Germs: Fear of the Invisible Threat
Chicago Counseling Center
by Martin Prete
3y ago
First encounters At an early age, I remember the adults in my life teaching and modelling appropriate hygienic behavior. Now I can’t say I remember potty training, but the concept of washing hands was something hygienic that was repeated by my teachers, parents, grandparents, and friends in my class. We need to use soap to kill off the germs they would say, although I remember my grandpa telling me soap helps the germs slide off your hands. I can’t say if he said that to help me better conceptualize it as a young child or if he was misinformed himself, but the importance of the washing hands w ..read more
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Anxiety vs. Panic attack: When We Turn Against Ourselves
Chicago Counseling Center
by Martin Prete
3y ago
Understanding the difference between anxiety vs. panic attack can make a big difference in how you approach your mental health or that of someone who is experience one or both of these. The following article covers the differences and why they happen.   The Experience of Anxiety Anxiety while functional, can be rather uncomfortable. In our physical bodies, we may experience shortness of breath, increased sweating, a rapid heart rate, and even feelings of dizziness or nausea. This experience can be so overwhelming for some that the initial factors which contributed to the anxiety can be ..read more
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The Nature of Intrusive Thoughts
Chicago Counseling Center
by Carolyn Moriarty
3y ago
As human beings we experience thousands of thoughts a day. Some are intentional, such as when we are planning for something or trying to remember something, and some are unintentional, such as a worry about something going wrong or a memory of someone being triggered by something. Thoughts can also be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, though most often they are experienced as either pleasant or unpleasant. When a thought is unintentional or spontaneous and experienced as unpleasant or unwanted, it is considered an intrusive thought. Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts, images, or urges t ..read more
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OCD Medication
Chicago Counseling Center
by Carolyn Moriarty
3y ago
Considering taking medication for your OCD? Here is a guide to give you all the information to make an informed choice.   What is OCD? Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is generally understood as the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions, although the two are often found together. Obsessions can be in the form of thoughts, urges, or images and are persistent in nature. They are experienced as intrusive and unwanted, meaning the person does not find any enjoyment in these obsessions. The person will try to ignore or subdue these obsessions, which usually takes form through compulsion ..read more
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OCD Mood Swings
Chicago Counseling Center
by Josh Kaplan
3y ago
Until the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was classified as an anxiety disorder. Many still consider anxiety to be the defining feature of the disorder, by which obsessions cause anxiety and compulsions alleviate those feelings associated with anxiety.     What is OCD? And how can it affect moods? The defining feature of OCD is discomfort with uncertainty. Obsessions, or recurrent unwanted thoughts, images, or impulses, often trigger doubt or uncertainty, which is very uncomfortable and distressing to ..read more
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Existential OCD
Chicago Counseling Center
by Carolyn Moriarty
3y ago
In the post below, you will learn more about what obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is and how it is characterized. This post will focus specifically on “existential OCD”, just one of the many unique subtypes of the disorder. Read on to learn about what it means to have existential OCD, common symptoms and treatment options.    What is OCD?   Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by the presence of obsessions and compulsions.    Obsessions are thoughts, ideas or images that are unwelcome, upsetting and recurrent.  &nbs ..read more
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“You treat perfectionism? What does that even mean?”
Chicago Counseling Center
by ccc_dev
3y ago
By Taylor Newendorp, LCPC I received this question a few years ago when I started advertising the fact that I address the issue of perfectionism in my clinical practice. While it may still be a widely-held belief that striving for perfection is a positive thing, it can, in fact, become an incredibly detrimental problem in someone’s life. The problem with perfectionism is that, to the perfectionist, no matter how well he or she does at something or how much success that person achieves in life, it still never feels good enough. Therefore this ongoing need to always do better ultimately leads to ..read more
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Let’s Talk About Seasonal Affective Disorder
Chicago Counseling Center
by ccc_dev
3y ago
  September 22nd marked the beginning of Fall, although its effects may have been felt prematurely as the days rapidly transitioned into nights. With shorter days, longer nights, and mornings that are accompanied with crisp puffs of air, people are trading in their flip flops for insulated footwear. Some are elated by the changing of leaves and dropping temperatures that follow shortly after. But not everyone shares in this elation. Many others witness the dying leaves, dark days and cold air with a sense of grim distress.  Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), characterized as a depres ..read more
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The Struggle for Self-Compassion
Chicago Counseling Center
by ccc_dev
3y ago
Is self-compassion good or bad? If asked this question, most people would agree that self-compassion is a positive thing. It’s also likely that the majority of those people have spent their lives cultivating a harsh inner self-critic and readily indulge thoughts such as “I made such a stupid mistake, people must think I’m an idiot” or “I’m not a good parent/friend/partner/employee…why is it so hard for me to just get it together?” So what causes the discrepancy between our belief about self-compassion and our resistance to practicing it? Even though they know that it make ..read more
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Reflecting on Suicide Prevention Month
Chicago Counseling Center
by ccc_dev
3y ago
  Suicide. The word itself elicits a nearly visceral reaction. The topic is often one to be avoided and never appropriate for polite dinner conversation. Yet, September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and as such, we would be remiss not to have an open dialogue about a very real, very dire phenomena in the United States and around the world. According to The World Health Organization, nearly 800,000 individuals take their lives every year. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention estimates that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death for individuals living in the United Sta ..read more
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