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Is ERP effective for Pure-O OCD?
Yes! People with Pure OCD can get much better through Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (ERP). ERP is when you voluntarily expose yourself to the source of your fear over and over and over again, without acting out any compulsion to neutralize or stop the fear. One of the most effective CBT developments for the treatment of Pure Obsessional OCD (“Pure O”) is Mindfulness-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. The primary goal of Mindfulness-Based CBT is to learn to non-judgmentally accept uncomfortable psychological experiences. Pure O is sometimes mistakenly seen as a “less severe” form of OCD. For those who experience symptoms of this disorder, the characteristic intrusive thoughts can be very disruptive and distressing. Most commonly, antidepressants are tried first. Antidepressants approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat OCD include: Clomipramine (Anafranil) for adults and children 10 years and older. Fluoxetine (Prozac) for adults and children 7 years and older.
Can ERP make OCD worse?
People on the NOCD team that have OCD have often shared that doing ERP will initially make your OCD symptoms feel worse, so it is crucial to have an OCD therapist to help you persevere during the beginning of your treatment journey. The short answer is: It likely will. Research shows ERP and medication are the most effective treatments for OCD, with about 70% of people benefitting from one or both. Yes, to give a simple answer. Although lots of people find medication (usually serotonin reuptake inhibitors or clomipramine) helpful in making their obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms less severe, there are certainly ways to feel better without medication. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms generally wax and wane over time. Because of this, many individuals diagnosed with OCD may suspect that their OCD comes and goes or even goes away—only to return. However, as mentioned above, obsessive-compulsive traits never truly go away. Instead, they require ongoing management. Sufferers of OCD will go for up to 10 years without effective treatment.
Why is ERP not working for my OCD?
Artificial triggers. The second problem with standard ERPT is that clients do manufacture exposures, when the fact is, people with OCD are exposed to triggers every single day, all the time. Creating exposures can cause a client to do more compulsions, thereby, making the obsessions seem more legitimate and dangerous. The gold standard treatment for OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) is a kind of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) called “exposure with response prevention,” or exposure therapy. When children experience anxiety they often try to avoid the things that trigger it. Obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is an anxiety disorder which, like many anxiety disorders, is marked by low levels of serotonin. Serotonin, a type of neurotransmitter, has a variety of functions that make a deficiency a serious and anxiety producing issue. The answer is yes if the medication triggers doubt within you, and you choose to perform many reassuring compulsive behaviors. For example, I once had a client prescribed Fluoxetine for OCD; he was experiencing horrible contamination fears and was doing daily rituals and constant compulsive behaviors to avoid germs. A concrete example of ERP Therapy in action would involve someone with OCD who has issues with germs. They might be asked to touch a toilet seat and then refrain from washing their hands. Treating OCD with ERP therapy has even been the topic of some reality shows over the past few years. If you have OCD, you can undoubtedly live a normal and productive life. Like any chronic illness, managing your OCD requires a focus on day-to-day coping rather than on an ultimate cure.
What is the success rate of ERP for OCD?
Overall, about 50–60% of patients who complete ERP treatment show clinically significant improvement in OCD symptoms50–52 and treatment gains have shown to be maintained long-term. The length of treatment can vary based on the severity of symptoms, but on average, people receiving ERP virtually will require around 2 months of treatment to achieve clinically significant results—though some people with more severe OCD can still achieve significant results with a longer timeline. According to these guidelines, the initial pharmacological treatment in adults with OCD should be one of the following SSRIs: fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, or citalopram. There are some supplements that have been researched in OCD treatment studies such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, folic acid, homocysteine, trace elements, N-acetyl cysteine, glycine, myoinositol, St John’s wort, milk thistle, valerian root, curcumin and borage. Based on the results of this study, the authors concluded that “W. somnifera extract may be beneficial as a safe and effective adjunct to SSRIs in the treatment of OCD.”
Is CBT or ERP better for OCD?
If you’ve researched treatments for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) you’ve likely come across ERP, or exposure and response prevention. Widely recognized as the best form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for OCD treatment, ERP is practiced by most therapists who treat OCD. It sounds difficult, but you don’t have to go through it alone. It’s best to do ERP with a licensed therapist who specializes in OCD and ERP. That person will have the knowledge and experience to help you understand your experiences, fears, and goals and teach you how to empower yourself. An SSRI can help improve OCD symptoms by increasing the levels of a chemical called serotonin in your brain. You may need to take an SSRI for 12 weeks before you notice any benefit. Most people need treatment for at least a year. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that causes obsessions and compulsions. Pure obsessional (or “pure O”) is an unofficial type of OCD where compulsions mainly show up as thoughts instead of actions. Like all types of OCD, pure O can be treated with medications and therapy. Medications known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) have been used for many years to treat OCD. An SRI known as Anafranil has been available the longest and is the best-studied medicine for OCD. Anafranil has been approved by the FDA to treat OCD in adults and children 10 years of age and above. ERP works best when the exercises are specific and well designed, when the client’s anxious arousal is intense, and when the ‘dose’ of exposure is substantial and systematic. Sessions are often longer than usual (90-120 minutes), and twice or thrice weekly sessions are common. ERP is a sort of psychological workout.
How long does ERP take to cure OCD?
SP: How long does ERP therapy typically take to treat OCD? How does it help patients manage their OCD? EM: On average, we should see people get better in about 12 to 16 weeks. Of course, depending on severity and the type of OCD somebody lives with, that can change. Although ERP is an effective OCD treatment, EMDR can also be helpful. One review looked at nine studies on EMDR for OCD, all of which showed that EMDR improved OCD symptoms. The review concluded that EMDR could be as effective as ERP in treating OCD. A 2020 trial compared EMDR and CBT as potential OCD treatments. OCD can start at any time from preschool to adulthood. Although OCD does occur at earlier ages, there are generally two age ranges when OCD first appears: Between ages 10 and 12 and between the late teens and early adulthood. It typically starts between 18 and 25 but can begin anytime. Experts aren’t sure of the exact cause of OCD. Genetics, brain abnormalities, and the environment are thought to play a role. It often starts in the teens or early adulthood. But, it can also start in childhood.
How effective is ERP for Pure-O?
ERP is considered the gold standard for OCD treatment; 80% of people with OCD experience positive results from therapy. The majority of patients see results within 12 to 25 sessions. As part of ERP therapy, you’ll track your obsessions and compulsions and make a list of possible ways to face your fears. People with Pure OCD can get much better through Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (ERP). ERP is when you voluntarily expose yourself to the source of your fear over and over and over again, without acting out any compulsion to neutralize or stop the fear. Obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment may not result in a cure, but it can help bring symptoms under control so that they don’t rule your daily life. Depending on the severity of OCD , some people may need long-term, ongoing or more intensive treatment. Doing ERP is challenging, for sure! But when you do it correctly, the following things happen: You will feel an initial increase in anxiety, uncertainty, and obsessional thoughts. You will find that these feelings and thoughts are distressing, but also that they can’t hurt you — they are safe and manageable. Whilst recovery can be difficult to achieve due to a lack of access to effective therapy, the fact is with the right support and treatment some people can and do completely recover from OCD, without relapse, recovery is possible. OCD was one of the first psychiatric disorders in brain scans showed evidence of abnormal brain activity in specific regions.