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Light On Anxiety Expert Perspectives: LOA in the News

OCD and “Checking” our Emotions–Intrusive Thoughts

By Debra Kissen

Learn about managing intrusive thoughts and emotional responses to those thoughts.

Intrusive thoughts and OCD

Often, intrusive thoughts and OCD can go hand-in-hand. One may use repeated behavior and compulsions to deal with and manage their intrusive thoughts. Treatment for OCD and intrusive thoughts can help you move past distressing thoughts and work towards being more present.

ERP for intrusive thoughts

Light On Anxiety offers Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy as an action-oriented treatment approach to OCD, intrusive or ego-dystonic thoughts, and other anxiety-related conditions.

When does managing your emotional responses turn into its own compulsion?

This following article does a nice job in outlining how mental checking can manifest in nuanced ways and in the form of managing emotions. While managing emotions is vital for healthy functioning, it is helpful to cultivate an awareness for when emotional management in itself is a compulsion.

Remember (and as the article states): “feelings are not meant to measure our faith or our true character.  They are as fickle as the weather, and they will not flourish in the way they are meant to when we try to scrutinize or force them. Doing so blunts and blocks them.” Read more from IntrusiveThoughts.org.


Connect with a care manager at Light On Anxiety

Get support for managing OCD and intrusive thoughts.

Our team of dedicated care managers is passionate about getting to know you as a person and understanding your unique life journey. Through that process, we work together to form the best methods for you to be able to manage intrusive thoughts and OCD in a healthy way.

Dr. Debra Kissen is CEO of Light On Anxiety CBT Treatment Center. Dr. Kissen specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)...

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