Summarize this article in one sentence.
If you feel like you may be an immediate threat to yourself or to other people, check yourself into the Emergency Department at your local hospital. Therapists and social workers are trained to provide crisis care and help you de-escalate your thoughts and feelings in the moment, and help you cope with similar feelings in the future. The medical team may recommend further treatment, such as going to residential care or obtaining therapy. If you’re having difficulty managing the thoughts on your own, make an appointment with a therapist. A therapist can help you work through your obsessive thoughts and respond to them differently. If you tend to focus on catastrophic events or exaggerated feelings of responsibility, therapy can help you respond to these thoughts in a healthy and effective way without resorting to compulsive behavior. If there are specific situations that you think about or places you avoid, therapy can help you with exposure and response to these situations, such as avoiding riding in cars or trains for fear of death. A support group can help you join with other people who have similar obsessive thoughts or fears. A support group can offer encouragement, support, and friendship and can help with feelings of isolation. Ask your medical doctor or therapist if there are any local support groups that deal with obsessive thoughts. Having obsessive thoughts can make you feel isolated and alone, like nobody understands. Have a solid support system of family and friends to help combat feelings of isolation and vulnerability. Allow a friend or family member to encourage you to combat obsessive thoughts or follow through with treatment. If you feel socially isolated, make new friends. Volunteering is a great way to help your community and meet new people that share similar interests as you. Volunteer at your local animal shelter or animal sanctuary, or with children or the elderly.
Check yourself into the Emergency Department. See a therapist. Join a support group. Stay connected.