Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is often misunderstood. In popular culture, it’s frequently portrayed as a quirky obsession with cleanliness or order — the person who “just loves things neat.” Phrases like “I’m so OCD” have even become part of everyday language.

There is only one way to travel it safely: knowing what to expect and then defusing the inevitable traps. You might be surprised at the notion that our automatic thoughts can be a major force in how we feel and what we do. Just like anything else, we learn how to think as we grow. This becomes a pattern over time, forming strong connections in our brains. As we process the information we take in, it’s filtered through these pathways. This is how automatic thinking occurs. There are various ways in which we can learn to think, so let’s discuss the various negative thinking traps we can fall victim to.

As adults and parents, it's our job to provide kids with the information they need about the world. Sometimes, when kids come to us they might already have the information they need and are still seeking an answer. During these times, they may be looking to us to help make them feel better about something that feels uncomfortable, despite already knowing what will happen. This is what we call reassurance seeking.

Often times, children with learning difficulties experience heightened symptoms of anxiety. The academic struggles combined with (real or imagined) social, emotional, or behavioral fears can become debilitating for a child. As a parent, it is hard to see your child suffering academically, emotionally, and socially. Therefore, gaining a better understanding of the connection between learning disorders and anxiety is a vital step in aiding your child and increasing their confidence and overall ability.

Accommodation is any change a parent makes to their own behavior to help kids avoid or lessen anxiety. Typically, these changes come from a caring and loving place, one where parents don’t want their kids to be distressed. In actuality, accommodation often shows kids that they cannot face their anxieties and they need others to step in to fix their problems. To figure out if accommodation plays a meaningful role in your family, ask yourself a few questions.

Anxiety is like an internal smoke detector, but instead of only going off when there is smoke, it sets off many false alarms. For some people, their smoke detector goes off when danger is present and they need to stay safe. Other people experience frequent false alarms and have difficulty resetting. Imagine a smoke detector that goes off each time you use the toaster or microwave. Some alarms go off easier than others and it works the same way across people.