psychotherapy for OCD
Last reviewed 01/2018
OCD is often exacerbated by stressful events. A first-line treatment is problem solving aimed at dealing with or avoiding stressors.
Behaviour psychotherapy aims to suppress rituals and to expose the patient to situations where, in the past, they performed rituals.
About 2/3 of patients with severe OCD will improve, but few are completely free of symptoms. The prognosis is worse if there are no compulsive rituals.
There are specific behavioural treatments, including:
- modelling
- response prevention
- thought stopping
- relaxation techniques