Overcoming OCD: How Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy Can Help You Find Relief
By Kendra Bittner, LPC
You are constantly feeling like your mind is stuck in a loop, replaying the same worries and fears over and over again. You're desperate for relief, so you engage in rituals or behaviors that allow your anxiety to rest for a moment. Maybe you check the stove repeatedly, or you follow strict routines to keep your anxiety at bay. These actions feel like they provide short term relief, but they are exhausting, time consuming and deep down, you know they only reinforce your anxiety in the long run.
This is the reality of living with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The intrusive thoughts and compulsions can be overwhelming, making it difficult to focus on anything else. Seeking help can feel daunting, especially when you're used to managing on your own. You might have tried therapy before, but perhaps it didn't feel like the right fit or you weren't ready to fully commit to the process.
Therapy, specifically Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), can be incredibly effective in managing OCD. ERP challenges you to confront your fears and obsessions in a controlled environment, gradually reducing the anxiety they cause. It's about learning to tolerate uncertainty and break free from the cycle of compulsions. With the guidance of a therapist, you can develop strategies to cope with your OCD and regain control of your life.
If you're tired of feeling trapped by your OCD, therapy can offer you a path forward. It's a journey that requires commitment and courage, but the rewards are profound. You deserve to live a life free from the grips of OCD, and therapy can help you get there.
Getting started with ERP can be challenging, but here are some steps to help you begin:
Understand your OCD: Educate yourself about how OCD manifests in your life.
Create an exposure hierarchy: Work with your therapist to create a list of triggers, arranged from least to most distressing.
Start exposures: Begin with the least distressing item and deliberately expose yourself to the trigger without engaging in your usual compulsive response. An exposure trial is considered successful when your peak anxiety cuts in half.
Prevent the response: Resist compulsions during exposure trials, even when anxiety increases temporarily.
Repeat and increase exposure: Gradually move to more distressing exposures on your hierarchy.
Build a support system: This work can be challenging, so having a support system is crucial.
Engage in self-care: Positive outlets and self-care practices can help you manage stress and anxiety.
For example, in the case of checking to make sure the stove is off, your exposure hierarchy might look like this:
Delay the urge to check the stove by 30 seconds.
Delay the urge to check the stove by 1 minute.
Resist the urge to check the stove completely.
Have someone ask you, "Did you turn the stove off?"
Drive away from home while resisting the urge to check the stove.
It's important to remember that ERP is not about perfection. There will be days when you engage in compulsions, and that's okay. ERP is about learning to tolerate uncertainty and challenging yourself to live your life more fully, despite the "what ifs."