OCD: Exposure and Prevention Therapy
Topic Overview
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy is an effective way to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). With ERP, you repeatedly expose yourself to an obsession, such as something you fear is contaminated. Then you deny yourself the ritual compulsive act. In this case, the act would be washing your hands.
ERP helps break the link between your obsessive thoughts and compulsive rituals. You repeat this process every day for several weeks or months. You keep doing it until your anxiety is reduced and you do not feel the need to perform the compulsive behavior in response to the obsessive thought.
Health Tools
Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
Related Information
Credits
ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Christine R. Maldonado, PhD - Behavioral Health
Current as ofMay 3, 2017
- Top of Page
Next Section:
Health Tools
Previous Section:
Topic Overview- Top of Page
Next Section:
Related Information
Previous Section:
Health Tools- Top of Page
Next Section:
Credits
Previous Section:
Related Information- Top of Page
Current as of: May 3, 2017
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine & Christine R. Maldonado, PhD - Behavioral Health
