for meaning of life, life/death topics
- Relationship obsessions- concern for whether or not you are with the “right person”
COMPULSIONS
There are four main categories of compulsions:
- Behaviors such as repeating routine activities, repetitive handwashing, writing, rewriting, etc.
- Mental compulsions such as reviewing past events to come to some conclusion, ritualized prayers to prevent bad things from happening, telling yourself why or why not your fear will come true, counting, etc.
- Avoidance compulsions such as not watching certain shows or steering clear of topics that might trigger upsetting thoughts, staying away from anyone who looks sick, etc.
- Reassurance-seeking compulsions. These may include confessing, asking questions repeatedly, verifying information with Google, etc.
The Evercare Counseling Approach to Online OCD Treatment
Like with other anxiety disorders, it’s important to receive therapy for OCD from a professional who is trained to identify and treat OCD. An OCD therapist will use a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Together, we will work together to identify areas of your life where you are uncertain and distressed. Then we will look at all the activities that you engage in to gain certainty. From there, we will collaborate on a new strategy to reduce the compulsions that have taken over your life. We will also teach you how to cope in a more healthy way. This means enhancing your distress tolerance skills with the upsetting thoughts, images, and sensations in a way that does not feed into them. The goal of therapy is to help you live according to your values instead of according to your fears.
What is holding you back from getting help?
Begin Online OCD Treatment in Virginia
- Contact Evercare Counseling
- Meet with a caring therapist
- Start addressing your OCD symptoms
Other Services Offered with Evercare Counseling
Online OCD treatment isn’t the only service offered by Evercare Counseling. We are happy to offer a variety of services in support of your mental health. Mental health services offered include support to individuals experiencing OCD and anxiety. In addition, we are happy to offer Christian counseling, depression treatment, ERP therapy, online therapy, therapy for women, and other services. Please feel free to read our blog or common questions to learn more helpful info!
