co-occurring disorders

Co-Occurring Disorders: How Depression and Anxiety Fuel Substance Abuse

Introduction Living with mental health challenges can feel like navigating through a storm, especially when substance use enters the picture. Co-occurring disorders – the presence of both a mental health condition and substance use disorder – affect millions of Americans each year. Depression and anxiety don’t just coexist with substance abuse; they often create a…

Woman smiles while talking to peers in OCD treatment

What Is OCD Treatment?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD for short, is a type of mental health disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are invasive thought patterns. The compulsions are the behaviors a person engages in to alleviate the distress they feel due to the obsessions. It’s an unfortunately common joke in society that people who are particular, detail-oriented,…

Man in need of OCD treatment lines up kernels of corn

How Is OCD Treated?

When obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is untreated, symptoms can worsen and interfere with normal functioning. The condition is defined by a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted thoughts or images that trigger negative feelings. Compulsions are behaviors that people engage in to alleviate the negative feelings they get from their obsessions. People who have…