Let’s get right to the first part of the title question. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) dovetails in a major way with anxiety disorders but is a separate diagnosis. For years, OCD was lumped under the umbrella of anxiety but the American Psychiatric Association reclassified it in 2013.

It should come as no surprise that a condition called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involves a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. The key word is “cycle.” Each of us, from time to time, has obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors. They can be unpleasant and feel intrusive. But, with OCD, they are disruptive. The obsessions and compulsions are extreme enough to hamper daily functioning.

Everyone knows what it’s like to hear that inner critic nagging at them. But imagine if that internal monologue was non-stop. You feel as if you never stop thinking about something in your appearance that you perceive as a flaw. You know it’s minor (at most) and that no one else notices it.

The first reaction to an anxiety diagnosis is often more anxiety. What does it mean? Am I always going to feel like this? Am I crazy?

All of us have moods, temperaments, and personalities. Each of these is subject to change — although making personality changes is a large undertaking. Beneath these individual trends lies something more fundamental. People may use words like “soul” or “heart” to describe it. It’s sort of an internal compass that shapes your thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors.

Obviously, “sensitive” is often in the eye of the beholder. Everyone has times when they feel more susceptible to the temperature, noise, textures, and general vibrations in their environment. This is frustrating but normal. Almost always, it passes rather quickly. However, the existence of a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) is also a psychological concept.

While anxiety disorders are not the most common cause of tics, there is definitely a connection. You may have experienced twitching in your eyes or in any muscle in your body. If it doesn’t last long, you may not give it much thought. But if the tics linger, anxiety could be the culprit.

Times like these are why they invented the word bittersweet. Your child is getting married. You’re thrilled and excited for them. You’re proud of them. Still, of course, there’s a twinge of sadness and a sense of them moving on.