Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
In popular culture and frequently within the media, OCD is mistakenly portrayed as a positive trait and personality quirk, but the reality is, for those that suffer with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), it has a devastating impact on their life. Research shows the life of patients with OCD is characterized by more years of disability than that of patients with multiple sclerosis and Parkinson disease combined.
Myth: People with OCD love to clean
Fact: People with OCD clean in response to distressing thoughts, not because they love it
Myth: Everyone has a bit of OCD
Fact: Approximately 2% - 3% of the population has OCD
Do any of these sound like you?
- You experience thoughts, urges or images that are unwanted and cause anxiety or distress?
- You must perform an act that is aimed at reducing the anxiety or distress, or engage in avoidance of things that cause distress, along with repetitive behaviors (or mental acts) that conform to rigid rules.
Obsession
Unwanted thoughts of harming loved ones
Persistent doubts that one has not locked doors or switched off electrical appliances
Intrusive thoughts of being contaminated
Morally repugnant thoughts
Compulsion
Checking/counting repetitively
Checking to ensure harm has not been done
Excessive hand washing or showering
Thinking good thoughts to “undo” bad thoughts
If this sounds familiar we want you to know you are not “crazy” and too many people fight the battle of OCD silently.
For individuals suffering from OCD, there are treatments that are proven reduce symptoms of OCD and bring about a better quality of life. Using a multi-modality approach you will gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to overcome the debilitating symptoms of OCD. While this treatment can be challenging, your therapist will walk alongside and celebrate your success with you and help you decrease worry, avoidance and start living your fullest life.
What to expect from OCD treatment
Experts in the field of anxiety and OCD recommend evidence-based treatments such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
ERP – This treatment shows your brain that you can do the things OCD tells you cannot (or should not).
CBT – This treatment is arguably the gold standard treatment of many mental disorders and will target the way you think about your thoughts and OCD in general.
ACT – With your therapist, you will gain the understanding that you are not your thoughts and brains are weird!