Man, don’t you adore OCD?

here’s my OCD brain’s thought process for this particular obsession: I got an X-ray while I had one of my blankets (A) over me. I take the blanket (A) home and wash it with blanket B. I use blanket B but I feel a burning sensation when I use it- ah, it must be radiation! (Genius, I know, Sherlock would be so jealous)

So the bed and the blankets and the washer and the dryer must have radiation from when blanket A was in an X-ray machine!!! Mind you, that is not how that kind of radiation works. It passes through objects and cannot irradiate things. But of course my OCD knows better than me, and that lovely “what if” phrase of “what if it somehow IS covered in radiation?”

I avoid using the washer and dryer and I put the blankets in a sealed container and avoid them too. Great plan, super smart, except obviously I eventually run out of clothes to wear. So I force myself to wash my clothes. Now I thought I was brave enough to force myself to wear them, but it seems I am not. I now think basically all my clothes have radiation.

ERP is great and all when I can kinda reason with myself, when something is clearly not on the clothes. But radiation is invisible to the human eye. I quite literally wouldn’t know if it was there or not, unless I got a Geiger counter. But that’s insane, I’m not buying a Geiger counter just for my OCD to be soothed, plus my OCD says the Geiger counter must also have a dangerous material inside of it (you get the point, this is so tiring.)

But hey, I’m using my bed! I’m sleeping in it and eventually decided it’s not radioactive. But I’m so so scared of basically all my clothes. I really don’t know how to tackle this one without panicking

I figure I should use Exposure Response Prevention for the clothes, but I don’t know how to do it without biting off more than I can chew (kinda already did by washing all of it in the “contaminated” washer and dryer)I’ve done ERP when it’s something I get a lil scared about but can move on in an hour or two after doing it, but it took me two weeks to be ok with my bed again. I don’t know why this obsession is so much more intense than normal (maybe because it’s not visible?)

TL;DR: contamination OCD about radiation in my clothes and I don’t know how to do ERP therapy without having a nervous breakdown

I just have mommy issues and I want to tell my therapist about how often I think of my teacher

I want to get her advice in the fact that I’m flirting with/talking to her daughter to make her like me more

Been married for 6 months and have noticed few patterns with my husband. He lies and by lies i mean a lot. He has a lot of mood swings also. He gets angry really fast and is rigid about his lifestyle. He did not have a stable childhood as his parents are in bad marriage.

Talking about lies there is a pattern with him… I had asked him before marriage if he smokes and he said no and then one day he said he does but occasionally, this was before marriage and then after marriage one day he tells me he was addicted to smoking and used to smoke 5-6 cigarettes everyday and then he stopped everything exactly around the time we started talking. Similar ways all of his stories start like this and each time he tells me those stories he will add an additional details. It’s not like he has a bad memory or anything. He remembers every thing detail.

This lying is part of his personality. Now this is a pattern and i am not sure how to deal with it.

Seeking advice on a career change

I am 22F and graduated from college in May with a degree in Public Policy. I currently work at a law firm as an assistant to a team of corporate attorneys. The job is designed for individuals with an interest in law school, and that was my intention when I took the job. But as I’ve learned more about corporate law, I have found the work I do completely unfulfilling. I know there are other more meaningful career paths to take as a lawyer, but I also value work-life balance, and that’s difficult to attain in any legal field. I also value my mental health and have struggled with depression in the past, and I know lawyers have high rates of depression, so I’m also wary of that.

Anyway, I started seeing a new therapist a couple of months ago, and she has absolutely changed my life. She is the most caring therapist I’ve ever had, and I feel motivated and like I have the tools to actually work through my issues. The other day, I realized that this is the sort of thing I want to do for someone else. I have always been a deeply compassionate and empathetic person, and my own personal struggles with mental health have inspired me to consider becoming a therapist.

So, I suppose I’m seeking advice on this transition. Obviously I know I’m very young, and this may not even be considered a career switch seeing as I’ve barely started in my first career, but I am scared and unsure of how to go about pursuing a career in therapy. Are there any reasons I shouldn’t go through with this? What do I need to know before starting down this path? Any advice or tips on how to do this? Thank you for any and all responses!!

I’ve been thinking about becoming a social worker therapist that helps individuals that have experienced psychosis and rehabilitation including for incarcerated individuals

there are some state schools that offer both the MSW/JD route but this would allow me to truly focus on the intersection between mental health, trauma, and law

I would be an older student, but I don’t have a career and I’m looking to make changes

Is this possible?

I've recently discovered about 4 months ish ago that I just don't feel the vibes anymore this is insanely strange as I was a person that felt vibes about everything and anything, I remmeber finishing breaking bad in late August being really happy and having my last feel and grasp of vibes but now it's all gone.... I don't have any vibes when I think of places I used to dream and imagine about before I just have don't care at all tbh it's really terrible and it sucks as I just want those feelings back but there's no way I can do it. Please someone help me with this nightmare.

I’m making my coworkers crochet beanies and mittens for the winter. Would it be inappropriate to make a set for my therapist and mail them to her? We meet virtually but she has a private practice address that she’s shared.

I used to see my T twice a week, then we had to decrease to once a week because that's her agency's rules which was fine at the time. Recently things have been pretty tough, I asked to go back to twice a week and was told no due to the rules. I do understand and i dont blame my T but at the same time how do I not feel like im too broken? If my insurance was paying then what is the issue? It's not scheduling because I can self schedule and see what's open. I really really like my T and I want to continue to see her, I will not start over with someone else, I would rather quit therapy then do that. I feel hopeless and kinda like what's the point in doing all this? Like they couldn't fix me when we were doing twice a week what's once a week going to do? And I know we're going to have to talk about this next session but i don't know how without sounding selfish and unreasonable. What's the point in expressing I'm upset about it if it's doesn't change anything? I rather her just terminate me now instead of getting any closer. It feels like we got too close and someone told her she had to take a step back. Like if I get in a really really bad place a can't get an extra session?

I have a insurance company that sucks with mental health so I don't have many other options at this time without a long wait list.

Looking for any advice, suggestions to stop the spiral.

NAT. Not sure how to word the question. I often try to communicate with honesty and some level of trust that people won’t react by arguing or criticizing. But it’s not working out. I have only one friend left who I really trust to treat me well, almost all of my friends have stopped talking to me, several of my family members have had periods of months or longer when they decide to reduce time with me, and online strangers sometimes speak harshly to me. I think I have difficulty with respecting myself at the same time as I respect what other people want me to do or say or not do or not say. I often have to choose respecting one or respecting the other. How do I know if I’m doing something unethical or incorrect or if people’s expectations are just too extreme for the average person to meet? Or if the expectation is fair but when I don’t meet it, the consequence is extreme to a degree that would be unhealthy for most people?

please do be gentle with your answers. i got accused of disrespecting some people again today when really I was praying that what I said wasn’t disrespectful and it’s really damaging my self-esteem convincing me that I am disrespectful.

I've seen advice online suggesting that grieving is the way to heal, but it's easier said than done. What other evidence based tool helped your clients? Does anyone have insights or advice on how to move forward? It's incredibly difficult to come to terms with not being loved by your biological parents.

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Hello everyone,

I’m currently pursuing my Master’s Degree in Art Therapy & Counseling, which qualifies me for Professional Clinical Counselor licensure in the US. Some states also allow therapists to diagnose patients, depending on the licensure and regulations.

As a dual citizen of both the US and an EU country, I’ve noticed some interesting differences in how mental health professionals are classified and regulated in the EU vs the US. In the US, therapist, psychologist, and psychotherapist are distinct categories, each representing three different levels of expertise and scope of practice. However, in many European countries, these roles are not as clearly separated. Psychologists, for example, are the only ones who can practice therapy, without necessarily needing additional qualifications beyond a BA or MA (depending on the country). Pursuing a PhD is often reserved for those looking to enter academia or advanced research. While psychiatrist are the only one who can make diagnoses and prescribe medication.

What I find particularly interesting is that, in the US, psychologists are generally seen as more knowledgeable and equipped to handle more serious cases since they have a PhD, while in the EU, the requirements for becoming a psychologist seem to be lower, and the role of therapist is not as clearly distinguished from other types of mental health providers. This made me wonder how this discrepancy affects the overall quality and accessibility of mental health care in both regions.

I’m curious to hear your thoughts on which approach do you think is more effective in terms of training, licensing, and providing quality mental health care? How does the difference in education and certification impact therapy practices in both regions? Should therapist, psychologist and psychiatrist be distinct categories?

Where does everyone go to stay informed about the latest news regarding therapy/counseling/psychology?

Hi! I’m NAT, but I hope to be one day. I’m going into a social work graduate program next fall and then getting on track to receive my LCSW. I’m thinking about specializing in adolescents and wanted some book recommendations on what therapy with adolescents is like and the ways to deal with difficult situations that will arise i.e. aggression, them not wanting to participate, not understanding emotional concepts, etc. Thank you!

I have a friend (female) I’ve known for 20 years, and I’ve had a crush on her for most of that time. We’ve been intimate on and off over the years, but it never has stuck for various reasons. She’s amazing—we have so much in common, and we almost always have a great time together. For years, I wanted to date her, but I’ve recently accepted that we probably wouldn’t work as a couple.

We’ve had a friends-with-benefits arrangement in the past, and it’s usually been great—especially the last time we tried it. The problem is, I seem to give her anxiety. She doesn’t know why, and I don’t either, but it’s there. I have no idea how to address it or if it’s even something that can be fixed.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation? How did it work out? Do you have any ideas about what might be causing her anxiety? I’d like to talk with her about it and try to pinpoint the problem, but I don’t know where to start.

I also need advice on what to do in general. I can’t stop sexualizing her, and it’s really messing with my head. I’ve been open with her about my feelings, but she doesn’t feel the same way. Occasionally, she’s open to a more sexual relationship, but it’s always one-sided. Honestly, I feel used most of the time.

I recently suggested giving FWB a real shot while working through our anxieties together. But now I’m pretty sure she thinks I just want sex from her—which, to be fair, I understand based on how I approached it. From my perspective, though, if we both committed to making it work and got on the same page, it might help me move past these lingering desires and emotions.

Still, this woman makes me so happy that I can’t just walk away. Lately, spending time with her is the only thing that brings me any real peace. I love our time together and would hate to lose her from my life. But I’m not sure I can maintain a friendship with her because of these unresolved feelings.

I feel stuck. I know I should probably let go, but I just can’t. Her attention feels like a drug to me. She’s my favorite person, and it hurts to know I’m not hers, and I'm tired of not feeling good enough.

Any advice on this would mean a lot.

I'm in general therapy for my C-PTSD and related disorders but I've noticed my therapist doesn't pursue self harming behaviours with me that much, particularly anorexia symptoms which im struggling a lot with at the moment. I would prefer he would direct the conversations about that a bit more because when I have tried to bring it up in the past it never seemed to go anywhere and it makes me feel like it's not all that concerning because he doesn't seem all that concerned about it.

I know I need to talk about this with him, but I wanted to ask first here is this normal? Is it a case where he doesn't feel qualified to go into it in more depth because he's not a specifically ED therapist, and would rather focus on the root cause (the CPTSD)? Would me talking to him about this be fruitless?

I'm UK based in private therapy also for added context so insurance related answers don't apply :)

TW: Abuse

At a young age, I experienced abuse. One of my abusers is still alive and actively engaged with my family. I try really hard to avoid them and don't go to family functions where I know they'll be present. However, on two occasions in the last year, we've been alone together.

Both times I froze as they took me back emotionally and physically to a place I didn't want to go. Eventually, my mind and body caught up to one another and I just went with it all--I just let it happen. I genuinely can't explain what happened.

I have no idea how to talk about this. I'm 26F and have been engaged in therapy weekly for the last 4 years. I haven't talked about the abuse with my therapist and I have no idea how to, but I know I need to talk about THIS.

My mind is full of some heavy thoughts --How could I have let this happen? What threat does this person actually pose to me as a grown adult capable of self determination and self advocacy? Why did I just go with it? Why didn't I stand up for myself? Why didn't I leave when I realized they were there too?

My whole life this person told me I wanted it. What if I did? Did I actually want it? I don't think I did but why did I go with it?

Please help me understand and please help menknow how tf I'm supposed to talk about this with my therapist.

I’ve been with my therapist for two years. She is psychodynamic and uses DBT. I’ve been suicidal for years on and off but haven’t been to the hospital in a year. I’ve been feeling really suicidal lately. I don’t want to die right now but I’m in so much pain, and I don’t know if it’s “right practice” or appropriate to reach out to my therapist and ask to move our session to an earlier date if she can. She already has taken me in pro bono and I feel awful asking for more and I don’t know how to ask without scaring her in the email.

38F here, lifelong battle with what I've always been told is depression and anxiety. (Diagnosed years ago)

But after a traumatic breakup at the beginning of this year, and pulling apart my layers in despair, it dawned on me that I am severely messed up, I feel like my brain is broken, I have been miserable nearly my whole life, I'm stressed, overwhelmed, filled with anxiety, feeling like I'm suffocating, trapped, I'm angry, I have trauma, abandonment issues, failed relationships, black sheep of the family, no friends. I've obviously been aware of my mental issues my whole life, but the realization is moreso that this goes much deeper than "depression" or "anxiety", and I am trying to find help before my life crumbles completely to bits, I'm nearing that point.

In my research, I've discovered by my symptoms that I tick all the boxes of BPD, although I'm less concerned with a letter diagnosis than I am about getting help. I'm suffocating in my own day to day, minute by minute emotions, and it's literally painful.

I was put on Lexapro (which worked in the past for post partum depression) and after months I stopped because It had zero effect on the lows. Complete exhaustion. But I'm willing to try another med at this point. My real problem is my problems have been dismissed by prinary care doctors as depression/anxiety for YEARS, and I truly believe this is why I'm in my current situation, because it's just dismissed with meds and never dealing with the root of the problem.

I've researched therapists and found one that has expertise in BPD, but....

Should I see a therapist first, unmedicated? They cannot prescribe meds ("counselor/therapist=No med management)

Do I just say outright I think I have BPD or not say anything??

Or should I find a psychiatrist first before entering any kind of therapy?

Sorry this is a lot... Thank you.

I’ve recently felt disconnected from my friends as I’m struggling with how to continue a conversation or how to contribute to a group conversation. I just don’t know what to say, and watching everyone connect with ease whilst I’m just standing there is upsetting to me. Talking to people just feels unnatural.

Feeling like this, along with school studies is really hard, and my mind feels like it’s all over the place and I can’t focus. The only time I can focus is when I’m doing something I like, or when I have a set plan so I know what I need to do. I’ve had a few tests the last couple weeks, so I’ve had to study a lot, and this will continue until mid December.

I think about everything and often feel upset, but the next day I just get on with the school day. I don’t know why? Sometimes I don’t even know how I feel and it’s like my head is foggy. I’m scared about my future because it’ll just mean more responsibilities, talking to new people and having less time to myself. I don’t know if I’m being over dramatic or not, but I’ve thought about suicide and sometimes that feels almost relieving? Ive also felt scared about telling my parents. What do I even say? When they ask if I’m alright, I feel annoyed because I don’t want them to know about this, but of course I want them to know.

I've been regularly seeing my therapist every month since early 2024 and before her I saw someone else at the same practice (who was leaving and recommended I switch to my current therapist). The past month maybe I've been going twice a month and it has worked incredibly well for me. I kinda just made the appointments on my own and showed up, we didn't really talk about it and I think that's fine.

I've got issues with my family & she suggested having a session with my parent without me there. I'm completely comfortable with that and plan on having my parent go to my next appointment in 2 weeks. But, I don't want to wait an entire month to see her again? Would it be weird for my parent to go then for me to go very recently after? (assuming I can even get an appt... her schedule fills up quickly) Should I just call and ask the receptionist if it would be weird? If she's full the same week then making a second appointment could be pointless since it would end up so close to the one in a month anyways? any advice would be appreciated

I know this is a broad question but I really wanted to just get some straightforward advice from another human being rather than researching on the internet. I am 20 years old by the way.

Basically, I need to find someone that can help me with my depression, anxiety, and OCD. However, I don’t know how “bad” my trauma is and how much it plays a role in my life and on these mental illnesses. Like, is EMDR the best option for me? Talk therapy just hasn’t worked for me because it’s usually therapists that either just become somewhat of a college advisor or they tell me I am already very “self aware”. I guess I haven’t had the best experiences.

I just feel like I already know whats wrong with me and what I should be doing to fix it I just end up not doing it? I guess I want someone to help me find the “root” of it all, I can’t tell if its really just a chemical imbalance like people say or if I am the way I am because of stuff thats happened in my life. I dont know what to do!

i found out that i can’t see my therapist anymore even for online sessions because she would have to be licensed where i currently am. i moved countries recently.

the logical answer would be to suck it up and start again, but i’m sure it goes without saying that that is incredibly difficult to do. i went through 3 other therapists before finding the one i liked. she helped me understand some of the darkest parts of me and above all else helped me build a sense of safety (i was diagnosed with ptsd and depression).

quite frankly, i’m scared to start all over again. i also moved to a country with a higher cost of living, so therapy is more expensive. i know i can see her when i visit, but long term that’s unsustainable.

my partner and i are choosing to do couple’s therapy though. is a couple’s therapist enough for my individual needs? i feel like i need something outside of the context of my relationship. problems within my relationship (which we hope to address) also make me want a therapist that is my own. for context, there has been an issue in the past where he doubted my therapist’s experience and capabilities because of how i was acting despite going to therapy. this is obviously a complex issue.

My bf has been extremely bothered by his past as of late and I really want to help him better. Like any teenager, he’s looked at some stuff and he’s not proud of it at all, and he believes that it makes him a bad person and he feels really guilty about it. I keep telling him that it’s just a part of growing up, and that most teenagers have done things like that, and that it really is normal. Is there a better way to help him? It’s been bothering him so much and I don’t know how to help him. ):

To all therapist out there. What do you do when you suspect someone has severe dissociation and may be in the OSDD-DID spectrum? My therapist and the head of psychiatry both told me that after a year of being a patient and my symptoms worsening, despite having weekly sessions I need to go trough the DES, SCID-D, MID (and ptsd assessment). I’ve refused the ptsd assesment for various reasons, the most obvious one - I truly don’t know how I will react.

Anyways my question is, have you ever assessed someone with OSDD/DID (did the patient have the disorder?) , and what usually is the treatment for these disorders? I also show great signs of cptsd which makes sense, I also have “tentative EUPD”, which they’re looking to change

Could someone do a depression test on me?

So as a 20 y.o. man I've never been in a relationship. The realisation of my loneliness bothers me a lot, and i waste a lot of time thinking or trying to finding a partner. At the same time I feel like the desire for love only distracts me from the actual important things in life like succeeding in work or doing art.

Are there any psychologically proven ways for me to train myself to.. not want love, or at least to not think of it that much?

I’ve had mental health issues for my entire life, but have been mostly stable for the past few years thanks to a combo of medications and a bit of therapy. For the past few days I feel like I’ve been completely losing it though - it is the end of my first semester of graduate school I’ve never felt this much anxiety, burnout, hopelessness, irritability, and vulnerability in my life. I can’t stop randomly bursting into tears, including in public, and I even fainted yesterday because I was overcome with a lot of anxiety and dizziness at an appointment. I keep lashing out at friends and family about the most inconsequential things; I can usually control and think through feelings like this without taking it out on others, but it feels out of my hands.I have a mountain of work due for finals period (more than I ever had during undergrad) and being in the academic/lab/career environment at my institution has given me the most stress I’ve ever felt about the future… I feel completely hopeless and unengaged with my work and personal relationships, even though I’ve been taking my meds.

Therapists: I’m wondering how (or even if) I should talk to my professors and supervisor about falling extremely behind on work right now? I’m afraid of asking for extensions for projects and reports for mental health reasons because it might not be a good enough ‘excuse’ and I don’t want professionals in my field to see me as permanently unstable, I’m just in a really bad rut right now. (And yes, I am going to see a therapist and talk to my psychiatrist! but it’ll be another week and a half before those appointments). My family keeps telling me to stop worrying so much about grades and to not feel ashamed about turning things in late, but this is my first semester of grad school and I feel like I’m totally blowing it in my field and starting off on the wrong foot. Any advice about navigating conversations is appreciated!

I have been seeing two different psychiatrists over the past 34 months. I saw the first one for 18 months over the internet. She was amazing and helped me immensely. She moved to another state, but found another psychiatrist for me before she left. I have never been able to connect with her because of 3 reasons; she does psychodynamic therapy which doesn't seem to be goal oriented, she is pleasant, but not "warm", and in our first session I noticed she kept breaking eye contact to look at the wall clock behind me. It made me feel like I was boring her and that she was just counting the minutes until I would leave. I confronted her about it and she apologized and explained how important staying on time is to her practice. Based on this, would you switch therapists?

I was seeing a T for about a year. Penultimate session was hard with them saying I was a challenging client, that didn’t need the business and wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue… after that truth I felt not great but we agreed to meet in a month for the “last”session. During that time I was brave enough to ask for more funding for therapy, but my T found a new client so I never told them I could continue. I had wanted to discuss my concerns in final session but was so depressed I didn’t. We had a normal session and that was the end. Didn’t get to say thanks or proper good bye and feel really weird about it. Do I contact them? Or just move on and take what I’ve learn. I get that it’s a professional relationship but a year is quite a long time for such a random ending…

I (24f) just did something I can’t fully believe I just did. I have a history of ADHD and have been on medication in the past, but I’m not currently. I have a psychiatrist appt set up, but thought I would try to see if adderall could help me. So my dad let me have a pill to try for the day. It made me feel ELECTRIC. I was high on life, focused, driven, happy, I had so much energy. I loved it. I also didn’t sleep well at all the next 1-2 nights. These past two-three weeks I’ve been SO depressed (scary thoughts, extremely low energy) and I’ve been missing that high. Today I went over and while I was there I actually took a pill. My dad doesn’t use it daily or anything so I’m not worried about him noticing but I can’t believe I did that. I haven’t actually taken it and I don’t think I will, I just am in disbelief I did that.

To make things even better my therapist who I’ve been seeing for 1.5 years has suggested I be evaluated for bipolar disorder (which is one of the reasons I set up a psychiatrist appointment.) My therapist is actually trained in addiction/ substance use too, so I guess I have that going for me, even if it’s not why I chose her as a therapist.