Councelor/Therapist Questions Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

How well does exposure therapy work for OCD?

I always had OCD, and as far as I know, there isn't much that I can do to really treat it. I really didn't think I had a problem until my ex said that he could understand my compulsions. It has also affected other relationships. Does exposure therapy work for OCD?

7 Answers

The quick answer is yes. Gradual exposure assists in desensitization. I also recommend therapy in exploring underlying factors that make for the compulsions
Exposure therapy, which is a form of behavioral therapy, and cognitive therapy,Have been shown to be helpful for OCD. Coming up with a plan with the therapist that you can implement and practice can be very useful, especially if you feel that the OCD is getting in the way of relationships or daily living.
Hi,

Thank you for your question. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and evidence-based practice that utilizes exposure hierarchies to address the compulsive behaviors used to neutralize anxiety that accompanies the obsessive thoughts, has been shown to be highly effective in treating OCD. I highly recommend you seek out some support from a mental health
professional to guide you through the process.
I hope this has been helpful!

Best,

Jenna Torres, PsyD
Treatment for OCD may not result in a cure, but it may help bring symptoms under control so that they do not take over your daily life. The two main treatments for OCD are psychotherapy and medications. The combination of both has been shown to be most effective.
Depends on the person! It may or may not work as much as regular therapy
Exposure and Response/Ritual Prevention is the gold-standard treatment for OCD, in my opinion. The research supports this. A good outcome depends on the skill of the clinician AND the patient's willingness to complete exposures in session and outside of session (independent of the therapist) as homework.
This link adds value in addressing your question:

https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/treatments-for-ocd

Another good source is The OCD Workbook by Bruce Hyman and Cherry Pedrick.