OCD and phobias

Phobias are irrational and excessive fears or anxieties triggered by certain objects, situations, or activities. Within psychological counseling, various travel-related phobias, claustrophobia (fear of closed spaces), social anxiety (fear related to social situations), and animal phobias also come up.

Compulsions are obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions that a person feels they must carry out in order to prevent some kind of catastrophe or negative event. Common examples are cleaning compulsions, checking compulsions, or counting compulsions.

These disorders often limit our everyday activities, but with the right psychological support, we can do a lot to better understand them and cope with them.

For treatment, it is important to:

• understand the mental processes happening underneath

• identify faulty belief systems

• rationalize thinking

• catch and change distortions

• release the underlying anxieties and fears

• learn to manage the related negative feelings

• develop new behavior patterns

Life is always full of challenges, but with the right awareness we can cope with mental disorders. Let’s remember that change is always possible when we take our lives into our own hands and ask for help. The most important thing is to be patient and persistent.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I feel the need to check the lock ten times before I leave home?

This is a checking compulsion, where your brain tries to magically prevent an imagined catastrophe (for example, burglars) in order to reduce anxiety.

What happens if I simply avoid the situations I’m afraid of?

Avoidance may bring short-term relief, but in the long run your phobia will “grow” and you will start to feel more and more everyday things are dangerous.

How do I explain to my partner that I am terrified of something “silly”?

Tell them that you know your fear is illogical, but your body’s reaction (shaking, shortness of breath) is real, and you need patience, not mockery.

Are there any home tricks that can help me stop my obsessive thoughts?

Try consciously delaying the compulsive action by 5 minutes, or find a distracting activity that fully engages your brain (for example, count backward by sevens from 100).