OCD

OCD

Intrusive, scary thoughts sometimes float into all of our brains for no reason. Ideally, you would just think, “huh, what a weird thought,” and move on. However, if you struggle with OCD these thoughts can feel intolerable and lead to rumination, avoidance, reassurance seeking, and checking behaviors.
Luckily, OCD is very treatable with an evidence-based treatment called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). You know how a pool feels freezing when you first jump in, but eventually you get used to it? ERP works similarly. By initially facing the situations that spark obsessions within a safe environment in small and gradual ways, fears will become less overwhelming.