CBT therapy helps you break the cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours by challenging unhelpful thinking patterns and developing healthier coping strategies. One specific form of CBT therapy that is particularly effective for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).
ERP involves gradually exposing you to the situations that trigger your obsessions while helping you resist the urge to perform compulsions. Over time, this reduces your anxiety and weakens the compulsion, allowing you to regain control of your thoughts and actions.
Resilient Mind Therapies offer therapy for OCD, either face-to-face in Leicestershire or through online sessions. You don’t have to manage OCD alone - support is available, and long term recovery is possible.
OCD is a mental health condition characterised by two main components: obsessions and compulsions. The pattern of obsessions and compulsions can be hard to break and become actively detrimental to your wellbeing and daily life, which is why therapy for OCD with an experienced therapist is so important.
Obsessions are unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that cause intense anxiety or distress. These intrusive thoughts can feel uncontrollable and often focus on fears about contamination, harm, or moral violations. These are called intrusive thoughts.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviours or mental acts performed in an attempt to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. These actions may provide temporary relief, but they often become ritualistic and interfere with daily functioning. Common compulsions include excessive cleaning, checking, counting, or seeking reassurance.
Without help, OCD can feel like an inescapable loop. However, evidence-based OCD therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) or Inference based cognitive behaviour therapy (I-CBT), has been proven highly effective in managing symptoms. Treatment for OCD can help individuals confront fears safely and reduce compulsive behaviors.
If you or a loved one struggles with OCD, know that it’s not just a "personality quirk", it’s a treatable disorder. Seeking professional therapy for OCD can provide the tools needed to regain control and improve quality of life.
Common themes of OCD include:
· Harming someone/Harming yourself/Violence
· Acts of a sexual nature that are improper or harmful (such as molestation or incest)
· Contamination
· Identity
· The future
· Relationships
The ongoing anxiety caused by obsessive thoughts and the stress of compulsions can take a toll on both your physical and emotional well-being. OCD often coexists with other mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, further complicating your overall health. Therapy for OCD is effective, get in touch to book your free consultation.