Vital aspects of CBT and ERP for OCD Treatment
Many people are suffering from mental issues across the globe. Numerous psychological problems affect people of all ages, gender, and race. You can suffer from anxiety, OCD, phobias, among other issues. It is suitable for you to ensure that you find the correct cure and therapy for each mental condition. In this article, you will find out more about OCD and the right treatments to correct the situation.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD is a mental disorder where the affected person is involved in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. You should, however, note that not all people that have obsessions and compulsions have OCD. You will be diagnosed with this type of disorder only when you experience extreme obsessions and compulsions. You will also have OCD if these obsessions and compulsions hinder you from being productive since they take up most of your time. You will not have enough time to carry out tasks that you love. It would be best for you to know that compulsions are thoughts or images that you do not want since they bring you distressing feelings. You will experience compulsions as you try to eliminate obsessive thoughts and images in your mind. Some of the common obsessions that people with OCD experience are losing control of doing some things due to fear, religious obsessions, unwanted sexual thoughts, thoughts of contamination, among others. Compulsions experienced by OCD patients are excessive cleaning and washing, too many mental reviews, repeating things several times, checking to confirm all the time, arranging, and rearranging, among other types of obsessions. You should, therefore, make sure that you seek help as soon as possible.
There are two common types of therapies used to treat OCD. They are Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). CBT is a psychological as well as social mental treatment that is aimed at improving a person’s mental health. The main aim is to change cognitive distortions and improve behavior. It has various psychotherapies (both cognitive and behavior therapies) that are meant to correct mental disorders. It utilizes techniques and strategies that are evidence-based. It is, therefore, seen as the most effective treatment for behavioral disorders in individuals.
Exposure and Response Prevention therapy is a type of psychotherapy under Cognitive Behavior Therapy. It is found to be effective in OCD treatment. Exposure is getting exposed to situations, images, and thoughts that bring about obsessions. Response Prevention is where you control yourself to avoid compulsive behaviors triggered by the obsessions you are exposed to. You will do this with your therapist until you stabilize. You can perform ERP on your own afterward. It is not hard to deal with the situation once you start.
When you have OCD or your loved one is affected by it, you should go to therapy as soon as possible. If mental issues are not attended to with immediate effect, they are likely to lead to serious health issues. You should also make sure that you go to a therapy clinic that has licensed and experienced therapists.