therapist in murrysville

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD, Therapy and Counseling

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a type of anxiety disorder which afflicts .5-2.5% of the population. The disorder greatly effects the quality of life for the sufferer and becomes a consuming pattern of anxieties and rituals which are centered around both obsessional worries and compulsive behaviors. Most of the individuals who have this disorder at one time or another acknowledge or have insight that their worry is excessive or disproportionate to the actual fear or anxiety. An example of someone who may be experiencing Obsessive Compulsive disorder is that “It started when I was in my mid 20’s, I was always worried that I would get something wrong, I made lists so I could try to manage my daily living tasks. Soon lists became my life, I would write a list of everything that I needed to do while I was in the shower, then I would check the list 3 times after writing it, to be sure that I did get everything right. Then I would reread my list again 2 times before entering the shower and read it out loud, If I didn’t perform this task I was simply unable to take my shower for the day because I would lapse into such overwhelming anxiety.”

Some examples of symptoms and behaviors association with this disorder are as follows

according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual;

That the individual has either obsessions or compulsions and which the definition of these are;

1. Thoughts which are recurring and persistent including images or impulses, these impulses are distressing and cause impairment including anxiety.
2. These impulses, thoughts and images are not related to a threat or worry about a real life problem.
3. There is an attempt to repress and ignore the distressing images, impulses and thoughts.
4. The person who is suffering from this disorder is in recognition that these fears are in fact a product of his or her own thought process.

Compulsions are defined as

1. Repetitive behaviors (e.g., checking, cleaning, cleaning,) and also cognitive acts such as (ie, ritualized prayer, tracing in the mind, taking count of objects or steps) the person feels compelled to enact the behavior in response to the obsession in a system of self created rules.

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a treatable anxiety disorder, the best form of therapy often involves both pharmacology including SSRI’s delivered in conjunction with long-term psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy has proven effective in managing the symptoms associated with this diagnosis as well as Behavioral Therapy such as Exposure therapy are all effective treatment or counseling models to progress beyond this disorder and take back control over life.

Phobia Therapy & Treatment

Phobia

A phobia is a fear or anxiety response of heighted arousal, ie rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, and thoughts of intense worry and this most likely leads to avoidance of the situation or object. Some examples of typical phobias are fear of public speaking, fear of choking or vomiting, fear of spiders (arachnophobia), fear of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia), fear of bridges, fear of tunnels, fear of large crowds, fear of blushing, fear of water or other natural environments, fear of contamination or germs. Phobia is distinct and much more severe than a natural aversion, for instance in the example of arachnophobia, many people do not like spiders and insects but wouldn’t qualify for a disorder because this doesn’t interfere with their functioning and enjoyment of life. A person who simply doesn’t like spiders may sheik if they encounter one and quickly try to remove it from their environment. A person who has a phobia of spiders may feel anxiety if they think about a spider, they may never go into a forest or stay away from other natural environments, they may start to take precautions like spraying repellant everywhere and have continual intrusive thoughts about the possibility of encountering spiders and even stop leaving home or developing agoraphobia because their wish to avoid the spider is so powerful.

The Diagnostic Criteria for A Specific Phobia are;

1. A continual, persistent, and excessive fear caused by the presence or anticipation of the situation and or object, examples may be choking, bridges, tunnel, flying, insects, fainting, speaking, blushing.
2. When exposed to the object or situation an anxiety or hyperarousal response is invoked. This is also a different response in children.
3. In panic disorder the persona experiencing the disorder does recognize that the fear is unreasonable and the response is excessive.
4. The situation or object may be faced or endured but only with very visible and tangible fear, anxiety and distress.
5. This fear and anxiety interferes with the enjoyment and participation of life, limiting professional, occupational, social, relational, and academic performance and functioning.
6. This can be diagnosed only in individuals who are over the age of 18 and it must be experienced for longer than 6 months.

The best way to treat a phobia disorder is with psychotherapy, your licensed counselor can help you by using a very specific kind of therapy called Exposure Therapy. This is a behavioral therapy which a licensed therapist who specializes in treating anxiety disorders will be able to guide you through. In other instances, medication including anxiolytic medication, anti-anxiety and SSRI’s are best used medication therapy to treat and manage panic disorder. Other forms of therapy which may help to manage specific phobias including meditation, mindfulness, exercise and other integrative options like nutrition counseling and acupuncture.

Therapy and Counseling, Treatment For Anxiety

Treatment for Anxiety

Treatment for anxiety takes many forms, there are generally three main agreed upon and clinically verified methods to manage and reduce symptoms of anxiety. Counseling or Therapy with a licensed counselor or therapist is the first treatment route. The treatment route for this form of help can vary from short term, brief solution-focused counseling interventions as well as long term treatment including cognitive behavioral therapy and even existential therapy. Only you and your counselor or therapist can determine which method will be best for you.

Other ways to manage symptoms related to anxiety are to enhance total wellness, this includes  integrative medicine, nutrition counseling, acupuncture, fitness, meditation, and mindfulness. Some people experiencing anxiety find that a holistic approach suites their lifestyle best, in turn they explore clinical herbalism and integrative interventions to learn how this can support positive emotional health and wellness. Holistic therapy is best utilized along with counseling or psychotherapy from a licensed counselor  which is therapy which will focus on finding triggers and changing the cognitive response to anxiety. The final way to treat anxiety is to use medication therapy. Medication has many different options including SSRI’s which must be taken for several weeks before taking effect and then other anxiolytic medication which is more short acting, talk with your psychiatrist or prescribing PCP to explore which form of medication therapy is the best for you to treat your anxiety. Medication often works best to diminish anxiety when it is paired with counseling and therapy which can change the thought patterns, discover underlying causes of anxiety and mange the full way in which it effects quality of life.

Remember that the worst way to manage your anxiety is by doing nothing at all in the hope that your symptoms will disappear. Managing anxiety is done best when we treat it early and completely with solid medical and therapeutic interventions.

Seeking Treatment for an Anxiety Disorder? 3 things to look for in a Therapist to Treat your Anxiety

3 things to look for in a Therapist to Treat your Anxiety.

If you are noticing that there has been a shift in your mood, energy, sleep cycle, appetite, digestion, or overall quality of life, or maybe you have recently been diagnosed with a chronic health condition and have a more recent onset of anxious feelings. You may be wondering if you meet the criteria for the diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder, or one of the other major diagnosis which make up this category. Sometimes too, an individual may be suffering from one of these disorders but without realizing it because the patterns of thought associate with the disorder have become so entrenched in the sufferers thinking and way of being that the symptoms which perpetuate the disorder are automatic. A professional assessment and then therapy to treat your anxiety is the next step to healing. In searching for a therapist to help you treat your anxiety you will find a variety of options and treatment styles so many that you may ironically become anxious in the process of choosing. A few things to help you choose the therapist or counselor.

• Check their credentials, choose a licensed therapist who has experience in treating your specific potential anxiety disorder. There are lots of people on line who advertise as life coaches coaches, counseling ministers, or counselors without a license. You owe it to your health and wellbeing to treat your anxiety with a well-trained and licensed therapist.
• Expect to pay for services or use your insurance, if a therapist is offering free counseling or free therapy assessments, this is probably not a good sign. Most qualified and licensed therapists who treat anxiety disorders will expect to be paid for their expertise in helping you to recover from your anxiety disorder. Offering free services is a way new therapists might try to get business if they are very slow or new to the business of therapy.
• In your first appointment and all other appointments, pay attention to how the process feels and what you think about their interventions. Do you feel understood? Does the therapist offer skills and interventions that are relevant to your needs in treating your anxiety? If you can answer yes to these questions, then you are likely well on your way to a solid therapy path and recovering from your anxiety disorder.

Be Well Pittsburgh and Monroeville,

412-322-2129 Call to reach a therapist to help you to treat your anxiety disorder.

The Counseling and Wellness Center of Pittsburgh and Monroeville