Comments on: Reassurance Seeking in OCD and Related Conditions http://www.ocdla.com/blog/reassurance-seeking-ocd-anxiety-597 OCD and Anxiety News Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:09:16 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Sileh http://www.ocdla.com/blog/reassurance-seeking-ocd-anxiety-597#comment-370 Sileh Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:04:29 +0000 http://www.ocdla.com/blog/?p=597#comment-370 Hi everyone That was a very good article, I am still a student, but with reading post, and reading articles like this I will have quiet a reinforcement of knowledge as part of my educational experience. I have learned a lot from reading all the feedback. This is the week of my finals and we are discussing mental illnesses and the therapy's that are best suited. Hi everyone

That was a very good article, I am still a student, but with reading post, and reading articles like this I will have quiet a reinforcement of knowledge as part of my educational experience. I have learned a lot from reading all the feedback. This is the week of my finals and we are discussing mental illnesses and the therapy’s that are best suited.

]]> By: OCD Center of Los Angeles http://www.ocdla.com/blog/reassurance-seeking-ocd-anxiety-597#comment-346 OCD Center of Los Angeles Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:33:57 +0000 http://www.ocdla.com/blog/?p=597#comment-346 Hi Anna, Thank you for your insights, especially how too much reassurance can be addictive and counterproductive for those trying to move beyond a spouse's affair. I hadn't thought of applying these principles to that type of situation, but I think you are right on target. Hi Anna,

Thank you for your insights, especially how too much reassurance can be addictive and counterproductive for those trying to move beyond a spouse’s affair. I hadn’t thought of applying these principles to that type of situation, but I think you are right on target.

]]> By: OCD Center of Los Angeles http://www.ocdla.com/blog/reassurance-seeking-ocd-anxiety-597#comment-345 OCD Center of Los Angeles Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:30:51 +0000 http://www.ocdla.com/blog/?p=597#comment-345 Hi Carolyn, Thank you for your comments, especially about <em>"distress tolerance"</em> and <em>"mindfulness"</em>. My experience has been that these and other <em>"third wave"</em> CBT concepts are extraordinarily helpful for clients learning to reframe their thoughts / feelings as being tolerable. Hi Carolyn,

Thank you for your comments, especially about “distress tolerance” and “mindfulness”. My experience has been that these and other “third wave” CBT concepts are extraordinarily helpful for clients learning to reframe their thoughts / feelings as being tolerable.

]]> By: OCD Center of Los Angeles http://www.ocdla.com/blog/reassurance-seeking-ocd-anxiety-597#comment-344 OCD Center of Los Angeles Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:26:36 +0000 http://www.ocdla.com/blog/?p=597#comment-344 Hi Christian, Thanks for your insights. Assignments that help the client develop the ability to resist the urge to seek reassurance (or any compulsive urge) are critical in managing OCD symptoms. We frequently give assignments along these lines not just to the client, but to family members who have been accommodating the OCD by providing reassurance. Hi Christian,

Thanks for your insights.

Assignments that help the client develop the ability to resist the urge to seek reassurance (or any compulsive urge) are critical in managing OCD symptoms. We frequently give assignments along these lines not just to the client, but to family members who have been accommodating the OCD by providing reassurance.

]]> By: OCD Center of Los Angeles http://www.ocdla.com/blog/reassurance-seeking-ocd-anxiety-597#comment-343 OCD Center of Los Angeles Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:19:20 +0000 http://www.ocdla.com/blog/?p=597#comment-343 Hi Shannon, Thank you for your comments. Your note on "externalizing discourse" reminds me of Jeffrey Schwartz' book <em>"Brain Lock"</em> - specifically his suggestion that those with OCD consciously state to themselves "that's not me, it's the OCD". It also reminds me of Steven Hayes' ACT approach in which one is advised to accept unwanted thoughts and feelings, but to not base actions upon them. Hi Shannon,

Thank you for your comments.

Your note on “externalizing discourse” reminds me of Jeffrey Schwartz’ book “Brain Lock” – specifically his suggestion that those with OCD consciously state to themselves “that’s not me, it’s the OCD”. It also reminds me of Steven Hayes’ ACT approach in which one is advised to accept unwanted thoughts and feelings, but to not base actions upon them.

]]> By: Anna Larsen, MS, ALMFT http://www.ocdla.com/blog/reassurance-seeking-ocd-anxiety-597#comment-338 Anna Larsen, MS, ALMFT Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:37:53 +0000 http://www.ocdla.com/blog/?p=597#comment-338 Thank you for a thought provoking article. In my work with couples who are rebuilding trust and intimacy after an affair, I typically give permission to the betrayed spouse to ask for reassurance from the spouse who had the affair when insecurity or suspicious thoughts arise. This article is a good reminder that reassurance can become addictive and counter productive at a certain point and that it needs to be balanced with the goal of increased tolerance of uncertainty (i.e. "I'll never feel 100% certain that my spouse won't cheat again, but I've made a decision that the joy my relationship brings to me is worth the risk"). Thank you for a thought provoking article. In my work with couples who are rebuilding trust and intimacy after an affair, I typically give permission to the betrayed spouse to ask for reassurance from the spouse who had the affair when insecurity or suspicious thoughts arise. This article is a good reminder that reassurance can become addictive and counter productive at a certain point and that it needs to be balanced with the goal of increased tolerance of uncertainty (i.e. “I’ll never feel 100% certain that my spouse won’t cheat again, but I’ve made a decision that the joy my relationship brings to me is worth the risk”).

]]> By: Carolyn Nowakowski, Psy.D. http://www.ocdla.com/blog/reassurance-seeking-ocd-anxiety-597#comment-325 Carolyn Nowakowski, Psy.D. Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:58:25 +0000 http://www.ocdla.com/blog/?p=597#comment-325 Thank you for this concise and useful article on reassurance seeking. The pull for the immediate gratification of relief is strong, but as you say, the relief is short-lived. In my work with people with anxiety disorders, I focus on the short and long term gains of any behaviors employed, and certainly try to help my clients focus on the long-term gains of distress tolerance. The mindfulness concepts have proved quite helpful. Thanks again! Thank you for this concise and useful article on reassurance seeking. The pull for the immediate gratification of relief is strong, but as you say, the relief is short-lived. In my work with people with anxiety disorders, I focus on the short and long term gains of any behaviors employed, and certainly try to help my clients focus on the long-term gains of distress tolerance. The mindfulness concepts have proved quite helpful. Thanks again!

]]> By: Christian Jansen-Yee, PsyD http://www.ocdla.com/blog/reassurance-seeking-ocd-anxiety-597#comment-322 Christian Jansen-Yee, PsyD Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:26:52 +0000 http://www.ocdla.com/blog/?p=597#comment-322 An excellent article on reassurance seeking in OCD and anxiety spectrum disorders. I, too, enjoy working with OCD sufferers and frequently give homework assignments around resisting the urge to seek reassurance, or enlist spouses to understand the importance of not giving reassurance. Keep up the great work. An excellent article on reassurance seeking in OCD and anxiety spectrum disorders. I, too, enjoy working with OCD sufferers and frequently give homework assignments around resisting the urge to seek reassurance, or enlist spouses to understand the importance of not giving reassurance. Keep up the great work.

]]> By: Shannon Armitage http://www.ocdla.com/blog/reassurance-seeking-ocd-anxiety-597#comment-321 Shannon Armitage Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:41:44 +0000 http://www.ocdla.com/blog/?p=597#comment-321 Great article, Jon. Thanks for the definition of cyberchondria. I hadn't heard that one before, but it fits the description perfectly. One thing that I've found useful in working with clients affected by OCD is to engage in an externalizing discourse about the problem. As in, "Is it OCD (or perfectionism, or whatever the preferred identification of the problem is) that wants me to check, or do I want to check?" In this way, we can see the problem at a distance where we can understand the extent of its influence, and the instances where the client has mastery over that influence. Thanks for some interesting reading. Great article, Jon. Thanks for the definition of cyberchondria. I hadn’t heard that one before, but it fits the description perfectly.

One thing that I’ve found useful in working with clients affected by OCD is to engage in an externalizing discourse about the problem. As in, “Is it OCD (or perfectionism, or whatever the preferred identification of the problem is) that wants me to check, or do I want to check?” In this way, we can see the problem at a distance where we can understand the extent of its influence, and the instances where the client has mastery over that influence.

Thanks for some interesting reading.

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