Many people with OCD and anxiety are struggling to cope with COVID and sheltering in place. At the core of OCD and anxiety is an “intolerance of uncertainty.” The pandemic has drastically increased the number of unknowns that everyone now faces- Is this a symptom? What if I pass COVID on to someone? How many times a day should I wash my hands? For people with OCD and anxiety these uncertainties can bring on a whole new level of fear and apprehension.
Living with OCD and anxiety during a pandemic can be especially distressing and confusing. What are normal precautions and what might be a compulsion? It is especially difficult when you are isolated from friends and family, don’t have a good support system or don’t have access to an OCD or anxiety specialist.
CBT Therapy can teach you how to better tolerate uncertainty and how to live a full life despite the realities in the world right now.
Here is information provided by the International OCD Foundation on living with OCD and anxiety during a pandemic.