People with OCD have unwanted recurring thoughts that lead to repetitive behaviors. They are not just quirky or eccentric. They are suffering from a highly upsetting condition that triggers a great deal of anxiety and can be time-consuming in its behaviors. At the beginning of the pandemic, people with OCD often felt worse as they feared there were germs everywhere. Others found that their taboo thoughts about sexuality or religion increased. Those with rituals of counting or checking may … [Read more...]
Stuck in My Anxiety
June 28, 2021 By
Many people are still struggling with the anxiety that began for them with the onset of the COVICD 19 pandemic. Even though the pandemic is under much better control, masks are no longer required everywhere, and people are returning to work in person, for some folks their anxiety is lingering like an unwanted guest. Like a COVID-induced PTSD. Like a cloak of worry that won’t go away. It is hard to get back in the swing of commuting, sitting in an office, and being around a lot of people? It … [Read more...]
Breaking Through the Pandemic Blues
April 23, 2021 By
So you handled the past year pretty well. You were able to work virtually, you talked to your friends online, and you found satisfaction in things like baking, reading, and listening to virtual concerts. You even felt that you had turned a corner as the weather began to improve, and then – WHAM! – you suddenly didn’t care if you got things done. You slept more than you should, and let the bills go unpaid. You stopped returning phone calls from friends, and couldn’t concentrate enough to read a … [Read more...]
Delayed Grief
April 19, 2021 By
Recently I read an article in the New York Times by Nicole Johnson called” My Mother Died When I was 7. I’m Grieving 37 Years Later (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/17/well/family/delayed-grief.html ) it took me back to an experience I had many years ago. I was engaged to get married and was observing the death of my father by lighting a memorial candle. Suddenly, I was overcome with sadness and tears and felt overwhelmed with the thought that my father would never know my wonderful … [Read more...]
Getting Through the Winter & Holiday Blues
December 26, 2020 By
As we get closer to Christmas, with the days shorter, darker and colder, many people feel anxious or blue. With the COVID pandemic imposing a layer of isolation on top of those feelings, the experience of being down or lonely can turn into depression. While there is no cure-all for feelings of sadness and a sense of loss, there are things that you can do to hang on to some emotional balance during this difficult season. Watch what you eat. Enjoy the foods that you … [Read more...]