Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Beyond comfort: a treatment for OCD and a recipe for a better life

Lori Merling, PhD
Conditions
October 28, 2022
Share
Tweet
Share

When I was a child, I recall my mother telling me that to live a successful life, you must do one thing every day that scares you. I remember not fully understanding this piece of advice’s magnitude or real significance, yet it still resonated. It’s funny, what stands out to us, what we remember, and why. Little did I know at the time that these words represented the very premise of the clinical work I do as an adult and how much it would change my patients’ lives, and mine for that matter. Choosing to do the scary things has never failed me, nor anyone I’ve ever worked with, and I am thus a huge advocate for venturing into fear.

I am a clinical psychologist specializing in obsessive-compulsive disorder. OCD is an often debilitating psychiatric disorder that consists of two main parts: obsessions, which are intrusive, unwanted thoughts, urges, or images that cause distress, and compulsions, the actions, often repetitive ones, that one engages in to alleviate the anxiety caused by the obsessions. For example, an individual with the contamination subtype of OCD might have intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that they have germs on them or could contract an illness if they touch a surface they perceive as contaminated. As a result, said individual may wash their hands or body excessively (compulsions) so as to feel clean and ease their anxiety about contracting illness. Obsessions and compulsions, in whatever form they may present, can interfere significantly with social or occupational functioning and overall quality of life.

Currently, the most effective treatment for OCD is a cognitive behavioral therapy called exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP). ERP consists of exposing people to what they fear and avoid, in a graded manner, so that they can discover that they can cope with the unknown better than they may have thought without escaping the feared situation. They also learn the difference between real and imagined threats or dangers. Or the way I like to put it, they learn what they’re made of. This is such an inspiring process to witness and be a part of because, in the context of OCD or life in general, so many of us underestimate what we’re made of, and we’re too afraid to push our limits to find out.

The best things I’ve ever done in my life have been the scariest. They’ve entailed a ton of uncertainty. For example, I was the last person people ever thought would move to a different country to pursue a doctoral degree. I was a homebody, close to my family and friends. I clung to the comforts and stability of home and tended to never veer too far from what felt safe. One day, I took a leap of faith, not knowing if I’d hack it or fail miserably, and today, the only uncertainty I can’t imagine living with is that of not knowing if I were capable. Over a decade later, I’ve opened a clinic where I get to watch others take their own leaps into the unknown toward the lives they dream of. Every day in my office, I see the strongest, most courageous part of the human spirit that I truly believe exists within all of us. My patients only reinforce my initial decision and serve as inspirational reminders that the lives we dream of lie beyond what we fear. They serve as reminders that embracing the unknown is the key ingredient in growth, and thus, the key ingredient of the realized dream, whether that means overcoming an anxiety disorder, starting a business, running a marathon, or writing a New York Times best seller.

While my mother can’t pinpoint exactly where she first heard this piece of advice, likely from my grandfather, the direct quote is attributed to Mary Schmich, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Some version of it has been attributed to a number of notable writers or historical figures such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Helen Keller, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, who rose to have great influence in their life and time. This makes sense, as I would venture to say that anyone who has ever made a significant change in this world felt fear or some level of uncertainty at first – the only difference between them and others is that they never let it stop them.

Lori Merling is a licensed clinical psychologist and founding clinical director, The Sydney Merling Center for OCD and Anxiety at Telstone IOP, where she treats OCD, OC-spectrum, and anxiety disorders. She can also be reached on Facebook and Instagram.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

A C-section is not a defeat

October 28, 2022 Kevin 0
…
Next

Stop and smell the cadavers

October 28, 2022 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Psychiatry

Post navigation

< Previous Post
A C-section is not a defeat
Next Post >
Stop and smell the cadavers

Related Posts

  • Ethical humanism: life after #medbikini and an approach to reimagining professionalism

    Jay Wong
  • The life cycle of medication consumption

    Fery Pashang, PharmD
  • Stop stigmatizing medication-assisted treatment

    Brandon Jacobi
  • My first end-of-life conversation

    Shereen Jeyakumar
  • There’s no such thing as work-life balance

    Katie Fortenberry, PhD
  • Are the life sciences the best premedical majors?

    Moses Anthony

More in Conditions

  • Family support is pivotal in the treatment of schizophrenia

    Frank Chen, MD
  • Exploring disfigurement and self-worth

    Kathleen Watt
  • Are we doing enough to help chronic pain sufferers?

    Adam Strohl, MD
  • Lessons taught by Bell’s palsy

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD
  • Unthinkable choices in childbirth emergencies

    Kim M. Puterbaugh, MD
  • The link between orofacial myofunctional disorders and dental health

    Stephanie Jeret
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Ethical considerations in medicine: unity and open discourse

      Andrew Zywiec, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling excessive medical billing and greed

      Amol Saxena, DPM, MPH | Policy
    • I’m a doctor, and I almost died during childbirth

      Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD | Physician
    • For newer doctors, avoid lifestyle inflation

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance
    • 1 in 5 doctors will become disabled. Are you prepared?

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance
    • Chronic health issues and homelessness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medical gaslighting: a growing challenge in today’s medical landscape

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • Balancing opioid medication in chronic pain

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • I want to be a doctor who can provide care for women: What states must I rule out for my medical education?

      Nandini Erodula | Education
    • Navigating the broken medical system: challenges faced by foreign medical graduates

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Mourning the silent epidemic: the physician suicide crisis and suggestions for change

      Amna Shabbir, MD | Physician
    • The essence of medicine: genuine connections in practice

      Jennifer Tillman, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • 1 in 5 doctors will become disabled. Are you prepared?

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance
    • The pros and cons of whole life insurance for high-income earners

      Shane Tenny, CFP | Finance
    • Family support is pivotal in the treatment of schizophrenia

      Frank Chen, MD | Conditions
    • Is emergency medicine your calling? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Exploring disfigurement and self-worth

      Kathleen Watt | Conditions
    • AI is living up to its promise as a tool for radiology

      Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Tech

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • CDC Advisors Endorse Maternal RSV Vax to Protect Newborns
  • Amoxicillin Alone for Acute Sinusitis Holds Up Against Broad-Spectrum Cousin
  • Despite Taboo, Med Students, Doctors Use Substances Too
  • White House Opens Gun Violence Prevention Office
  • Nurses Step Up to Bat on Educating Patients About Climate Change

Meeting Coverage

  • Loneliness Needs to Be Treated Like Any Other Health Condition, Researcher Suggests
  • Stopping Medical Misinformation Requires Early Detection
  • AI Has an Image Problem in Healthcare, Expert Says
  • Want Better Health Outcomes? Check Out What Other Countries Do
  • ERS Roundup: Cell Transplant Boosts Lung Function in COPD Patients
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Ethical considerations in medicine: unity and open discourse

      Andrew Zywiec, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling excessive medical billing and greed

      Amol Saxena, DPM, MPH | Policy
    • I’m a doctor, and I almost died during childbirth

      Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD | Physician
    • For newer doctors, avoid lifestyle inflation

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance
    • 1 in 5 doctors will become disabled. Are you prepared?

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance
    • Chronic health issues and homelessness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medical gaslighting: a growing challenge in today’s medical landscape

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • Balancing opioid medication in chronic pain

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • I want to be a doctor who can provide care for women: What states must I rule out for my medical education?

      Nandini Erodula | Education
    • Navigating the broken medical system: challenges faced by foreign medical graduates

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Mourning the silent epidemic: the physician suicide crisis and suggestions for change

      Amna Shabbir, MD | Physician
    • The essence of medicine: genuine connections in practice

      Jennifer Tillman, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • 1 in 5 doctors will become disabled. Are you prepared?

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance
    • The pros and cons of whole life insurance for high-income earners

      Shane Tenny, CFP | Finance
    • Family support is pivotal in the treatment of schizophrenia

      Frank Chen, MD | Conditions
    • Is emergency medicine your calling? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Exploring disfigurement and self-worth

      Kathleen Watt | Conditions
    • AI is living up to its promise as a tool for radiology

      Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Tech

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...