Feeling gaslight by OCD? Defeat OCD-related doubt through exposure and response prevention (ERP), not logic!One of OCD's most diabolical tricks is its ability to sow seeds of doubt, even about beliefs we hold strongly. Think of it as a tiny, annoying heckler in your...
Please help us complete this exposure for scrupulosity (religious OCD).So this post is a bit different than my regular posts... Rather than discussing a specific aspect about OCD or anxiety, this post is a request for your assistance in completing an exposure. Here's...
OCD is predicated on the formation of faulty beliefs that are maintained through negative reinforcement.In previous posts, I have discussed various aspects of the "OCD Cycle," but it never hurts to have a quick refresher. After all, understanding how OCD works can...
Anger can be a mobilizing emotion, but too much anger directed at OCD can give it unnecessary power.“I hate having OCD! Why can’t these thoughts just stop?!?! How can I be the person I was before?!?!” Many people with OCD are extremely familiar with the...
Long shower times because of contamination OCD? Use our ERP shower exposure room to shorten your shower times!Long shower times? Just a quick announcement... I'm pleased to announce that with our recent office renovations, we now have a spa-like therapeutic shower...
Use imaginal exposure to address OCD based around catastrophic feared outcomes.As I've talked about in numerous posts, overcoming OCD involves learning to co-exist with doubt and uncertainty. This idea can be a bit counter-intuitive at first, as many people initially...
Social Anxiety Treatment Group for TeensSaturday (8/17) @ 11am-1pmTeens with social anxiety unite! In this paid treatment group, teens will support each other in developing cognitive behavioral skills to combat social anxiety. This workshop will be interactive and...
There is strength in numbers. Join us for our first OCD treatment group on Saturday, 8/10/13.OCD Treatment Group! I am pleased to announce the availability of our new exposure and response prevention (ERP)-based treatment group. The intent of this group is to provide...
Answering "What If...?" questions is an anxiety-related avoidance behavior that involves overpreparation.Anxiety, Worry, & What If Questions If you have anxiety, it's likely that you wrestle with worry and "what if" questions. Many what if questions are easily...
Although exposure is predicated upon the purposeful non-avoidance of anxiety-related stimuli, non-avoidance of anxiety triggers is not equivalent to exposure.Anxiety Principle of the Day: Non-Avoidance is not equivalent to exposure. Although exposure is predicated...
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD involves willingly habituating to your triggers. When spontaneous triggers occur, don't ritualize; be strategic.Question: I know about ERP, and I understand that OCD symptoms can be reduced by resisting rituals and then...
Exposure, when done right, is about much more than just habituation.Many people have an incomplete understanding of exposure therapy... ...be it exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD, intentional mistake practice for social anxiety, or interoceptive exposures...
Sometimes the symptoms of social anxiety and OCD can overlap. Because avoidance maintains fear, consider high level exposures that involve "broadcasting" your symptoms in order to address anxiety-related cognitions. This is a CBT technique called intentional mistake...
Treatment for body-focused OCD is paradoxical and involves intentionally leaning into your symptoms rather than away from them.This post is the last in a series of posts discussing body-focused obsessions and compulsions (aka, sensorimotor, somatosensory, or somatic...
The most effective treatment for OCD, exposure and response prevention (ERP), is built on a combination of cognitive and behavioral strategies.Question: To what extent would a change of mindset (e.g., changing my expectations for myself) be helpful in recovering from...
You are not your OCD. One important part of OCD treatment involves recognizing that your symptoms do not define you.Question: Because many of my OCD rituals are related to my professional identity, I'm worried that changing my rituals will somehow change those parts...
Some individuals with Pure-O OCD use "starting over", "resetting", or "undoing" compulsions to wipe the mental slate clean.Question: It's hard to describe this, but I feel like every few days I need to mentally "start over" by doing a variety of mental and behavioral...
Sometimes the most potent way to deal with a fear is learning to be okay with not knowing.Everyone I know has, at some point, had to deal with the monster under the bed. Some do it with grace. Others falter. I've always been clumsy. I can vividly recall many terrified...
Mindfulness and ACT-based approaches are becoming increasingly popular in treating depression, anxiety, and OCD and distinguish pain from suffering.Mindfulness & ACT-based Approaches to Therapy Mindfulness & Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based...
Believe it or not, channeling your inner daredevil can actually help you fight social anxiety.When I was a kid, one form of mischief that was briefly popular in my neighborhood was crank calling strangers. Usually, the bravest kid in the group would pick up the phone,...
Therapy essentials: your "science hat" and bullwhip (no batteries required).I consider myself a scientist. I wear this hat officially when conducting research, but I also wear it every time I sit with a patient. In my research, my science is pretty self-evident: I...
Mental health requires that you work on meeting your own personal needs, in addition to meeting any other responsibilities you might have.I'm about to tell you something that your mother might not approve of...so for those of you sensitive souls out there, you might...
Symptoms of depression can be emotional, social, occupational, or physical.Signs of depression can be obvious or subtle, but regardless, they often severely impact your quality of life. For help in addressing your symptoms of depression, seek the assistance of a...
Pure-O OCD (Pure Obsessional OCD) is associated with hidden mental compulsions that interfere with treatment effectiveness."Pure-O" OCD, or Pure Obsessional OCD, is a relatively less common form of OCD that seemingly differs from classic presentations of the illness....
"Intentional Mistake Practice" can be used to challenge the problematic perfectionistic beliefs that are core to social anxiety and OCD.Looking for ways to overcome social anxiety or OCD-related perfectionism? At the end of this post, you'll find some strategies I...
Although it's not something that many individuals speak openly about, problematic hoarding is surprisingly common and affects about 1 in 20 individuals.The topic of hoarding is rarely met with disinterest. Maybe that's because nearly all of us can relate to hoarding...
For hoarding treatment, choose a therapist that uses cognitive behavioral therapy for hoarding (CBT for hoarding) to address your symptoms.If you are an individual who struggles with hoarding, you might have been frustrated by negative treatment experiences in the...
Phobias respond to an evidence-based technique called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).Question: Basically, I wanted to know from an expert, what can a phobia do to a person? How does it affect them mentally? Also I see that you've got a new treatment philosophy --...
Is ERP for OCD fundamentally a destructive or constructive process? Neither. It's more gestalt than dichotomy.Here's a question for you: Is ERP fundamentally a destructive or constructive process? I think that many people naturally conceptualize it as more of the...
OCD is often characterized by subtle, hidden rituals. Avoid OCD's subtle rituals to supercharge your ERP.As any good psychologist experienced in treating OCD can tell you, the most effective treatment for OCD is exposure and ritual prevention (ERP). You may also see...
