Anxiety Matters

The Bonnies speak with Dr. Anthony Pinto, senior director of the Northwell Health OCD Center and a clinical and research authority on obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). They discuss his self-help workbook, which offers practical exercises for people with OCPD and may also be useful to people who relate to some of its traits, such as perfectionism, rigidity, and difficulty delegating. Dr. Pinto explains how OCPD is identified through persistent, pervasive traits that cause problems in a person’s life, and review its diagnostic criteria and related difficulties, including procrastination and decision-making. They also discuss how OCPD differs from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): OCD involves unwanted, fear-based thoughts and compulsions, while OCPD traits are generally experienced as part of a person’s way of thinking and behaving. Dr. Pinto goes on to discuss possible influences on OCPD, including heredity and aspects of a person’s environment, and consider how its traits may be helpful in some settings while causing stress or difficulties in relationships and other parts of life. He emphasizes that OCPD is treatable and that treatment can preserve a person’s strengths while addressing areas where they feel stuck. They cover treatment approaches that include cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, emotion regulation, and behavioral experiments. These can help people tolerate uncertainty, adjust their effort to a task’s importance, and make more room for relationships, leisure, and other valued areas. They also discuss how perfectionism can contribute to procrastination, preserving an ideal, and prolonged decision-making. HIGHLIGHTS: 5:08 Meet Dr. Anthony Pinto 10:16 What Makes a Personality Disorder? 18:05 OCPD Traits and Diagnostic Criteria 24:09 How OCPD Develops 26:52 OCPD Versus OCD 31:47 When OCPD Traits Help—and Hurt 35:16 Treatment: Values, Flexibility, and “Good Enough” 46:15 Procrastination and the Perfect Ideal 52:35 Research, Resources, and Closing Remarks connect with Dr. Pinto website: https://www.ocpd.org/new-york-ocpd-directory/anthony-pinto-phd resources The Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder Workbook is the first self-help book by experts in OCPD to offer practical and accessible CBT skills for managing the maladaptive behaviors of OCPD. The book is published by New Harbinger and is available in both hard copy and e-book. Here’s the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Obsessive-Compulsive-Personality-Disorder-Workbook-Relationships_and/dp/1648486487 Drs Pinto and Wheaton will be offering a full day course on Friday, January 29, 2027. The virtual CME course will be hosted by McLean Hospital. https://mclean.cloud-cme.com/course/courseoverview?P=0&EID=1009&IsExhibitor=false The Northwell Health OCD Center is an outpatient specialty program for OCD and OCPD. The program offers individual and group therapy as well as medication management. Most forms of government and commercial insurance are accepted. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Center - Zucker Hillside Hospital | Northwell Health The website of the OCPD Foundation (www.ocpd.org) continues to be updated with new content for individuals and families affected by OCPD. The site hosts the POPS, a self-report questionnaire for OCPD traits and severity, a message board, as well as helpful links for articles, podcast/media interviews, and other education about OCPD. There’s even a link for a free online support group that meets twice per month. The site also includes tailored content for clinicians, including training resources on treating OCPD. Dr. Pinto is collaborating with a researcher at VCU (Dr. Haynos) who was recently funded by NIMH to study decision making in OCPD (study flyer is attached). Recruitment is underway so please spread the word to your patients. The study is also recruiting for patients with OCD as well as those with anorexia nervosa. A great opportunity to support much needed research in OCPD! The study involves interviews that are done virtually and then a brain scan in Virginia. Compensation provided and travel costs covered. Here is a description of the study: Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder Decision-Making Study The REPEAT Lab at Virginia Commonwealth University is currently recruiting adult participants who have symptoms of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD; e.g., need for order, control, perfection) and healthy adults without a history of OCPD for a research study. The goal of the study is to understand if decision-making and its underlying brain function differs between individuals in these different groups. Participants in this study complete 3 study visits over the course of the year. The visits will involve questionnaires and interviews about participants’ mental health and health behaviors (e.g., eating habits), height and blind weight measurement, a brief medical screening with vitals, and blood draw (for some participants), and computer tasks completed during an fMRI brain scan. Additionally, on 2 occasions between visits, participants will complete online surveys on their smartphone for 2 weeks. Participants will receive up to $500 for completing this study (plus potential bonuses for task and survey performance). Some aspects of the study can be conducted remotely and reimbursement may be available for some travel costs. For more information, please contact the REPEAT Lab at 804-828-2658 or [email protected], or click here. CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

In this episode Bonnie and Bonnie discuss anxiety and OCD through the lens of superstition, rituals, and fearful thoughts. They talk about beliefs around lucky objects, knocking on wood, prayers, intrusive thoughts, and the fear that thinking about something bad can make it happen. They also address manifestation, health anxiety, and why they see real health-supporting behaviors as different from anxiety-driven attempts to prevent harm. HIGHLIGHTS: 5:11 Anxiety’s Magical Thinking 12:32 Manifesting and Worry Loops 18:25 Health, Habits, and Control 20:05 The Secret’s Pitfalls 22:22 Lucky Objects Exposed CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

BZE and BZW speak about anxiety and stress through the lens of physical health, including research on how to relate to future heart issues. They focus on the behaviors that often go along with anxiety, such as poor diet, smoking, drinking, low physical activity, poor sleep, limited social support, and less consistent medical care. The two also discuss practical ways to reduce stress by changing what is manageable, including improving sleep, increasing exercise, and strengthening social support. A major theme is how small unfinished tasks can build up over time, and encourage writing them down, organizing them, and handling the most stressful item first. They further explore how perfectionism, avoidance, and poor organization can make tasks harder to complete. The Bonnies close out by discussing how to break larger projects into smaller steps and how self-compassion and small actions can help when exercise or relaxation goals feel difficult to maintain. HIGHLIGHTS: 3:36 Behavior Drives Heart Risk 6:37 Stress From Small Tasks 12:18 Perfectionism Blocks Progress 16:01 Rebuilding After Burnout 20:32 Move Your Body Now 23:49 Behaviors Over Anxiety mentioned in episode WomenHeart: https://www.womenheart.org CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

The Bonnies speak with Dr. Kirsten Thompson about treating anxiety and the importance of finding a therapist or psychiatrist who feels like a good fit, including meeting with more than one provider if needed. They discuss when medication may be worth considering, how to start slowly for people with health anxiety, and common options such as SSRIs, buspirone, supplements, benzodiazepines, and propranolol. They also cover the role of therapy and lifestyle changes, the benefits and risks of different medications, and how propranolol can help with performance anxiety. They wrap up by discussing social media, stigma, and Dr. Thompson’s telehealth practice, which provides medication management and collaborative care for patients in California. HIGHLIGHTS: 3:39 Meet Dr. Kirsten Thompson 5:43 When Medication Makes Sense 10:26 Ashwagandha and Supplements 14:28 Medication Feels Like Failure 16:38 SSRIs for Anxiety 21:45 Managing Side Effects 26:19 Benzos and Safety Risks 35:47 Propranolol for Performance 38:50 Social Media and Misinformation 43:58 Remedy Psychiatry Overview connect with Dr. Kirsten Thompson website: https://remedypsychiatry.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/remedypsychiatry FB: https://www.facebook.com/remedypsych CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

The Bonnies talk about how rare and frightening news stories can trigger anxiety and OCD, especially around postpartum mental health. They discuss postpartum psychosis, intrusive thoughts, and how anxiety can make people misread normal thoughts or fears as signs of danger. They also look at similar patterns with topics like suicide or serious illness, and how repeated news and social media exposure can make rare events feel more likely. They close by stressing the value of psycho-education and realistic probabilities, especially for pregnant and postpartum people. HIGHLIGHTS: 0:49 Postpartum Intrusive Thoughts 4:45 OCD and Suicide Fears 8:04 Threat Bias in Anxiety 10:48 Teaching Realistic Probabilities 14:48 COVID and Catastrophic Thinking 16:23 Managing Uncertainty CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.