OCD & Anxiety Center of Cleveland

09/06/2023

https://ocdandanxietycenterofcleveland.com/anxietyblog/2023/8/11/accepting-my-ocd-obsessions-wf34r
Check out our latest blog post on what it really means to "Accept my Obsessions"

In order to overcome my OCD, do I have to accept that my worst fears are going to come true? Heck no! Read on for more...

09/13/2021

Without anxiety, there is no exposure and there is no progress. Anxiety is unpleasant, sometimes really really really unpleasant--but it's not dangerous. It may have been your tormentor before, but it will be your ally in moving forward. So let's welcome it to the party.

When anxiety shows up, I always ask: how you doin'? We do this by noticing the intensity (often rating on a scale). We observe exactly what it feels like in the body and are careful to look for tiny moment to moment fluctuations. We observe our urges. We let anxiety hang out as long as it wants, afterall--we need it here! Eventually anxiety gets bored and moves on. Bye anxiety--we hate to see you leave, but we love to watch you walk away.

08/27/2021

Heck yeah! This song by Third Eye Blind is about facing fears after a trauma. But it applies to all of our brave clients who show up week after week to face their fears. It's time for our OCD and our fears and doubts to be afraid of us! We are more powerful then we know. We can stand up and walk right towards them and watch them back down.

Bullies don't always back down right away, in fact they tend to threaten us even more when we stand up to them. They threaten because that's all they've got: threats. Let's see if their bite is really as bad as their bark!

08/25/2021

When we encounter fear, let's all follow the advice of Against Me! The automatic response of avoidance almost never takes us towards the things that are important to us.

When we seek to avoid uncertainty and fear, we end up avoiding all the things in life that matter most. As one of my clients put it, "the cost of absolute certainty is just too high." Pursuing certainty is like trying to fill a bucket with a giant hole in the bottom. You'll spend your whole life trying and never get anywhere. So instead, let's use that amazing energy and commitment to pursue things that matter.

It's a catchy song. Check it out and see if you can hear the lyrics in your head the next time fear shows up and tries to persuade you to run away.