11/03/2025
Have you ever found yourself worrying about something that you cannot control? How about checking something more than once? Many of the behaviors we engage in while we’re feeling anxious are attempts to control events, situations, or even other people. We believe that if only we check the stove one more time, or think through this issue for the hundredth time, we can keep something bad from happening. Not only do these attempts to control not work, they function to maintain anxiety over time, and can significantly impact quality of life.
In your immediate circle is what you can control, your behaviors and your reactions to the people and events around you. Everything outside of that circle is beyond your control.
A licensed mental health provider with expertise in CBT for OCD, anxiety, and related disorders can help you learn to control what you can, and let go of attempts at control that serve to increase anxiety.