A woman smiles as she thinks about the question, can OCD be cured?

Can OCD Be Cured?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a condition characterized by intrusive, unwanted thoughts and rituals meant to relieve the anxiety created by those thoughts. Typical obsessive thoughts include fear of germs or contamination; unwanted taboo thought, often about sex, religion, or harming oneself or others; or having things perfectly symmetrical or in some specific order. To… Continue Reading Can OCD Be Cured?

A man walks by a lake and thinks about why you shouldn't punish yourself after a relapse

Why You Shouldn’t Punish Yourself After a Relapse

It’s normal to be disappointed if you relapse, especially if you’ve been sober for a while. You may feel like you’ve wasted all your hard work and disappointed the people who care about you. You may feel an impulse to punish yourself, either by beating yourself up emotionally, or engaging in some other self-destructive behavior.… Continue Reading Why You Shouldn’t Punish Yourself After a Relapse

A man stands outside and thinks about how addiction can change your personality

7 Ways Addiction Can Change Your Personality

A substance use disorder can have many negative effects on your life, damaging your relationships, finances, career, and health. Perhaps most disturbing is the way substance use changes your brain. Your neurotransmitter levels change to adjust to the presence of the substance and brain imaging studies suggest the structure of your brain actually changes with… Continue Reading 7 Ways Addiction Can Change Your Personality