OCD

Having ongoing or extreme compulsions, obsessions, or addictions could indicate obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This mental health condition affects men and women of all ages and can become debilitating. Through his private telehealth practice, based in East Setauket, New York, licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist Mitchel Eisenstein, LCSW, diagnoses and treats bothersome OCD symptoms in adults. Schedule a virtual OCD evaluation with Mitchel by phone or request one online today.

What is OCD?

OCD is a mental health condition that affects your behaviors and thoughts. It’s characterized by obsessions (unwanted thoughts) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors that cause distress). 

While mild OCD might not bother you, severe cases of OCD can cause embarrassment or issues at work or in school. When not addressed, OCD may also interfere with healthy interpersonal relationships.

Which symptoms can OCD cause?

OCD can cause the following:

• Repetitive behaviors
• Unwarranted fears
• Being scared of germs or dirt
• Arranging all canned goods the same way
• Need for extreme orderliness
• Not touching doorknobs or shaking hands
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Continuously checking for locked doors
• Ritualistic behaviors
• Ongoing stress
• Constantly washing your hands
• Checking the stove over and over again to ensure it’s off
• Unwanted, distressing, or horrific thoughts

You might feel driven to do compulsive acts and can’t overcome these addictive habits without treatment by a specialist. 

OCD typically begins in the teenage or adult years, although it can also start during childhood. Reach out to Mitchel at the first sign of crippling OCD.

What may increase the risk of OCD?

The cause of OCD isn’t fully understood, but potential risk factors include:

• Learned behavior patterns
• Family history of OCD
• Brain chemistry changes
• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Substance misuse
• Tic disorders
• Life transitions
• Other stressful life events

Minimizing stress may reduce troublesome OCD symptoms, but you might not be able to eliminate them entirely without help from a mental health specialist.

How does a provider diagnose OCD?

Mitchel completes a virtual psychiatric evaluation from the comfort of your office or home. He discusses your symptoms, moods, thoughts, behaviors, lifestyle, medications, and more to determine the best treatment for you.

How is OCD treated?

Mitchel provides the following OCD solutions:

• Stress management
• Healthy lifestyle counseling
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Exposure and response prevention (ERP)
• Other forms of psychotherapy
• Voice dialogue
• Mindfulness
• Psychodynamic therapy

If you’re a candidate for medications, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), or other OCD solutions, he provides referrals. 

Schedule weekly (or as needed) visits with Mitchel to achieve the desired outcome and a sense of calm, peace, and joy.

Schedule a virtual OCD evaluation with Mitchel Eisenstein, LCSW, by calling his office or requesting one online today.