Psychological therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder is effective for reducing the frequency and intensity of OCD symptoms. The two main types of psychological therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder are cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) and a type of behavioral treatment called exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. Over two-thirds of people who complete either form of therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder notice a substantial decrease in the frequency and severity of their symptoms.
Starting treatment with CBT or ERP means hard work and confronting your worst fears. Getting ready to make this change is essential therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder appears to work best for those individuals who are ready for change and understand how change works.
In addition to putting in the hard work required to benefit from therapy, it's essential to find a good therapist with whom you feel comfortable and trust. Not surprisingly, study after study has confirmed that the better the relationship between you and your therapist, the more you’ll benefit from therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder.
If you have looked into CBT and ERP and they don’t sound like a match for you, take a look at Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is a relatively new psychological therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder that has shown promise in the treatment of anxiety disorders including OCD. The central philosophy of ACT is that anxiety is part of life and so it is our reaction to the experience of anxiety that can be the real problem.
Although CBT, ERP and ACT are effective for many people, they don’t work for everybody. If you have tried one or more types of therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder without much success, it is important not to give up hope. There are a number of reasons why therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder may not be working for you and there are often things you can do to improve the chances that you will respond.
