OCD Awareness Month

Written by Halsey Redman

October is OCD Awareness Month, a time dedicated to shedding light on one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). While the term often gets tossed around casually in everyday conversation ("I’m so OCD about my desk"), the reality of living with OCD is far more complex and, for many, debilitating.

Let’s take a closer look at what OCD really is, what it isn’t, and how we can support those affected.

What Is OCD?

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder characterized by recurring, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These obsessions and compulsions interfere with daily life, causing significant distress, anxiety, and impairment.

• Obsessions: Intrusive and unwanted thoughts, urges, or images that trigger intense anxiety. Examples include fears of contamination, harming others, or disturbing taboo thoughts.

• Compulsions: Behaviors or mental acts performed in an attempt to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. This might include handwashing, checking, repeating phrases, or arranging items in a specific order.

People with OCD often know their thoughts or behaviors are irrational but feel powerless to stop them.

Common Misconceptions About OCD

Despite growing awareness, OCD is still widely misunderstood. Here are some myths that need debunking:

1. Myth: OCD is just about being neat or organized.

Fact: While cleanliness or orderliness can be part of OCD, the disorder is much more complex. Many individuals struggle with distressing thoughts that have nothing to do with tidiness.

2. Myth: Everyone is “a little OCD.”

Fact: OCD is not a personality quirk or preference. It’s a diagnosable mental illness that can be severely impairing. Liking things a certain way is not the same as having OCD.

3. Myth: People with OCD can just stop their behaviors if they try hard enough.

Fact: OCD is not a matter of willpower. The compulsions serve as a coping mechanism to relieve intense anxiety. Telling someone to “just stop” is not only unhelpful—it’s harmful.

What Causes OCD?

The exact cause of OCD isn’t fully understood, but research suggests a combination of factors:

• Genetics: OCD tends to run in families.

• Brain Structure and Functioning: Studies have shown differences in brain activity in people with OCD, particularly in areas related to decision-making and emotional regulation.

• Environmental Factors: Trauma, stress, or certain infections (like PANDAS in children) can trigger or exacerbate OCD symptoms.
  

OCD Is Treatable

The good news? OCD is treatable, and many people see significant improvement with proper care. The most effective treatments include:

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Specifically, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is considered the gold standard. ERP involves gradually exposing individuals to feared situations while helping them resist the urge to perform compulsions.

2. Medication

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), like fluoxetine or sertraline, can help reduce OCD symptoms. Sometimes higher doses are needed compared to treating depression.

3. Support Groups and Education

Connecting with others who understand can reduce isolation. Education helps both individuals and their loved ones better navigate the condition.

4. Other Options

In severe or treatment-resistant cases, options like intensive outpatient programs, deep brain stimulation, or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) may be considered.

Conclusion 

OCD is not a joke, a personality trait, or something that can be “fixed” overnight. It’s a real and challenging mental health condition, but with the right support and treatment, recovery is absolutely possible.

This October—and beyond—let’s move beyond the stereotypes and show real understanding, compassion, and advocacy for those affected by OCD.

Preparing for S.A.D

Written by Halsey Redman

   This time of year, each year, the clocks roll back and days get darker. With shorter days and colder air, our moods can begin to shift. Depression and loneliness set in — making us feel as dark as the sky at 5:30pm. Don’t fret! There is hope for a better Fall and Winter! We just have to do our part and prepare.

Start Early

• Vitamins 

• In New England and areas of similar climate, it is super important to get enough vitamin D in the wintertime. You can try your best to get it naturally from the sun (remember sunscreen), or from food, but taking a supplement is also an option! We recommend consulting with your primary care physician — but make sure to do it sooner versus later. It can take a few weeks of taking a daily vitamin D supplement for those levels to rise in your body. Consistency is key! 

• Red Light Therapy

• There are so many studies from recent years that show the benefits of red light therapy. It can be beneficial for mood regulation by stimulating the brain's production of serotonin. It also can help to regulate your circadian rhythm, leading to a more restful sleep. Getting enough sleep is one of the best ways to fight depression and anxiety. I have been using red light therapy twice a week for two months now — I am not immune to the placebo effect, but I do feel a lot better! Red light therapy and exercise have changed the game for my mental health — I’m excited to see how this carries on into the wintertime!

• Move Your Body

• Speaking of exercise… Moving your body during the colder months is essential! It releases endorphins, which are natural mood boosters, improves your sleep, reduces stress and anxiety, helps to regulate vitamin D, and so much more. Trust me, I wish that exercise didn’t work as well as it does. Every time I’m in a bad mood and I decide to peel myself off the couch to go to the gym or even a walk, I immediately notice my attitude shift. Maintaining a routine is so good for your mind and body — and you don’t have to go crazy! You can dance in your bedroom for 15–20 mins and completely shift your mood!

• Make Plans Ahead of Time

• A big part of S.A.D for me is how lonely I feel. I can’t get myself to make plans in the same way I do during Spring and Summer. My solution to this problem was to create standing plans — weekly or biweekly — with my friends. My home is open to whichever friends would like to show up, every Thursday evening. There are no expectations — come sweaty from a workout class, in your pjs, done up from a date night — just show up as you are for some company! I have snacks on standby. 

During the Dark Months

• Lean Into Coziness 

• Wintertime isn’t dark and sad if you light enough candles! Pretend your home is a jazz club. Turn off the overhead lighting, light candles, throw on a record or an ambient Youtube playlist, and pour yourself some bourbon (or a hot cocoa)! Coziness can change the way you feel about staying in on a cold night. It can be a luxury if you reframe your outlook.

• Play in the Cold

• The outdoors is not off limits! If you bundle up in the appropriate gear, playing in the snow can be quite fun. Go sledding, walking, skiing, or whatever inspires you!

• Volunteer or Join a Group

• Volunteering can be a valuable way to spend your time during the colder months. Not only does it benefit your local community, but it connects you to other human beings during the loneliest time of year. Call an animal shelter, work at a soup kitchen, hang out at a senior center, or even your local library! There are also free groups to join. Learn to knit alongside your neighbors, join a bookclub, try out yoga!

• Pick up a Book

• Reading is my favorite way to pass the time all year, but I find it especially wonderful during the winter. When I’m in need of an escape- I rent an audiobook from my library app (if you don’t have a library card… you’re seriously missing out). If reading isn’t your thing- try out a podcast that piques your interest.

Conclusion 

We know it’s hard to gather the motivation to take care of yourself when the world outside feels grim. Begin now- while the summer sun is still energizing your body. We hope this will be the best fall/winter yet!

Dealing with Change

Written by Christine O’Meara, MA, LCMHC

Human beings are wired to resist change because our brains prefer predictability. If something is unpredictable, the amygdala in our brains can process it as a threat, triggering a flight-or-fight response. This reaction can lead to a flood of stress, anxiety, fear of failure, and a loss of control. Adapting to change can be disruptive to our routines and requires new learning and more effort, which can feel uncomfortable and daunting. However, with the right resources, support, and mindset, change is what helps us grow. This past January, I experienced the biggest change in my life thus far: having a baby. Watching her grow each and every day has been an experience like no other. I’ve been in awe of the developmental leaps. I am constantly needing to adapt, and I’d like to share what I have learned along the way. I recognize that this has been a very positive change in my life, and that sometimes change is not seen that way, such as the loss of a loved one. Whether you’re experiencing a minor or major change, a positive or negative change, or no change at all right now, I believe these realizations can still be applied to your life. I feel that this topic is especially relevant this month, as we all transition to changes this fall season, such as going back to school. 

Give yourself grace instead of giving into the critical voice. Unfortunately, it was easy to blame myself at times when taking care of my baby. For instance, if she was fussy or crying after nursing, I would often think, “Did she not get enough milk from me?” or “Did I eat something that’s upsetting her stomach?” While these could have been true, she also could have just been uncomfortable as her digestive system has been developing. As humans, we often engage in the “cognitive distortion,” or irrational thought pattern, of “magnification” and “minimization,” meaning we exaggerate negative information and diminish positive information. Evolutionarily, this helped with survival, but in the present day, it can lead to excessive criticism and perfectionistic tendencies, which can actually interfere with growth. Perfectionism robs us of accomplishment because it makes it hard to feel like something is ever good enough. It leads to “all or nothing” thinking, or labeling a situation as “good” or “bad,” rather than seeing the area in between. If you are struggling with perfectionism, try focusing on the process of something rather than the product or outcome. For example, try to feel proud of how hard you’ve studied, instead of hyperfocusing on the grade that you receive. See mistakes and failures as motivation to “create energy,” rather than something that “depletes energy” (Hughes, 2013). Furthermore, try to catch yourself “minimizing” in your own life and refocus on the positive information. For example, I would recognize how difficult it was to not know why my baby was crying at times and tell myself I’m doing the best I can to care for her and learn her cues. If you’re struggling to come up with what to say to yourself, think about what you’d say to a friend. We often have more compassion with others than we do with ourselves. This compassion can help us grow through change. 

Don’t underestimate basic self-care. Think about what babies need: to be fed, to sleep, and to be comfortable. When our routines are disrupted by change, it’s easy to let basic self-care fall by the wayside. With a baby, I would often find myself trying to eat as quickly as I could, while standing up, or trying to shower as quickly as possible. When I could slow down, the meal or shower was much more enjoyable, and I felt much more ready to take on the next thing. “If you keep pushing without pausing, your body eventually fights back. Chronic stress floods your system with cortisol, adrenaline, and other stress hormones, keeping you stuck in survival mode…Our nervous systems haven’t evolved to handle the constant pressure to be productive and efficient 24/7” (Newport Institute, 2025). “Slowmaxxing” is a newer TikTok trend that involves “the practice of inviting more stillness into your life in purposeful, mindful ways” (Newport Institute, 2025). Think about how rarely you do one activity, and one activity only. Try to watch a TV show without your phone next to you, or go for a walk without your phone. Sometimes slowing down can feel boring because we’re used to constant stimulation, but if we can sit with the discomfort or boredom, we’re gaining practice in relaxing. We need to be able to relax in order to combat the reaction our brains and bodies can have to change.    

Rely on others who have had similar experiences. As I became a new mom, it amazed me how many women reached out to share their stories or offer support as needed. Psychiatrist Irvin Yalom identified key factors of group therapy that can allow people to achieve positive change. Yalom named one of these factors “universality,” defined as “recognizing that one’s struggles are not unique and that others share similar experiences.” I felt less alone and learned so much listening to the struggles other parents had with feeding their babies or getting their babies to sleep. Find those who may be experiencing a similar change to you or have already experienced the change, and ask them how they are coping or have coped. What works for someone else may not work for you, but hearing from others might help you find what does work for you. 

There’s value in emotions. Change can come with many emotions, and sometimes emotions can be viewed as a negative, but imagine how boring our lives would be without them. Even the more “negative” emotions can be helpful. For instance, I often say to my clients that their anxiety can serve as a compass to show them what they care about. And don’t forget that two opposing emotions can be true at the same time. You might be excited to see friends at school again, and also worried about managing schoolwork. If you are stuck on the more negative emotion, try to think if there is an opposing emotion that you’re feeling, too, but not noticing. I felt frustrated and powerless when I could not get my baby to stop crying, even if she had been fed and had a dry diaper. I would then try to think about how happy and thankful I am to have a healthy baby, and how powerful the experience of being a mother is. If you are struggling to think of an opposing emotion, try to get curious about the emotion you’re feeling. For instance, if you’re feeling angry, what is it that is causing the anger? Maybe you feel sad and lonely because you’ve been excluded, or you feel jealous and insecure because things seemingly come easier for others. Sometimes it’s hard to label what we’re feeling, so you can try using the “Feelings Wheel” attached to do so. We can learn more about ourselves through our emotions and better manage the challenges that come with change. 

So the next time you experience change, try keeping these in mind: 1) Give yourself grace instead of giving into the critical voice, 2) Don’t underestimate basic self-care, 3) Rely on others who have had similar experiences, and 4) There’s value in emotions.

References:

Hughes, J. P. (2013). Perfectionism: Strategies for Change. Bureau of Study Counsel, Center 

for Academic and Personal Development, Harvard University. 

https://islands.hmnh.harvard.edu/sites/hwpi.harvard.edu/files/success/files/perfectionism_2013_revised_2014.pdf?m=1400776247

Newport Institute (2025, July 29). 10 Ways to Slowmaxx Your Life. Newport Institute. 

https://www.newportinstitute.com/resources/empowering-young-adults/slowmaxxing/