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My OCD Treatment Is Absolutely Brutal, But It Does Help

I’m not a professional—just someone who’s struggled with OCD since she was a child.

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If you have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you might be familiar with the concept of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy. This form of cognitive behavioral therapy is considered the “gold standard” for OCD treatment. 

As its name suggests, ERP involves two components: exposure to an irrational fear/intrusive thought and the prevention of compulsive behavior. 

“The exposure component of ERP refers to practicing confronting the thoughts, images, objects, and situations that make you anxious and/or provoke your obsessions,” the International OCD Foundation explains on its website. “The response prevention part of ERP refers to making a choice not to do a compulsive behavior once the anxiety or obsessions have been ‘triggered.’ All of this is done under the guidance of a therapist at the beginning—though you will eventually learn to do your own ERP exercises to help manage your symptoms. Over time, the treatment will ‘retrain your brain’ to no longer see the object of the obsession as a threat.”

Before I get into sharing my own ERP tips with you, I’d like to preface by saying that I’m not a professional—just someone who’s struggled with OCD since she was a child. It’s always important to discuss your treatment with a therapist to understand the best........

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