Orthorexia: Where Eating Disorders Meet OCD

By On · 12 Comments · In Eating Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Orthorexia

    

Orthorexia – The Not-So-Healthy Obsession with “Healthy” Eating

Orthorexia = Eating Disorder + OCD

Individuals suffering with Orthorexia exhibit symptoms
similar to those of OCD and Eating Disorders.

Orthorexia Nervosa (also simply known as Orthorexia) is a relatively new term within the psychological and medical fields. Simply defined, Orthorexia is an eating disorder in which an individual has an excessive and ultimately unhealthy obsession about maintaining a diet that is totally “healthy” and “pure”. Because of their extremely restrictive eating, individuals with Orthorexia are often severely underweight, and frequently lack the proper nourishment to perform basic daily activities. Like most cases involving an eating disorder, the outcome of Orthorexia can be severe malnutrition and a significant reduction of one’s quality of life.

Orthorexia has not yet been accepted as a formal diagnosis by the psychiatric community, and has not been defined within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV). However, since first being described by Dr. Steven Bratman in 1996, many health professionals have observed the often debilitating results of this condition. Read More »

Treatment of OCD and OC Spectrum Disorders in Children

By On · Add Comment · In Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

    

“If I knew then what I know now.”

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’ve found yourself saying the same thing at some point in your adult life.  Nowhere is this more relevant than from the perspective of someone looking back on a childhood with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or an Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorder.  When I meet a new client under 18, there is a powerful sense of traveling through time.  I think, “If only I had someone like me to go back and talk to me when I was someone like this.” How much time might I have saved being able to resist repetitive, unnecessary rituals?  How many more events, relationships, and simple moments of peace might I have been able to enjoy if only I had known what was really happening to me? Read More »

Athletes With Anxiety

By On · 2 Comments · In Anxiety

    

Last week, we discussed recent news reports about professional baseball players struggling with Social Anxiety.  This week, we broaden the topic to cover athletes in numerous sports with various anxiety disorders.  Second of a two-part series.

As we noted last week and in prior posts, the past few years have seen a significant increase in the number of professional baseball players going on the disabled list due to Social Anxiety.  This trend is remarkable for numerous reasons, the most noteworthy being that the issue of mental health in baseball is being openly discussed at all.  The overall issue of mental health has long been shrouded in secrecy and shame, leading many public figures to go to great lengths in order to ensure that their mental health issues remain private.  So when professional baseball players not only acknowledge their psychological issues, but actively seek help for them, this is a sign of cultural progress. Read More »

Phobia Treatment in Unconventional Settings

By On · Add Comment · In Phobias

    

Anyone with a phobia knows what it is like to feel terrified of something that most people take for granted. Whether it be cynophobia (fear of dogs), hemophobia (fear of blood), or claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces), the presentation is basically the same – when faced with the event, object or situation that is the focus of their fear, the individual with the phobia is often terrified to the point of experiencing a panic attack. Read More »

OCD & Anxiety: The Year 2009 in Review

By On · 2 Comments · In Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

    

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and anxiety were in the news throughout 2009.  Some news was good, some bad, and some flat-out ugly.  Here are our votes for the top stories of the year related to OCD, Social Anxiety, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Trichotillomania, Phobias, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Read More »

Emetophobia and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

By On · 85 Comments · In Emetophobia

    

The OCD Center of Los Angeles often receives calls from people seeking treatment for various phobias.  One of the most common phobias we treat is emetophobia – the intense fear of vomit and/or vomiting.

Most people who call us with emetophobia are initially quite surprised to learn that this problem has a name, and often equally surprised to learn that they are not the only person in the world to suffer with it. Read More »

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  • Excoriation (Skin Picking) Disorder, aka Dermatillomania

    Excoriation (Skin Picking) Disorder, aka Dermatillomania

    Excoriation (Skin Picking) Disorder is an obsessive-compulsive spectrum condition in which sufferers repeatedly pick at their skin. Crystal Quater, MMFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles discusses her personal experience with, and recovery from, Excoriation Disorder, and how she treats clients struggling with this condition.

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    OCD is Fake News

    OCD is just fake news that your brain makes up. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles. Helping clients in California and around the world since 1999.

  • HOCD - 30 Things You Need To Know

    HOCD: 30 Things You Need To Know

    HOCD is a type of OCD in which the individual obsesses about their sexual orientation. Here are 30 things you should know about HOCD. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

  • Doubt, Denial and OCD

    Doubt, Denial and OCD

    A discussion of “The Denial Obsession” in OCD, in which sufferers obsess that they don’t really have OCD, but are merely “in denial”. By Lauren McMeikan, MA, and Tom Corboy, MFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

  • Dermatillomania: A Skin Picker's Guide to the Dermatologist

    Dermatillomania: A Skin Picker’s Guide to the Dermatologist

    How one woman with Dermatillomania finally opened up to her dermatologist about her longtime struggle with skin picking.

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    Imaginal Exposure for OCD and Anxiety

    Imaginal exposure for the treatment of OCD and anxiety is discussed by Tom Corboy, MFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

  •

    ROCD: Relationship OCD and The Myth of “The One”

    ROCD (Relationship OCD) is an often misunderstood variant of OCD. By Sheva Rajaee, MMFT and Tom Corboy, MFT of the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

  • Moral Scrupulosity

    Moral Scrupulosity in OCD: Cognitive Distortions

    Cognitive distortions are common in the Moral Scrupulosity subtype of OCD. Part three of a multi-part series.

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    OCD in the Family

    One mom’s story of her son’s battle with OCD and its profound impact on their family, as told to Elizabeth Kassel, MSW, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

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    Scrupulosity in OCD: Cognitive Distortions

    A discussion of cognitive distortions in the religious Scrupulosity subtype of OCD. Part two of a multi-part series.

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    OCD and Eating Disorders

    Diagnostic similarities and differences between OCD and eating disorders are discussed by Kimberley Quinlan, MFT, Clinical Director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

  • Harm OCD treatment with ERP

    Harm OCD Treatment With ERP

    Harm OCD treatment using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is discussed by Tom Corboy, MFT, Executive Director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles .

  • My Life with OCD

    The impact of OCD and related anxiety based disorders on the family is often overlooked. In this multi-part series, we present first-hand accounts of the ongoing impact of OCD, BDD, and Bipolar Disorder on one man and his family, as told to Elizabeth Kassel, MSW, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

  • Scrupulosity OCD

    Scrupulosity: Where OCD Meets Religion, Faith, and Belief

    The Scrupulosity sub-type of OCD is discussed by Kevin Foss, MFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles. Part one of a four part series.

  •

    Mindfulness for OCD and Anxiety

    Using mindfulness to enhance traditional CBT for OCD and anxiety is discussed by Kimberley Quinlan, MFT, Clinical Director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

  •

    Hoarding, Cluttering, and Compulsive Shopping: My Childhood Story

    One woman’s story of her life as the child of multiple generations of hoarders.

  • Thought Action Fusion

    OCD and Thought-Action Fusion

    Thought-Action Fusion is a frequent problem for those with OCD. This issue is discussed by Laura Yocum, MFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

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    OCD, Anxiety, and Resistance

    Resistance and acceptance in OCD and related disorders is discussed by the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

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    Harm OCD Treatment: Cognitive Restructuring

    Harm OCD is often misunderstood, but it can be effectively treated using an integrated treatment plan that includes Cognitive Restructuring. Part three of our ongoing series that explores “Harm OCD” and its treatment .

  •

    OCD & Anxiety: Five Common Roadblocks to Treatment

    Learn the five common mistakes that interfere with successful treatment of OCD and anxiety. By Kimberley Quinlan, MFT, Clinical Director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

 

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