OCD Treatment

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Effective Treatment Options Are Available Here.

Discover proven therapies like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and new approaches like Neurofeedback to help you manage OCD and reclaim your life.

Ask yourself:

• Do I have thoughts I cannot control that make me anxious or upset?
• Do I feel like I need to do things over and over, even if I know it is not necessary?
• Do I spend a lot of time doing these things, even when I do not want to?
• Do I avoid places because I am afraid it'll make my thoughts or actions worse?
• Do I feel like everything has to be perfect, and it is hard to stop until it feels right?
• Do I worry about something bad happening unless I do a certain action or ritual? 
• Do my actions take up so much time that I can't focus on work or relationships?
• Have my actions or thoughts made me feel isolated or embarrassed, so I try to hide them?
• Does it feel impossible to stop a compulsion, like something bad might happen if I don't?
• Do I keep having the same unwanted thoughts over and over?

If you answered "yes" to several of these questions, consider asking your therapist for a Y-BOCS Evaluation to determine if you might have OCD.

• It is just about being neat or clean: OCD is more than just cleaning or organizing; it's about uncontrollable thoughts and actions to try to feel better.  Many people with OCD are disorganized.
• You can just stop the behaviors: People with OCD can't just stop their compulsions, even if they know they're not needed.  It is much harder than it seems.
• Everyone has OCD to some degree: OCD is a serious mental condition, not just quirky habits, or preferences.
• It is all about checking things: OCD involves many types of compulsions, like rituals, counting, or mental actions-not just checking.
• People with OCD are just perfectionists: OCD is driven by anxiety and the need to relieve fear, not a desire for perfection.
• It only affects adults: OCD can affect children and teens, not just adults.  It often starts early in life.
• OCD is rare: OCD is more common than most people realize, affecting millions worldwide.
• Treatment does not help: With the right therapy, people with OCD can manage symptoms and improve their quality of life.  Many therapists are not trained to treat OCD, so it's important to seek out an OCD specialist.  The wrong treatment can make symptoms worse.

Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is the gold standard for treating OCD.  It helps people face their fears and stop the actions they feel they must do.

Here is how it works:

1. Exposure: Gradually face the things that trigger your OCD thoughts.
2. Response Prevention: Resist the urge to do the compulsive action you usually do to feel better.

The goal is to show your brain that the anxiety fades over time, even without performing the ritual.  With practice and a trained therapist, you will learn to handle the anxiety and reduce the power of OCD.

Neurofeedback targets brain areas like the prefrontal cortex (responsible for decision-making) and basal ganglia (involved in habits and compulsions) to help regulate anxiety and OCD behaviors.  It trains the brain to adjust brainwaves, such as increasing alpha waves and reducing beta waves, to help control the dysregulated brain activity seen in OCD.

Neurofeedback is an excellent complementary treatment alongside ERP therapy, helping you manage anxiety and support long-term progress.