Are Grandma's homemade chocolate chip cookies giving you a conniption fit? You might have OCD.Alcohol OCD: Conquering Fears of Accidental Ingestion & Contamination with ERP Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has long been dubbed the "doubting disease" for its...
Let's talk about the elephant in the room (or the bedroom... or the laundry basket...). OCD loves taboo topics, and as such, it can easily infiltrate topics related to semen, sperm, vaginal secretions, and other various sexual fluids...Alright, let's dive into the...
"Who could ever hurt a face this adorable? If you listen to OCD, you’ll start to think it’s possible."Obsessions focusing on pets and animals incorporate all the common themes: contamination, checking, harm, scrupulosity, and sex. In this 3-part blog series, I discuss...
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...
Although contamination-related OCD and washing rituals often go hand-in-hand, many rituals in this domain do not actually involve cleaning or disinfecting. Reassurance seeking is a subtle ritual that involves asking questions or seeking out information regarding the...
In health- or contamination-focused OCD, compulsions typically incorporate washing, cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing behaviors.In my last post about OCD, I discussed reasons why people do rituals. This time, I'll identify specific rituals that are common in...
Why do people with health-related OCD wash, clean, and sterilize? The obvious answer is that these rituals remove or destroy potential pathogens. However, the more accurate answer is that these behaviors allow one to escape from unwanted feelings of danger,...
Surface knowledge about OCD rituals and obsessions is of limited utility. Treatment success depends also on understanding subtle differences in feared outcomes.In my last post, I identified several types of obsessions that are associated with...
Health- or contamination-related OCD involves the fear of getting sick, making others sick, experiencing disgust, or being responsible for an unwanted outcome.OCD: Fear of Getting Sick Contamination- or health-related OCD is associated with persistent worries about...
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...
