Treatments · Therapies
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) — the first-line OCD therapy
Why generic talk therapy can make OCD worse, and what the alternative actually involves.
International OCD Foundation6 min read
ERP is the cognitive-behavioral therapy variant developed specifically for OCD. IOCDF's overview is direct that most general therapists do not deliver ERP, and that the wrong kind of therapy (reassurance, deep analysis of the content of obsessions) reliably feeds the condition rather than treating it.
If you or someone you love is in OCD treatment that 'isn't working,' the most useful single question to ask is whether it is actually ERP.
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A note on this article
Mental Hum publishes general education, not medical advice. If something here reflects your own experience, please consider speaking to a clinician. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.