Areas of Treatment

In Therapy specializes in the treatment of OCD and anxiety-related disorders in Nashville, TN.

 
Plant sitting in window behind bars to show how OCD symptoms feel
 

OCD

OCD consists of obsessions and compulsions. 

Obsessions can also be categorized as “worry thoughts.” These worry thoughts cause much distress and concern for the worrier. So much distress that a person does something to try to make their worry thoughts go away.

These actions are the compulsion part of OCD. OCD comes in such a wide variety of forms and disguises. A person may get over a fear just in time for another fear to pop up. OCD becomes a problem when you are unable to do the things you enjoy doing because of the thoughts or compulsions. OCD symptoms typically increase with stress or major life changes.

 

Some examples of Obsessions

  • Fear of germs

  • Fear of getting sick

  • Fear of making other people sick

  • Fear of losing items

  • Fear of doing something embarrassing

  • Fear of acting on an unwanted impulse (cursing in church, dumping your glass of water on a friend, running around naked)

  • Unwanted thoughts or images (these can be sexual, gruesome, or aggressive)

  • Desire to make things look or be a certain way or “just right”

Some examples of Compulsions

  • Washing 

  • Asking others for reassurance

  • Checking 

  • Rereading, rewriting, redoing

  • Avoiding things that may cause the uncomfortable thought to come up

  • Praying or confessing

  • Distractions

  • Thinking a lot about the thought

  • Doing anything to make the worry thoughts go away

 
Curved stone staircase leading to unknown location to show uncertainty of anxiety
 

General Anxiety

General anxiety can come and go throughout your life. A lot of times people ignore their anxiety until it becomes a major problem. Why do people ignore their anxiety? Because at first it works! 

Ignoring is a great coping skill. The problem is, eventually it doesn't work anymore. And generally when this happens, anxiety has become a big problem. 

Anxiety thrives on uncertainty. We usually worry about things that have no clear answer. What is the right college to go to? What should my resume look like? Is this the person I should marry?  There are no black and white answers to these questions, so we can conclude that these questions are anxiety driven.

Children and General Anxiety

For children anxiety can look a little different. Many times it comes out as tantrums, refusing to sleep alone, worrying about getting sick, separation anxiety, or asking the same questions over and over again.

 

Common Anxieties

  • Worrying about the future or the past

  • Worrying about failure

  • Worrying about life choices

  • Worrying about the judgment of others

  • Worrying about health

Common Unhealthy Coping Skills

  • Ignoring the anxiety

  • Avoiding things that may cause the anxiety 

  • Asking for reassurance from others

  • Constantly asking for others’ opinions 

  • Excessive apologizing 

  • Excessive sleeping or no sleeping

  • Ruminating

 
Paint brush with yellow paint
 

Related Anxiety Disorders

Many individuals pick their skin or want their body to look a certain way. However when these things are combined with anxiety, it can turn into a bigger problem.

You can determine if it is an issue by asking yourself how much distress is involved.

The descriptions below are not comprehensive, but a brief overview.

 
 

Hair Pulling

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  • Previously called Trichotillamania
  • Pulling hair from any region of the body or other people’s bodies
  • Usually desires to pull intensify when stressed

Skin Picking

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  • Previously called Dermatillomania
  • Picking at skin or picking at items
  • Wanting skin to look perfect
  • Preoccupation with skin smoothness

Body Image Issues

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  • Worrying about a certain aspect of your appearance
  • Feeling it doesn’t look the way it “should”
  • Desiring to look at your body in the mirror more than is necessary
  • Excessive changing of the body through exercise, diet, or plastic surgery
 

Social Anxiety

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  • Also called Social Phobia
  • High levels of worry about the judgment of others
  • Replaying situations in your head
  • Avoiding talking to others or strangers
  • Intense worry in social situations

Selective Mutism

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  • Speaking quietly or not at all in social situations
  • High levels of anxiety when away from the home or around new individuals

Separation Anxiety

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  • Intense anxiety when leaving your home or family
  • Worry something terrible will happen to your loved ones

Panic Attacks

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  • Experiencing somatic symptoms of anxiety such as increased heart rate, sweating, shakiness, racing thoughts, crying, nausea, choking feeling.