Are you obsessing over your relationship?

​It's common to become overwhelmed and even preoccupied with a negative relationship. Of course, any stressor in our life, whether that be health or finances, to name a few, will often take the front stage. But do you find yourself obsessing over your relationship? Maybe you are unsure if it's the right relationship or you're ruminating about your partner's looks. Additionally, perhaps you constantly feel uncertain about your partner's feelings about you, and this anxiety is contributing to stress in your life. It might be worth it to rule out Relationship OCD.

Let's face it, no relationship is perfect. It's so helpful to learn how to live with both our relationship's positive and negative aspects. Like any job or aspect of ourselves, it's beneficial to know how to look at the glass as half full, as long as abuse isn't part of the equation. 

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is often overlooked by laymen and clinicians. But, importantly, OCD can be a real struggle and an underlying condition showing up as obsessions, compulsions, anxiety, depression, and sexual preoccupations, among many other mental health issues (*helpful definitions below).

Specifically, known today, OCD comes in four varieties: 

• Aggressive dimension
• Sexual-religious dimension
• Contamination-cleaning dimension
• Relational dimension

Can I get help for OCD?

Absolutely. OCD is amenable to treatment. Studies show a combination of medication (SSRIs) and psychotherapy works best at first, depending upon the severity of your OCD. Once therapeutic skills are employed, some wean down from medication at the doctors' medical suggestion. Some psychotherapy approaches that work best are typically Cognitive Behavioral related and the distancing approach of EMDR.  

For more information about relationship OCD, view here. Additionally, the DSM 5 defines OCD as meeting this criteria.
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*Obsessions: Recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images experienced as intrusive and unwanted in most individuals cause marked anxiety or distress. The individual attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, urges, or images or neutralize them with other thoughts or actions (i.e., by performing a compulsion).

*Compulsions: The behaviors or mental acts aim to prevent or reduce anxiety or distress. These behaviors or mental actions are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent or are clearly excessive.