Exposure Therapy

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is when someone experiences distressing thoughts and repetitive behaviors that can kill a significant amount of time, start interfering with daily life, and are hard to control. It may include unwanted thoughts or excessive fears of something, known as obsession.

These compulsive acts become more dominant when you are in a stressful situation. Even if you want to avoid them, they will keep coming back. Exposure and response prevention therapy helps individuals experiencing difficulty with OCD. It exposes them to their fear in a safe and structured environment in order to prevent habitual responses to those fears. In this post, we will discuss why exposure therapy is so effective in the treatment of OCD. Let’s begin!

What Is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a problematic condition wherein an individual experiences unwanted thoughts now and then and obsessions that are compulsive in nature. Compulsive means something you can not resist or control. These obsessions become problematic when they start interfering with social interactions and daily tasks. It is a chronic condition, and the symptoms can take time to be relieved, and sometimes, it may take special interventions, such as exposure therapy. Some of the common OCD symptoms are:

• Fear of committing a mistake.
• Excessive fear of germs or dirt.
• Obsession about keeping things neat and in order.
• Always seeking symmetry or perfection in everything.
• Restoring an arrangement every time where there is the slightest deviation.
• Fear of causing harm to self or others.
• Washing hands or taking a shower every now and then.
• Lacking assertiveness about anything and keep on checking them.

What Are The Prominent Causes Of OCD?

Researchers are unable to tell the exact reason behind the OCD to date. However, they feel that the following factors can contribute to OCD:

• Genetics: As per several studies, individuals with a first-degree relative (parents or siblings) with OCD are highly prone to developing this condition. The risk is even higher when the OCD is adopted in childhood by the relatives.
• Brain Changes: People with OCD have different brain structures, especially frontal cortex and subcortical structures, and it has been observed by imaging studies. There are certain other neurological conditions that are associated with OCD that can affect similar brain areas. The list may include Parkinson’s disease, Epilepsy, and Tourette’s syndrome.
• Traumatic Childhood: Some researchers have established the association of OCD with traumatic childhood. Children who have faced neglect or abuse in childhood are highly prone to developing OCD.
• PANDAS Syndrome: PANDAS stands for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections. OCD can affect children with strep infections. Thus, these children can develop this condition.

What Is Exposure and Response Prevention?