Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Do you experience unpleasant and distressing thoughts or images that are difficult to dismiss?

Do you find distressing thoughts coming to your mind that compel you to engage in actions to decrease your distress?

Do you struggle with recurrent thoughts that frighten you and force you to engage in nonsensical behaviors?

Do you spend more time cleaning, organizing, or repeatedly reviewing your writings or readings, and never finish tasks?

Do you often experience the urge to seek repeated reassurance from friends or family members to keep your doubts, worries, and fears at bay?

Do you engage in worrying or rituals instead of enjoying activities?

If you identify with these questions, you may be suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD. It has been estimated that 1 to 3 percent of the population is affected by obsessive compulsive disorder (1). Those affected by OCD report experiencing recurring distressing thoughts or obsessions, that feel intrusive and are highly distressing. Obsessions seem to come out of the blue and feel uncontrollable, unstoppable, and invasive. OCD sufferers also engage in repetitive behaviors or compulsions, in an effort to decrease the distress produce by their obsessions and to avoid feared consequences (2). Compulsions may bring momentary relief, but soon the obsession and associated distress recur, keeping the OCD sufferer in a never-ending cycle of distress. People with OCD may also find themselves living a more restrictive life, as they tend to avoid situations that may trigger their OCD (3).  OCD sufferers often find themselves trapped in their symptoms and spend extended periods of time completing their compulsions. They experience life as constricting and distressing, and their symptoms interfere with life tasks and emotional satisfaction.

Fortunately, obsessive compulsive disorder is a treatable condition. There is a robust body of research that support psychotherapy to help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. At the Good Life Center for Mental Health, we have extensive experience assisting clients struggling with the obsessive- compulsive cycle, as well as other associated disorders that may also be present. Our staff is highly committed to help OCD sufferers learn strategies to cope with their symptoms and regain agency in managing their lives.

Therapists at the Good Life Center are trained in various treatment modalities that are empirically supported to effectively treat OCD symptoms. These include Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) (4), Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT) (5), and Inference-Base Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (I-CBT) (6).

Our goal is to teach clients therapeutic strategies so they can manage their symptoms more effectively, regain control of their life, and restore their ability to experience freedom to pursue their life goals.

We would like to partner with you to help you manage the distress that OCD is causing. Treatment can help improve your ability to accomplish tasks, increase your confidence in yourself, and restore your relationships with those close you, who may also be impacted by the disorder.

So, if you frequently feel ….

– Overwhelmed by a racing mind that is hard to control

– Paralyzed by indecision or uncertainty.

– Plagued with doubts about your safety or the well-being of those around you.

– Incredulous about the possibility of feeling secure and safe…

Or if you often think…

– “It’s safer to stay at home.”

– “But what if…”

– “I can’t stop my thoughts.”

– “I or those I care about could be in danger!”

…Then we are glad you found us. We would like to partner with you to help you manage the distress that your OCD is causing. Treatment can help improve your ability to accomplish tasks, and restore your relationships with those close to you, who may also be impacted by the disorder.

Your ability to regain inner control and feel anchored in your environment, increase your sense of security in your relationships and surroundings, and regain agency in your life can be restored with appropriate treatment. Our evidence-based therapeutic methods can help to bring substantial relief to your OCD symptoms.

If you’d like us to assist you, please contact us today for an appointment.

(1) Fontenelle LF, Mendlowicz MV & Versiani M The descriptive epidemiology of obsessive–compulsive disorder. Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry 30, 327–337 (2006).

(2) Stein DJ, Costa DLC, Lochner C, Miguel EC, Reddy YCJ, Shavitt RG, van den Heuvel OA, Simpson HB. Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2019 Aug 01;5(1):52.

(3) Strom NI, Soda T, Mathews CA, Davis LK. A dimensional perspective on the genetics of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Transl Psychiatry. 2021 Jul 21;11(1):401.

(4) Hirschtritt ME, Bloch MH, Mathews CA. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment. JAMA. 2017 Apr 04;317(13):1358-1367.

(5) Eifert GH, Forsyth JP. Acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety disorders: a practitioner s guide to using mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based behavior change strategies.

(6) O’Connor, K., Koszegi, N., Aardema, F., van Niekerk, J., & Taillon, A. (2009). An inference-based approach to treating obsessive-compulsive disorders. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 16, 420-429.