Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). You have likely heard people say things like, “I’m obsessed with her!” or “I’m so OCD”. But OCD is not an adjective used to describe a quirk or personality trait. OCD is a brain and behavioral disorder that involves obsessions and compulsions that cause significant distress and can be debilitating for many.
Obsessions are intrusive thoughts, feelings, sensations, or urges. They are unwanted and cause significant anxiety, uncertainty, doubt, or disgust. Some common obsessions include fear of being contaminated with a substance/item, fear of violently or sexually harming someone on impulse, fear of your partner not being “the one”, or fear of being responsible for a terrible event.
Compulsions are physical and mental actions that are aimed at getting rid of or neutralizing the anxiety, uncertainty, doubt, or disgust. Some common compulsions are excessively showering or washing hands, checking to make sure you didn’t hurt someone, excessive research, mentally reviewing past actions or conversations, and frequently seeking reassurance.
OCD can be particularly challenging because it often targets what you love and value the most. For example, it may cause you to experience thoughts or images about you doing something terrible to harm someone you love which may cause you to constantly check on them, avoid being around them, or mentally review things you’ve done in the past to see if you may have forgotten doing something harmful to them.
If you have been diagnosed with or suspect you might have OCD, you may:
avoid people, places, or situations that trigger your obsessions.
experience significant distress and can’t stop the obsessions or compulsions even when you try.
greatly struggle with uncertainty and not knowing.
constantly try to “figure it out” by mentally reviewing memories, past actions, or conversations.
spend many hours performing compulsive behaviors or routines.
experience significant feelings of guilt or shame because of your symptoms.
also experience depression, hopelessness, and low self-worth.
But There’s HOpe!
You may not have received the right kind of treatment for your OCD in the past and may have even noticed that some therapy interventions made your symptoms worse. This may leave you feeling hopeless. But the good new is, proper OCD treatment is extremely effective.
Many therapists haven’t received training on OCD and may mistake it’s symptoms for an anxiety disorder and treat it as such. Because of the unique challenges individuals with OCD face, regular talk therapy doesn’t work so it’s vital that treatment be provided by an OCD specialist.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that is considered the “gold standard” treatment for OCD. ERP involves deliberately confronting situations that cause you distress without engaging in your rituals or compulsions. I use an approach called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) alongside ERP which will help you learn to be more flexible, open, and willing to experience all internal experiences without judgment or avoidance in the pursuit of a values based life.
In our first few sessions, we will complete an in-depth assessment of your symptoms and how OCD is impacting your life. This will help us develop a treatment plan that best fits your needs and goals so you can get back to a life that is fulfilling.
With ERP, you will learn:
why your obsessions happen and how your compulsions developed.
to ignore the “false alarm” signals OCD sends you.
strategies for changing how you relate to your obsessive thoughts.
how to live with doubt, uncertainty, and discomfort.
that the bad thing you thought would happen is much less likely to happen than you thought.
how to reconnect with what matters most to you.
FAQs
Is there a cure for OCD?
While there is not a cure for OCD, there is a difference between living with OCD and suffering with OCD. Treatment with a trained therapist can help you learn how to manage and relate to your symptoms in a way that they don’t interfere with your day-to-day life.
How long will it take for me to feel better?
Individuals often begin to experience some relief from their symptoms within 12-20 sessions. However, this is dependent on the severity of your symptoms, the complexity of your obsessions and compulsions, and your level of commitment and engagement.