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OCD and Anxiety & How They Are Connected: Insights from an Orlando Therapist

OCD and Anxiety & How They Are Connected: Insights from an Orlando Therapist

Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC

Do you have this constant need to control your surroundings or your thoughts only to feel powerless and worn out as a result? In your daily routine, you might do the same things repeatedly to try to calm your anxiety or spend ages worrying about whether you forgot to finish, unplug, or left something undone, afraid that even the tiniest mistake could lead to a disaster.

Living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety can feel overwhelming. It can feel like intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors are often taking control of your day, your relationships, and your life. At Mindful Living Counseling, Orlando, FL, we understand how discouraging and exhausting this can be. Our anxiety therapist provides a safe environment to break free from these cycles and regain peace of mind.

Understanding the connection between OCD and anxiety is the first step toward finding relief. As an Orlando Therapist, I will guide you in understanding this connection, whether you're seeking anxiety therapy or looking to understand these challenges better.

Understanding the Link Between OCD and Anxiety

Most of the time, when someone's having intrusive or obsessive thoughts, it can be very distressing for them. They are unwanted thoughts. They feel like they are not manageable, as a person usually feels like having a lack of control over these thoughts coming in. Feeling like this can be very anxiety-provoking and distressing. These obsessive thoughts fuel anxiety, causing compulsive behaviors that provide temporary relief but reinforce the anxiety over time. So, it feels like being stuck in an endless loop, and anxiety is a big part of it. While other emotions may be involved, anxiety is a crucial feeling that comes with OCD.

You may, for example, become anxious when you cannot carry out repetitive behaviors and rituals, like checking that the appliances are unplugged before leaving the house, washing your hands repeatedly after touching certain objects, and counting or rehearsing phrases to prevent something terrible from happening. The fear that something will go wrong or that things are out of control when you're interrupted or prevented from repeating these actions can lead to intense distress.

Common Symptoms of OCD and Anxiety

Do you often experience a rapid heartbeat, sweating, difficulty sleeping, and other physical symptoms that keep your mind in overdrive, making it challenging to focus, relax, and enjoy life? If you have OCD and anxiety, you know very well how both can leave you feeling restless, unable to concentrate, and physically on edge.

Both conditions can lead you to avoid certain settings or people that stress you out, like social gatherings, or things that trigger your obsessions, such as touching doorknobs to avoid contamination fears. These symptoms can seriously affect your daily life, making simple tasks, commitments, and interactions overwhelming and exhausting.

OCD and Anxiety Disorders as Distinct Mental Health Conditions

Although OCD often involves high levels of anxiety, it is no longer classified as an anxiety disorder. The most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) classifies obsessive-compulsive disorder as a separate mental health condition.

OCD vs. Anxiety Disorders: How Do They Differ?

The key difference between OCD and general anxiety is in the thoughts behind the worry. In anxiety disorders, people may experience recurring thoughts, avoid certain situations, and frequently seek reassurance. Still, these thoughts are typically focused on real-life concerns. For example, individuals with social anxiety disorder fear social situations, and their avoidance or reassurance-seeking is aimed at reducing that specific social fear. In contrast, OCD obsessions often involve strange or irrational thinking that doesn't usually relate to real-life problems. Furthermore, OCD commonly includes compulsive behaviors connected to these obsessions. It is possible, however, to have OCD as well as anxiety disorder.

Treatment for OCD and Anxiety

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the go-to therapy when it comes to treating anxiety and OCD. Under the guidance of a CBT therapist, you learn to identify and challenge negative thought patterns and behaviors that fuel your anxiety or perpetuate the obsessive-compulsive cycle.

An essential technique within CBT for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). This approach involves gradually exposing yourself to the source of your anxiety without engaging in compulsions, helping retrain your brain to understand the irrationality of your obsessions. In therapy, through repeated exposure, you'll learn to handle anxiety without relying on compulsions, using mindfulness, breathing exercises, and other coping strategies to manage distress.

Anxiety therapy often incorporates mindfulness techniques, teaching you to stay present and grounded so that you can manage overwhelming thoughts in a healthier way. At Mindful Living Counseling, Orlando, we specialize in guided meditations for anxiety, helping our clients regain control over their lives.

The Mind-Body Approach to Anxiety at Mindful Living Counseling

Beyond traditional talk therapies, at Mindful Living Counseling, Orlando, FL, we take a holistic approach, focusing on the mind-body connection through methods like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. Using these techniques, we address the root causes of your anxiety instead of simply managing symptoms. Ultimately, our goal is to help you feel empowered and more centered.

Medications

In addition to therapy, some people may benefit from medication, such as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), which can help reduce symptoms by balancing brain chemicals that affect mood and anxiety.

Breaking the Cycle of OCD and Anxiety: How Orlando Therapist Can Help You Find Lasting Relief

If you're feeling overwhelmed by OCD or anxiety, seeking professional support is the first step toward long-term relief. Working with a licensed therapist who specializes in OCD and anxiety can make a huge difference in how you manage these challenges. A therapist can guide you through personalized strategies tailored to your specific needs.

How Can Anxiety Therapy Orlando?

Contact us today to learn how we can help you break free from the cycle of anxiety and compulsions, allowing you to live a more peaceful, balanced life.

  1. Fill out our New Client Consultation Form

  2. Schedule a consultation call with one of our anxiety therapists.

  3. Begin your healing journey!

Additional Anxiety Therapy Orlando Resources

OCD and Its Impact on Daily Life

A Guide to Understanding and Overcoming OCD

An Anxiety Therapist Shares Everything You Need to Know About Anxiety

6 Anxiety-Friendly Activities to Do in Downtown Orlando

Anxiety Therapist Shares The Impact of Stress and Trauma on Our Reactions

Orlando Therapist: Understanding Therapy Jargon

Other Therapy Services Offered at Mindful Living Counseling in Orlando

Our team is dedicated to helping you overcome the challenges you face. We provide various therapeutic services, including Anxiety Therapy, Relationship Therapy, Trauma Therapy, EMDR Therapy, Toxic Relationships Therapy, Teen Counseling Therapy, and Guided Meditations.

About Anxiety Therapist: Lauran Hahn

Lauran Hahn, LMHC, is a therapist in Downtown Orlando who focuses on working with individuals with trauma and recovering from toxic relationships. As a Certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapist and an EMDRIA Approved Consultant providing EMDR intensives, Lauran is committed to helping her clients achieve a sense of peace within their bodies, clarity in their thinking, and positive relationships with others.