In OCD, intrusive and obsessive thoughts can feel overwhelming and all-consuming. They often trigger a cycle of anxiety and compulsive behavior aimed at alleviating that discomfort. However, when we respond to these thoughts with fear, anxiety, or avoidance, we reinforce the idea that they hold significant power over us. This reaction tells our brains, “Thanks for keeping me safe, we’d better watch out for this,” leading to an escalation of obsessive thoughts and compulsions. Conversely, treating these thoughts with less gravity - like the students confronting boggarts - we can send a message to our brains that these fears are not as significant as they may seem.
All tagged anxiety
As we witness increasingly severe weather patterns, rising temperatures, and devastating environmental impacts, many of us are grappling with a new kind of anxiety: climate anxiety. This term describes the feelings of fear, helplessness, and overwhelm related to the climate crisis. It's a form of distress that acknowledges the profound emotional toll of witnessing and experiencing the effects of climate change. If you’re feeling this way, you’re not alone. Here’s a small guide to understanding and managing the large issue of climate anxiety, while also finding hope and resilience in these challenging times.
Stress and the stress response is a built in safety alarm system. It is not inherently bad. It can be a good thing to find motivation in a deadline, or be encouraged to fight for something we believe in, etc. However, too much of a good thing can also result in something negative and that is especially true with stress.