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People with OCD usually have the following characteristics:
（1）Fear of touching any public items with their body.
（2）When taking public transport, they repeatedly choose clean seats to sit on, or even dare not sit.
（3）When talking to others, they keep a distance, afraid of being splashed by the other person’s saliva.
（4）They wash their hands after shaking hands with others.
（5）They must use disposable chopsticks when dining out.
（6）They often associate bacteria and viruses etc. with touching public items.
（7）They fear sitting at the same table with others while eating, afraid of others’ saliva contaminating the food.
（8）They keep their distance from insects and small animals passing by.
（9）They rarely attend crowded events, and even if they do, they feel nervous and uncomfortable.
（10）They have high hygiene requirements and keep their surroundings spotless.
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How to alleviate obsessive thoughts? Three methods to try.
（1）When irrational thoughts enter your consciousness, do not suppress them, continue doing what you need to do with these thoughts. For example, when climbing a mountain, if thoughts of falling or getting injured arise, there is no need to eliminate these thoughts. Instead, continue climbing and pay attention to the path, accepting the presence of these thoughts.
If irrational thoughts linger in the mind, many people try to suppress them. However, the more effort put into suppressing the thoughts, the more attention they receive, resulting in their frequent occurrence. The best approach is to let them be, allow the thoughts to arise, pay no heed, suppress, or focus on them, and they will naturally fade away.
（2）Participate in various social activities, talk heart-to-heart with classmates, friends, release stress during communication, keeping oneself physically and mentally pleasant. Since the development of obsessive thoughts is related to accumulated stress, a combination of work and rest is highly effective in easing obsessive thoughts.
（3）Be more tolerant of oneself, allow for mistakes and irrational thoughts. Many people with obsessive thoughts enforce high standards on themselves, not allowing room for errors. Over-restraint often leads to pressure and anxiety, allowing numerous irrational thoughts to intrude.
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People with social anxiety generally exhibit the following habits:
（1）Preferring solitude
Whether in study, work, eating, or shopping, even during travel, they prefer being alone. They seem to have few friends, and even if they do, there is minimal contact, limited to online social interaction.
（2）Avoiding acquaintances when encountered
While ordinary people usually greet someone they know when passing by, socially anxious individuals avoid familiar faces. It’s not so much fear of the person but rather the anxiety about having to engage in conversation with them.
（3）Continuously checking their phones in public places
Regardless of whether they are in contact with someone on their phone or if there is no content to browse, they keep scrolling through their phones, avoiding lifting their gaze from the screen.
（4）Wearing headphones everywhere
It’s not merely to block out noise but more to shield themselves from inner tension, isolating themselves from the surroundings. This is a common habit among individuals with social anxiety, especially in crowded public areas.
（5）Developing a gaming addiction
Due to a lack of confidence in social settings and the inability to establish close relationships in real life, they seek comfort in virtual worlds through online games, avoiding real-world interactions.
（6）Engaging in online shopping
For individuals with social anxiety, online shopping is not only convenient but also helps avoid face-to-face interactions. Therefore, in bustling malls and lively streets, socially anxious individuals are hardly seen.
（7）Being single for long periods
Among those who are single for extended periods, socially anxious individuals make up a significant portion. This is because being single helps avoid contact with the opposite sex, often stemming from fear of social interactions. Fearful of communication, they shut themselves in, unable to step out, while others cannot step in.
（8）Daydreaming
People who indulge in daydreaming are often overlooked in real life. Without a sense of presence in life, they compensate for the gap between imagination and the real world. When there is no emotional outlet, they seek solace in daydreams.
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Many individuals with psychological disorders tend to self-deprecate, underestimating themselves excessively. Essentially, individuals who feel inferior are more prone to various psychological barriers than the average person. In daily life, we often encounter individuals who describe themselves as “bad,” “incompetent,” or “worthless.” Even without sufficient objective evidence to prove that their failures in work or relationships are due to lack of ability, they evaluate themselves negatively with a pessimistic and self-deprecating attitude, magnifying their flaws and overlooking their strengths. Self-deprecation is a subjectively felt lack of objectivity, a distorted perception of oneself or the world. Those who feel inferior often believe they are inferior to others, tend to retreat in the face of challenges, and find it easy to avoid confrontations. Despite having the ability to overcome difficulties, they passively deny their own capabilities, believing they are destined to fail. In reality, the insurmountable challenges they face are not the difficulties themselves but the negative attitude they hold toward themselves. They believe they are destined to fail, ultimately resulting in failure, all of which are consequences of continuous self-deprecation.
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Anxiety, depression, OCD, and other neuroses are not singular psychological problems nor purely biological in origin but are the result of a combination of various factors. In summary, they can be categorized into the following points:
（1）Biological factors: Levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine in the body are significantly reduced, disrupting emotional regulation.
（2）Social environmental factors: Harsh living conditions, experiences of setbacks, negative impacts on personal growth, poor adaptability to the environment, and weak resistance to negative stimuli.
（3）Personality and psychological factors: Patients often exhibit introversion, timidity, shyness, sensitivity, caution, and a pursuit of perfection.
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Why does winter exacerbate feelings of depression or anxiety? Observant individuals notice that as temperatures drop during winter to a certain extent, the body instinctively experiences tension, leading to psychological tension deepening.
Initially, physiological tension causes psychological tension and discomfort, which then reciprocally affect the body, eventually creating a vicious cycle that intensifies feelings of depression or anxiety. Another reason is related to the shortened daylight hours; during winter, days are shorter and nights longer, resulting in reduced sunlight exposure. Many people experience changes in their physiology due to insufficient sunlight exposure, leading to states of depression or anxiety. Sunlight exposure is essential for maintaining high levels of neurotransmitters in the body, playing a crucial role in emotional regulation.
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Advice for individuals with anxiety or depression:
（1）Act more, think less
We have all experienced situations where entangled thoughts lead to a state of distress and depression. Regardless of the time or place, excessive thinking inevitably exhausts the brain, resulting in emotional fatigue, restlessness, anxiety, or depression. Engaging in activities or focusing on physical exercise can make one’s mood significantly better. Even if not entirely joyful, at least one will not feel distressed.
（2）Express more, suppress less
Observing cheerful and outgoing individuals, they speak candidly and openly with others. Those who enjoy talking typically have less psychological pressure. In contrast, those who are reserved tend to accumulate more negative energy and may develop psychological obstacles due to the absence of an outlet for expression.
（3）Confront more, avoid less
Individuals who proactively face challenges usually possess an optimistic and proactive attitude towards life. On the other hand, those who choose to retreat in the face of difficulties tend to have a more negative and passive attitude. Constantly shying away from challenges without the ability to cope with setbacks leads to increased negativity and inertia. Such negative feelings can generalize, causing anxiety or depression even when not facing difficulties or setbacks. Overcoming one challenge boosts confidence and prepares one for any subsequent challenges. Succumbing to one setback paves the way for more setbacks until the spirit is broken.
