What ERP Is And How It Can Help Someone Who Has OCD

Obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD) is a condition that causes someone to have obsessive thoughts. These obsessive thoughts can either come in thoughts, images, ideas, or urges that cause them significant distress.

Relieving the stress caused by these thoughts will often be done through compulsions/behaviors or rituals. In theory, this doesn't sound bad because it relieves the stress. However, this relief is only temporary. In fact, it does nothing but continue and worsen the cycle of obsessions and compulsions.

Treating OCD often involves different methods to help get everything in control. It is a continuing process on behalf the person who struggles with it and the therapist and doctors they might work with.

Therapy is often most understood by people to treat mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression. However, it is highly beneficial for treating OCD. There is a specific type of therapy called ERP, which is most commonly used to treat OCD.

What Is ERP?

ERP is the acronym for Exposure and Response Preventative Therapy. It works by addressing the obsessions and compulsions that someone experiences. 

This process involves the client confronting their obsessive thoughts head-on instead of trying to avoid them. Simultaneously, they are encouraged to resist the urges to perform compulsions to ease their distress.

ERP works to treat OCD by teaching someone to accept the obsessive thoughts and uncertainties that come with it. Over time, this allows the stress behind these thoughts to resolve.

ERP helps a person with OCD to not avoid their obsessive thoughts and teaches them to not distract themselves from them. This goes against the typical mold of what is suggested for treating OCD because most advice will say to do something distracting, like taking a walk or something else. 

There is nothing wrong with that approach if distractions help someone continually quiet their obsessions and compulsions. But that approach isn't appropriate for everyone.

Success Rates of ERP

ERP is an approach that is often under the radar of many people who want to try therapeutic approaches to controlling OCD symptoms and behaviors. However, just because it is not often spoken about does not mean that it isn't a powerful method.

Success with ERP involves the person in therapy being 100% dedicated to the ideas and concepts, even outside of therapy. Therapy sessions, after all, are only conducted once or twice a week at the most. That leaves ample time outside of sessions to implement the taught practices.

This might seem intimidating to someone who is new to therapy in general. Even though they are on their own, the therapist they work with will still guide them to an extent.

It's not homework, but therapists often give their clients activities, worksheets, or tips to implement when not in a session.

These activities, over time, will help create a foundation of skills that will eventually turn into habits. These are where the response prevention skills come into play with this specific type of therapy.

Stages of ERP

Let's talk about the steps of ERP that are followed to hopefully help ease some of the anxiety you might feel after reading all of that.

Stage 1 involves writing down every intrusive thought that is experienced as well as their compulsions.

The next step involves organizing these obsessions and thoughts into a hierarchy of what causes them the most distress. From there, a treatment plan will be developed to expose the client gradually to each distressing thought. 

You Can Gain Control Back

OCD, unfortunately, has a way of making someone feel as if they are not in control of their own life. Even though it is challenging to deal with, it doesn't have to continue that way. Don't hesitate to reach out to learn more about OCD treatment and ERP.