Understanding OCD

Understanding OCD Together

OCD is more than habits or wanting order/cleanliness; it’s a vicious cycle of thoughts and actions that can feel overwhelming and take up large portions of your day.

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OCD Basics

What is OCD?

Obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a mental health condition that involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). OCD often causes distress and anxiety, and repetitive behaviors are most often an effort to manage persistent unwanted thoughts. Not repeating compulsive behavior can also increase anxiety.

What causes OCD?

Is OCD just wanting things to be really clean or orderly?

Is OCD common?

It's estimated that OCD affects 1-2% of the popular, disproportionately affecting women. OCD is often diagnosed later in life despite most cases displaying OCD symptoms before the age of 18.

Although there is a genetic component to OCD (having an immediate family member with OCD significantly increases your chances of developing OCD), there is no "OCD gene" and likely manifests due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The good news is ERP can be effective regardless of origin.

The main components of OCD are intrusive symptoms (thoughts, feelings, urges) that are distressing and people feel the need to immediately address through some type of usually repetitive action (compulsion). This pull is substantial and not just a preference. These intrusive symptoms can be varied (thoughts of cleanliness, thoughts of harming someone, urges to do things against your values, feeling something just isnt right), just as compulsions may be (repeating routines, checking, mentally reviewing lists, counting, etc). See some OCD type examples below:

Some OCD Subtypes

Relationship OCD

persistent, intrusive doubts and fears about the "rightness" of a romantic relationship, the partner’s flaws, or the person's own feelings.

"Just Right" OCD

characterized by the presence of recurrent obsessions pertaining to things feeling “not right” and/or incomplete in some way

Harm OCD

Unwanted thoughts or urges around wanting to harm yourself or someone else

About Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy

Exposure and response prevention helps people face fears gently and regain control over their lives. It works by gradually exposing people to feared thoughts or situations (exposure) while preventing the typical compulsive, anxiety-reducing behaviors (response prevention), allowing anxiety to decrease naturally over time.

ERP has been the subject of hundreds of controlled trials including those starting with patients from the age of 6 to seniors with repeated positive effects that are superior to other therapies not targeted to OCD. ERP is internationally considered the first line treatment for OCD.