Serving the community since 1999

Specializing in OCD and related conditions

In-Person and Online Therapy
Individual & Group Therapy

Binge Eating Disorder / Compulsive Overeating and Its Treatment

    

Binge Eating / Compulsive Overeating
Binge Eating / Compulsive Overeating is a
real problem that can be successfully treated.

Binge Eating Disorder, also known as ‘”compulsive overeating”, can perhaps best be described as a condition in which one periodically consumes extremely large amounts of food.   Individuals with Binge Eating Disorder have a strong motivational drive for food and experience great difficulty in their attempts to restrain their eating.   They frequently continue eating well beyond their satiation level, with many reporting that their behavior feels “unconscious”, and that they have little control over it.  It appears that compulsive overeating is often done in response to emotional difficulties or psychosocial stressors.  Unfortunately, during and after a binge, one is often left feeling more depressed, anxious and helpless than they did before they overate.

In addition to the psychological issues noted above, some researchers and theoreticians believe that compulsive overeating has played a significant role in the dramatic increase in obesity levels in the United States over the past 30 years.  Obesity is commonly identified as having a body-mass index (BMI) over 30.  Using this guideline, approximately 34% of Americans are currently classified as obese, compared to 15% in 1980.  During this same 30 year period, this increase in obesity has led to a concomitant surge in diabetes and hypertension, both of which are risk-factors for heart disease, the number one cause of death in the US.

Binge Eating Disorder: Diagnostic Confusion and Controversy

There currently exists a certain amount of controversy about the diagnostic classification of Binge Eating Disorder.  The condition is not listed in the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) currently used in the mental health field when making diagnoses.  However, the American Psychiatric Association (APA), which publishes the DSM-IV, has tentatively planned to include a diagnosis of Binge Eating Disorder in the upcoming DSM-5, which is scheduled for publication in May 2013.  Aside from the issue of whether Binge Eating Disorder should be classified as a psychological disorder, there arises the issue of where it should be classified.

The urges experienced by those with Binge Eating Disorder are similar to the urges experienced in some impulse control disorders such as Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder), Dermatillomania (Skin Picking Disorder), and Pathological Gambling.  This would suggest the possibility that Binge Eating Disorder could potentially be conceptualized as an Impulse Control Disorder.

On the other hand, many compulsive overeaters describe their experience as feeling like an addiction, not unlike that seen in alcoholism and other substance abuse disorders.  This would indicate that Binge-Eating Disorder might best be classified in the APA’s planned new category of “Addiction and Related Disorders”, which is the tentative new name for the category of conditions currently known as “Substance-Related Disorders”.   This new category is specifically meant to allow for the inclusion of “behavioral addictions” such as “Pathological Gambling”, (which, as noted above, is currently classified as an Impulse Control Disorder).

And then there are those who describe their relationship with food as having characteristics similar to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (hence the term “compulsive overeating”).  While there are certainly obsessive and compulsive features in Binge Eating, we have argued elsewhere in this blog that there are significant phenomenological differences between compulsive overeating and OCD, and that conceptualizing Binge Eating Disorder as a type of OCD would be inaccurate.

Despite the above ambiguities, the APA’s current plan is for Binge Eating Disorder to be listed in the DSM-5 as an Eating Disorder, along with Anorexia and Bulimia.  This seems intuitively appropriate, despite the fact that compulsive overeating has characteristics of Impulse Control Disorders, Addiction Disorders, and OCD.  For a more in-depth discussion of the revisions planned for the DSM-5, click here.

Why Do People Binge

As noted above, Binge Eating Disorder can be conceptualized as an impulse control disorder, a behavioral addiction, an eating disorder, or even a type of OCD.  Regardless of how the problem is classified, there are a numerous psychological and physiological issues that are commonly reported by compulsive overeaters.

Some of the psychological issues often described by compulsive overeaters include the following:

  • Many who binge report that the compulsion to overeat is often an attempt to escape from their uncomfortable feelings and/or beliefs about themselves.
  • Over time, binge-eating may lead one to develop a physiological tolerance to large quantities of food – and without those large portions of food, one may experience withdrawal.
  • Like those suffering with behavioral addictions, many compulsive overeaters spend much of their time obsessing – in this case over food and how to get it.
  • Also, people with Binge Eating Disorder may feel overwhelmed from the physical and emotional after-effects of a binge. Even though compulsive overeaters dislike their behavior and understand that their actions may have severe physical consequences, their powerful urges to overeat frequently win. The result is often overwhelming feelings of guilt, depression and disgust, which in turn often lead to more overeating.

It is also important that we not overlook possible physiological factors involved in overeating and obesity.  One recent study conducted in Germany, Switzerland, and the United States found that 100% of severely obese study participants had a specific gene variation, compared to only 14% of those in the study who were not obese.  A separate study found that binge eating runs in families, and that relatives of compulsive overeaters displayed a markedly higher prevalence of severe obesityin adulthood.  And a 1993 UCLA study found that compulsive overeaters who binged on carbohydrates often have the same gene marker that is commonly found in alcoholics and other drug addicts.  Combined, these and other studies suggest what many have long postulated – that compulsive overeating and obesity may be at least partly mediated by biological / genetic factors.

Treatment of Binge Eating Disorder / Compulsive Overeating

The good news is that there are treatment options available to those who suffer with Binge Eating Disorder.  While not formally considered an Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorder, compulsive overeating often responds extremely well to some of the same Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques used to treat OCD and related conditions.  Using CBT, clients can learn to better and more quickly identify their personal binge-eating triggers.  A common CBT technique known as Cognitive Restructuring can help binge-eaters learn to challenge the distorted beliefs and thoughts they have about themselves, food, and eating that often precede and/or accompany a binge.  Using other CBT techniques, compulsive overeaters can learn to replace their urges to overeat with new, healthier eating behaviors, and to utilize behavioral tools that can help to reduce their stress.

One of the most effective CBT tools is Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (MBCBT).  For binge-eaters, the overall goal of MBCBT is to learn to non-judgmentally experience their uncomfortable psychological and physiological experiences related to food and eating.  Using mindfulness, compulsive overeaters can learn to become more aware and accepting of their uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, sensations, and urges related to food and eating, without giving in to the desire to overeat.

Combining these and other CBT tools, compulsive overeaters can change their relationship to food, and develop the ability to mindfully and healthfully eat, rather than using food as a means of coping with uncomfortable thought and feelings.  If you feel that you (or your loved one) is “stuck” in the cycle of compulsive overeating, or that recovery is out of reach, please know that there is hope.  The powerful feeling of being “out of control” can be replaced with healthier and more accepting perspective towards yourself and the food you eat.  Lastly, do not assume that nobody understands what you are going through.  There are trained mental health professionals at the OCD Center of Los Angeles and other specialty clinics who can help you find relief using a non-judgmental, clinically proven approach to treatment.

Kimberley Quinlan, MFT, is a psychotherapist at the the OCD Center of Los Angeles, a private, outpatient clinic specializing in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related conditions.  In addition to individual therapy, the center offers six weekly therapy groups, as well as online therapy, telephone therapy, and intensive outpatient treatment.  To contact the OCD Center of Los Angeles, click here.

7 Comments

  • Thank you for sharing your struggles with Binge-Eating Disorder. I strongly believe it is crucial that we implement a mindful approach to our sense of satiation, and to how we think and feel about the food we eat. Nonjudgmental acceptance can bring such relief to those who struggle with their weight or with their relationship to food.

    Reply
  • I really like the article on how they took this disorder and broke it down into three categories. i think they all go hand in hand . Ive struggled since i was 8 with ocd.. not knowing what it ever was..and through the years its always something new ..the obsession lasts a few years and then moves on to the next. im happy to say i can only really obsess about one major category in life at a time.

    To know you are not judged is a remarkable feeling in recovery. No need to feel embarrassed and being true to others and yourself is a big task to get this under control.

    I have suffered from anorexia, completely restricting certain foods, too binging , it is all about a sense of control. and a lot of women especially I’ve spoken with experience this: if everything in your life is haywire…the one thing you can control is what goes in your mouth…

    But when you feel you cant control that either.. you binge but its really you expressing all your feelings because your world could be upside down at the time.. that is when mine triggers the most… I’m very black or white.. if i have a cheese puff i say “oh well i messed up” i think everyone needs balance and moderation in life… its just like alcoholism.. one drink isn’t enough.. or one cigarette…anything we ingest we can no longer control once we swallow just like the fact we cant control a lot of issues with our lives.

    diane

    Reply
  • Diane,

    You are right! Judgement plays a huge role in the Binge-Eating cycle. Sometimes when we overeat, we feel guilty, which in turn makes us feel weak and unworthy. As a result, we turn to what we feel is a “true” and ” reliable” friend, food. And the cycle continues.

    Taking away judgement and blame is crucial to the treatment of Binge Eating Disorder. It can be freeing and often “fills the emptiness” that causes us to over eat in the first place.

    Best,
    Kimberley

    Reply
  • Great post Kimberley. There are definitely a lot of alarming statistics out there when it comes to obesity and binge eating. The one you mentioned above – 34% of Americans currently classified as obese should scare anyone, and it’s a trend that is only going to go up unless we make some drastic changes.

    Reply
  • Hey there, nice article. I have one question though. I know you talk about it, but do you know whey they ended up categorizing the disorder as an Eating disorder and not in any of the other mentioned categories?

    Sorry for my english.

    Luke

    Reply
    • Hi Luke,

      Thank you for your comment. No great mystery here – the reason Binge Eating Disorder was classified as an eating disorder is because, by definition, it is a type of eating that is disordered. I encourage you to read our follow up article at about the overlap between OCD and eating disorders.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Note: Comments are limited to a maximum of 750 characters. Your email address will not be published.

Recent Articles

  • The Invisible DisorderOCD: The Invisible Disorder
    Daniel Safavi, MA, AMFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, discusses the sometimes sensitive and extremely powerful use of disclosure of one's OCD, as well as some helpful guidelines when determining to self-disclose. […]
    4 Comments
  • Relationship OCD: Accepting the Unknown in RelationshipsRelationship OCD: Accepting the Unknown in Relationships
    Brandi Roberts MS, AMFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, shares her personal experience and recovery from relationship OCD (ROCD), as well as discusses the dynamics and treatment of this very common OCD subtype. […]
    13 Comments
  • Go Big or Go Home: The Difference Between OCD and GADGo Big or Go Home: The Difference Between OCD and GAD (and My Experience with Both)
    Kristen Taylor-Ladd, MA, AMFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, discusses the differences between, and often co-occurring, afflictions of OCD and GAD, as well as shares her personal experience with and way to recovery from both of these conditions. […]
    8 Comments
  • Exposure and Response Prevention via TeletherapyExposure and Response Prevention: Is It Effective Via Telehealth?
    Chanel Taghdis, LMFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, discusses the efficacy of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD and related conditions when conducted via teletherapy. […]
    No Comments
  • Response Prevention for OCD and Anxiety-300Mindfulness-Based Response Prevention for OCD and Anxiety
    Chris Cincotta, LMFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, discusses how to implement an effective mindfulness-based response prevention approach for the treatment of OCD and anxiety, and how to prevent mindfulness from becoming just another compulsion. […]
    10 Comments
  • OCD Center of Los Angeles - 2021 Online OCD Conference2021 Online OCD Conference
    Kelley Franke, Lauren McMeikan Rosen, Elena Fasan, and Mary Sponaugle of the OCD Center of Los Angeles will be giving three presentations at the Online OCD Conference being held October 8-10, 2021. […]
    No Comments
  • Trichotillomania: My Journey to Treatment and RecoveryTrichotillomania: My Journey to Treatment and Recovery
    Trichotillomania is a condition in which sufferers repeatedly pull out their hair. Chanel Taghdis, MA, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles discusses her personal experience with, and recovery from, Trichotillomania, and how she treats clients struggling with this condition. […]
    22 Comments
  • Skills for managing COVID-19 and OCDHow Learning to Live with COVID-19 Can Help Kids Manage OCD
    Parents can teach kids skills to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic that have the added benefit of helping them cope more effectively with OCD. […]
    No Comments
  • When OCD Comes Between Us: Relationship OCD and RecoveryWhen OCD Comes Between Us: Relationship OCD and Recovery
    Laura Yocum, Lauren McMeikan, and Kelley Franke of the OCD Center of Los Angeles discuss Relationship OCD (ROCD) at the Online OCD Conference on August 2, 2020. […]
    No Comments
  • Online therapy for OCD and anxietyQ&A: Online Therapy for OCD, Anxiety and Related Conditions
    An interview with Tom Corboy, MFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, about the use of online therapy for the treatment of OCD and related conditions. […]
    12 Comments
  • Making Peace with Uncertainty: Living in the Midst of a PandemicMaking Peace with Uncertainty: Living in the Midst of a Pandemic
    When it comes to uncertainty and anxiety related to COVID-19, most of us don’t want to feel it. But resistance just makes things worse. […]
    23 Comments
  • Debra Dalton Stein, MFT ~ OCD Center of Los AngelesMy Journey to Becoming an OCD Specialist
    Debra Dalton Stein, MFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles describes her journey as a psychotherapist from working primarily with eating disorders, to becoming an OCD specialist. […]
    10 Comments
  • OCD vs. GADOCD vs. GAD and How to Tell the Difference
    OCD is often misdiagnosed as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The OCD Center of L.A. reviews diagnostic & treatment differences between these conditions. […]
    28 Comments
  • Pure OPure O 101
    People with Pure Obsessional OCD ("Pure O") often feel overwhelmed by intrusive, distressing thoughts. Tom Corboy, MFT of the OCD Center of Los Angeles discusses Pure O and its many permutations. […]
    86 Comments
  • Excoriation (Skin Picking) Disorder, aka DermatillomaniaExcoriation (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. […]
    78 Comments
  • OCD is Fake News: The brain is a machine for jumping to conclusionsOCD is Fake News
    OCD obsessions are 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. […]
    65 Comments
  • HOCD - 30 Things You Need To KnowHOCD: 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. […]
    512 Comments
  • Doubt, Denial, and OCDDoubt, 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. […]
    166 Comments
  • Dermatillomania: A Skin Picker's Guide to the DermatologistDermatillomania: 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. […]
    44 Comments
  • Imaginal Exposure for OCD and Anxiety - OCD Center of Los AngelesImaginal 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. […]
    234 Comments
  • ROCD - Relationship OCDROCD: Relationship OCD and The Myth of “The One”
    ROCD (Relationship OCD) is an often misunderstood variant of OCD. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    694 Comments
  • Moral Scrupulosity in OCDMoral Scrupulosity in OCD: Cognitive Distortions
    A review of cognitive distortions seen in Moral Scrupulosity OCD, and a discussion of how to effectively challenge them. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    65 Comments
  • 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. […]
    5 Comments
  • Scrupulosity in OCD: Cognitive Distortions
    A discussion of cognitive distortions in the religious Scrupulosity subtype of OCD. Part two of a multi-part series. […]
    40 Comments
  • 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. […]
    6 Comments
  • Harm OCD treatment with ERPHarm 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 . […]
    186 Comments
  • 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. […]
    18 Comments
  • Scrupulosity OCDScrupulosity: 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. […]
    222 Comments
  • 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. […]
    21 Comments
  • Hoarding, Cluttering, and Compulsive Shopping: My Childhood Story
    One woman's story of her life as the child of multiple generations of hoarders. […]
    12 Comments
  • Thought Action FusionOCD 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. […]
    27 Comments
  • OCD, Anxiety, and Resistance
    Resistance and acceptance in OCD and related disorders is discussed by the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    21 Comments
  • 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 . […]
    102 Comments
  • 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. […]
    26 Comments
  • Harm OCD Treatment: Mindfulness Based CBT
    Harm OCD is an often misunderstood condition that can be effectively treated using Mindfulness integrated with CBT. Part two of a multi-part series from the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    100 Comments
  • Skin Picking Disorder / Dermatillomania TreatmentDermatillomania / Skin Picking Disorder Treatment
    Treatment of Dermatillomania (Skin Picking Disorder) with CBT. Part two of a series from the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    164 Comments
  • Harm OCD: Symptoms and Treatment
    This is the first installment in a series of articles in which The OCD Center of Los Angeles demystifies both the symptoms and the treatment of Harm OCD. […]
    461 Comments
  • Orthorexia: Where Eating Disorders Meet OCD – Part 2
    Kimberley Quinlan, MFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles discusses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness for the treatment of Orthorexia. Part two of a two-part series. […]
    18 Comments
  • Casey Anthony, Reasonable Doubt, and OCD
    Harm OCD and 'reasonable doubt' are discussed in relation to the Casey Anthony murder trial. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles.unbearable. […]
    10 Comments
  • ABCs of DermatillomaniaThe ABC’s of Dermatillomania / Skin Picking Disorder
    Symptoms and treatment of Skin Picking Disorder, also known as Dermatillomania. From The OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    208 Comments
  • HOCD / Gay OCD: Challenges to Treatment
    Common challenges seen in the treatment of HOCD / Gay OCD are discussed by the OCD Center of Los Angeles. Part four of a four-part series. […]
    441 Comments
  • Orthorexia: Where Eating Disorders Meet OCD
    Orthorexia is an eating disorder in which people obsess about eating only "pure" and "healthy" foods. By Kimberley Quinlan, MFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    12 Comments
  • Thought Suppression and OCD
    Thought suppression is a common feature of OCD, especially for those with Pure Obsessional OCD (sometimes called "Pure O"). […]
    23 Comments
  • HOCD / Gay OCD: Common Subtypes
    Common subtypes of HOCD / Gay OCD are discussed. Part three of a four part series. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    413 Comments
  • Social Anxiety / Social Phobia: Alone With Witnesses – Part 2
    Treatment of Social Anxiety is discussed, along with its relationship with other OC spectrum disorders. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    10 Comments
  • Social Anxiety / Social Phobia: Alone With Witnesses – Part 1
    Many people mistakenly think of Social Anxiety as nothing more than shyness. In this two-part series, the OCD Center of Los Angeles discusses Social Anxiety and its treatment with CBT. […]
    9 Comments
  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Research – Year in Review
    Tom Corboy, MFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles reviews research studies published in 2010 related to Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). […]
    4 Comments
  • Gay OCD / HOCD Treatment
    Treatment of Gay OCD / HOCD / Sexual Orientation OCD using CBT and Mindfulness is discussed by the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    196 Comments
  • Gay OCD / HOCD / Sexual Orientation OCD
    Symptoms & treatment of Gay OCD, also known as HOCD, or Sexual Orientation OCD. From The OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    748 Comments
  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Teens
    Increasing numbers of teens are having elective cosmetic surgeries to address body image issues, without fully considering the physical and psychological risks involved. […]
    No Comments
  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Body Image in the News
    A discussion of BDD and recent news reports about the condition. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles. Serving clients in California and internationally. […]
    1 Comment
  • Treatment of OCD and OC Spectrum Disorders in Children
    The OCD Center of Los Angeles discusses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for the treatment of OCD and anxiety in children and adolescents. […]
    No Comments
  • Trichotillomania, Skin Picking Disorder, and the Resistor’s High
    The OCD Center of Los Angeles discusses treatment of Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder) and Dermatillomania (Skin Picking Disorder). […]
    8 Comments
  • Memory Hoarding in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
    Many people with OCD engage in 'memory hoarding', a mental compulsion to over-attend to the details of an event, person, or object. Memory hoarding is done with the belief that the event, person, or object carries a special significance, and may be important to recall exactly as-is at a later date. […]
    263 Comments
  • OCD and the Law – Part 3
    An Australian pro boxer assaults a 70-year old man on a ferry boat and claims his OCD made him do it. Last of a three part series on OCD and the law. […]
    No Comments
  • OCD and the Law – Part 2
    A Kentucky man murdered his wife and then tried to claim that his OCD led him to kill her. Part 2 of a 3 part series. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    4 Comments
  • OCD and the Law – Part 1
    A Scottish man claims his massive child pornography collection is due to OCD. Part 1 of a 3 part series from the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    1 Comment
  • OCD Stockholm Syndrome
    Something akin to the Stockholm Syndrome occurs in some people who struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ( OCD ). […]
    2 Comments
  • Athletes With Anxiety
    Mental health has long been shrouded in secrecy and shame. So when public figures like professional athletes actively seek help for anxiety, it is a sign of cultural progress. Here are some who have gone public with their struggles. […]
    1 Comment
  • Social Anxiety in Baseball Revisted
    This past week marked the arrival of the 2010 Major League baseball season. And as with last year, this season already has three developing stories of athletes dealing with Social Anxiety. […]
    No Comments
  • Treatment of OCD and Anxiety: A Brief History
    A look at how the treatment of OCD and related anxiety disorders has changed over time, especially the development of CBT and mindfulness for OCD. […]
    3 Comments
  • Tiger Woods, Sex Addiction, and OCD – Part 2
    Sex addiction is misconstrued by many to be a type of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This article reviews various factors relevant to determining what diagnosis might be more appropriate. Second of a two part series. […]
    4 Comments
  • Tiger Woods, Sex Addiction, and OCD
    Many people, including professional psychotherapists, incorrectly think of sex addiction as a type of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This article reviews the essential differences between these two conditions and, how therapeutic strategies used for the treatment of OCD are unlikely to be successful when treating sex addiction. First of a two part series. […]
    18 Comments
  • Latisse and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
    The drug Latisse is prescribed to lengthen eyelashes, but it has significant, under-reported side effects. This raises two questions - is Latisse safe, and does its marketing exploit women's body image concerns? […]
    2 Comments
  • Proposed DSM-5 Changes for OCD and Anxiety Disorders
    The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has proposed significant revisions to its "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition" (DSM-IV). Tom Corboy of the OCD Center of Los Angeles discusses changes planned for the new DSM-5, specifically those relevant to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related anxiety-based conditions. […]
    7 Comments
  • Reassurance Seeking in OCD and Anxiety
    Those with OCD and other anxiety based conditions often seek reassurance that their unwanted thoughts and feelings are not a threat. The OCD Center of Los Angeles discusses the problem of using reassurance seeking as an anxiety management strategy. […]
    92 Comments
  • Phobia Treatment in Unconventional Settings
    Traditionally, phobias have been treated in a therapist's office. But effective help for phobias can now be found in some very unexpected places. […]
    No Comments
  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Cosmetic Surgery
    Many with Body Dysmorphic Disorder turn to cosmetic surgery in an attempt to alleviate their insecurities. Unfortunately, there are plenty of cosmetic surgeons who are more than willing to cash in on those with this serious psychiatric condition. […]
    No Comments
  • OCD & Anxiety: The Year 2009 in Review
    OCD and anxiety were in the news throughout 2009. Here are our votes for the top stories of the year about OCD and related anxiety based conditions. […]
    2 Comments
  • Bizarre, Disturbing, Weird, and Unwanted Thoughts in OCD
    Everybody has bizarre thoughts. But people with OCD respond differently to these thoughts. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    26 Comments
  • Emetophobia treatment at the OCD Center of Los Angeles with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Emetophobia and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
    Emetophobia is the fear of vomit and/or vomiting. Tom Corboy, MFT, Executive Director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles, discusses Emetophobia and its treatment. […]
    85 Comments
  • OCD and Mental Checking
    People with OCD often struggle with 'mental compulsions'. The OCD Center of Los Angeles explores how to manage this sometimes baffling problem. […]
    186 Comments
  • Cyberchondria: Health Anxiety in the 21st Century
    The twin explosions of television and the internet have spawned a sharp increase in Hypochondria, and spawned a new mental health issue - 'Cyberchondria'. […]
    8 Comments
  • Is Compulsive Overeating OCD?
    A discussion of compulsive overeating (aka binge eating) and how it differs from OCD. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles. Serving clients internationally. […]
    No Comments
  • Cy Young, Zack Greinke, and Social Anxiety
    Zack Greinke has overcome his Social Anxiety to become a superstar in major league baseball. […]
    No Comments
  • Exposure Therapy for OCD and AnxietyExposure Therapy for OCD and Anxiety
    Exposure therapy for OCD and other anxiety conditions is discussed by Tom Corboy, MFT, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    46 Comments
  • Social Anxiety Research
    Recent Social Anxiety research is discussed by Tom Corboy, MFT, executive director of the CD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    No Comments
  • OCD Awareness Week
         […]
    No Comments
  • CBT and Evidence Based Psychotherapy
    Unfortunately, many psychotherapists dismiss evidence-based treatments such as CBT, instead choosing to do what feels comfortable for them. […]
    No Comments
  • OCD, Mental Health, and the National Health Care Debate
    A look at the national health care debate, especially as it pertains to OCD and related anxiety based conditions. […]
    No Comments
  • Childhood OCD, Strep Infections, and PANDAS
    There is a growing body of research that indicates strep infections are related to rapid-onset OCD in children. […]
    No Comments
  • OCD and the Swine Flu – Part 2
    Panic about the Swine Flu continues, despite facts that suggest there is no cause for increased concern. […]
    No Comments
  • 2009 Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation Conference
    A review of the 2009 Obsessive Compulsive Foundation conference. […]
    No Comments
  • New Trichotillomania Research
    A look at recent research related to Trichotillomania. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    No Comments
  • Parenting a Child With OCD
    Parenting any child is a full-time job. But parenting a child with OCD can be particularly challenging. From the OCD Center of Los Angeles. […]
    No Comments
  • Social Anxiety in Baseball
    A look at the recent rash of pro baseball players struggling with Social Anxiety Disorder. […]
    No Comments
  • Michael Jackson and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
    A look at the sad tale of Michael Jackson and his mental health issues. […]
    No Comments
  • OCD and the Swine Flu
    The past few months have seen an avalanche of news stories on the Swine Flu, despite its relatively low impact in the US. […]
    No Comments
  • Meet the OCD Center of Los Angeles Staff
    Meet the OCD Center of Los Angeles Staff […]
    No Comments
  • Welcome to the OCD Center of Los Angeles Blog
    Welcome to the OCD Center of Los Angeles Blog […]
    No Comments

    
OCD Center of Los Angeles