The OC Anxiety Center has been asked by different organizations to participate and/or lead in many Zoom meetings for private schools, therapist organizations and counseling centers. One of the questions that other professionals have been asking is “how has COVID affected your patients?”. Many assume that there’s a large influx of patients with the increase in anxiety, but the answer is more complex than that.
Anxiety patients
We’re finding a mix of responses to the current crisis. For those with Panic Disorder with or without Agoraphobia (Afraid of panic attacks, and avoiding places where they may occur), they are less anxious as they don’t have to go out of their safety zone as they are staying near home. The same goes for those with specific phobias (e.g., fear of flying or animals) as those are easily avoided at this time. Those who are struggling are those with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (individuals who are worries by nature, find things to worry about, and feel tense and anxious because of their worries) as their worry approach to life is applied to the current crisis.
Obsessive Compulsive patients
Much like anxiety patients, we’re having a range of responses. Those with OCD obsessions that are not contaminated related (e.g., scrupulosity, sexuality, symmetry) don’t seem to be affected as their obsessions are not focused on getting sick. Those with contamination issues, as well as for some who have harm to others as their primary obsessional thinking pattern typically are having an increase in their obsessions, and related compulsions.
Various other issues
We are also finding that some patients who have significant time on their hands are having more symptomology as their automatic thinking regresses back to their worries or fears. This ranges from mood issues like Major Depressive Disorder to Body Dysmorphic Disorder to various counseling issues.
To deal with these issues during this time of increased stressors, the OC Anxiety Center is offering phone screens free of charge to help individuals understand what course of action would most benefit them. We continue to offer both tele-therapy and video-therapy in HIPAA compliant formats, and will likely offer some in-person therapy in the coming weeks. Please feel free to contact Dr. Hsia directly at 949-689-5892, or email him at hsia@ocanxietycenter.com.