Frequently Asked Questions about OCD
Q: What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
A: The International OCD Foundation defines OCD as follows: "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder that affects people of all ages and walks of life, and occurs when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges that trigger intensely distressing feelings. Compulsions are behaviors an individual engages in to attempt to get rid of the obsessions and/or decrease his or her distress."
Q: Does treatment for OCD work?
A: Usually. With the right tools and a coach through the process, most people improve symptoms with specialized treatment. OCD symptoms are distressing, not enjoyable, so people are typically motivated to work toward treatment goals. Treatment is challenging and involves facing anxieties while limiting or resisting compulsions.
Q: Do you treat other conditions?
A: Yes. We work with people to help with a number of related conditions including other anxiety disorders (panic, phobias, social anxiety, generalized anxiety), tic disorders, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), trichotillomania (hair pulling) and compulsive skin picking, and hoarding. It is common for people seeking treatment for OCD or these other disorders to also have symptoms of other conditions, such as depression or attention concerns, which are addressed as part of treatment. People with autism spectrum disorders or tourettes syndrome often seek help for OCD-like symptoms. It is also common for people to be seeing another therapist simultaneously, addressing other diagnoses or concerns such as past trauma, addiction, or relationship issues. If someone is seeing another clinician to address other symptoms, communication with this other clinician is important to establish a team approach for treatment goals.
Q: What about medication?
A: Most people with moderate to severe OCD say that medication helps them - it makes symptoms less intense and challenging treatment more successful. We do not prescribe medication, however we often communicate with people’s doctors or other providers. Research shows that medication along with specialized cognitive behavioral therapy gets the best results. People do sometimes meet their goals without medication, or only take medication for a limited period of time.
Q: How long does it take for treatment to work?
A: This obviously varies with each person related to severity of symptoms, treatment plans, and life circumstances. In most cases, people feel improvements and meet initial treatment goals within 10 to 20 sessions. When possible, we recommend more frequent sessions at the beginning and tapering this support as symptoms improve. In severe cases, we may work with someone regularly for a year or more, but in general this is not necessary. Maintaining progress after treatment usually requires a varying degree of continued effort.
Q: What about intrusive thoughts? I don’t have a problem with common symptoms such as washing or straightening compulsions….
A: Many of the people we work with seek treatment for horrible thoughts they cannot dismiss. Often these thoughts are violent, sexual, religious, or bizarre, and are usually extremely disturbing. Sometimes people feel that all their symptoms are mental, and some literature refers to ‘pure O’ - or purely obsessional - OCD. Compulsions can be mental (not observable to others) and in most cases include avoidance of certain topics or situations related to the content of the thought. Almost everybody gets horrible intrusive thoughts occasionally; this is because people have creative minds. If you are ‘stuck’ on a horrible topic, it is not the content of your intrusive thought that is the problem, it is how much distress it causes, how often you think about it, and how it is affecting your life that is important. As with other sub-types of OCD, with specialized treatment people usually find relief from intrusive thoughts and related symptoms.
Q: Can OCD treatment include group activities, such as therapy groups and group excursions?
A: Yes! We have helped found the Colorado Therapy Hub, which conducts weekly group support sessions in Denver, as well as group activities such as outdoor excursions. Please see the Colorado Therapy Hub website for more information and to register for meetings and activities.
A: The International OCD Foundation defines OCD as follows: "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder that affects people of all ages and walks of life, and occurs when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges that trigger intensely distressing feelings. Compulsions are behaviors an individual engages in to attempt to get rid of the obsessions and/or decrease his or her distress."
Q: Does treatment for OCD work?
A: Usually. With the right tools and a coach through the process, most people improve symptoms with specialized treatment. OCD symptoms are distressing, not enjoyable, so people are typically motivated to work toward treatment goals. Treatment is challenging and involves facing anxieties while limiting or resisting compulsions.
Q: Do you treat other conditions?
A: Yes. We work with people to help with a number of related conditions including other anxiety disorders (panic, phobias, social anxiety, generalized anxiety), tic disorders, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), trichotillomania (hair pulling) and compulsive skin picking, and hoarding. It is common for people seeking treatment for OCD or these other disorders to also have symptoms of other conditions, such as depression or attention concerns, which are addressed as part of treatment. People with autism spectrum disorders or tourettes syndrome often seek help for OCD-like symptoms. It is also common for people to be seeing another therapist simultaneously, addressing other diagnoses or concerns such as past trauma, addiction, or relationship issues. If someone is seeing another clinician to address other symptoms, communication with this other clinician is important to establish a team approach for treatment goals.
Q: What about medication?
A: Most people with moderate to severe OCD say that medication helps them - it makes symptoms less intense and challenging treatment more successful. We do not prescribe medication, however we often communicate with people’s doctors or other providers. Research shows that medication along with specialized cognitive behavioral therapy gets the best results. People do sometimes meet their goals without medication, or only take medication for a limited period of time.
Q: How long does it take for treatment to work?
A: This obviously varies with each person related to severity of symptoms, treatment plans, and life circumstances. In most cases, people feel improvements and meet initial treatment goals within 10 to 20 sessions. When possible, we recommend more frequent sessions at the beginning and tapering this support as symptoms improve. In severe cases, we may work with someone regularly for a year or more, but in general this is not necessary. Maintaining progress after treatment usually requires a varying degree of continued effort.
Q: What about intrusive thoughts? I don’t have a problem with common symptoms such as washing or straightening compulsions….
A: Many of the people we work with seek treatment for horrible thoughts they cannot dismiss. Often these thoughts are violent, sexual, religious, or bizarre, and are usually extremely disturbing. Sometimes people feel that all their symptoms are mental, and some literature refers to ‘pure O’ - or purely obsessional - OCD. Compulsions can be mental (not observable to others) and in most cases include avoidance of certain topics or situations related to the content of the thought. Almost everybody gets horrible intrusive thoughts occasionally; this is because people have creative minds. If you are ‘stuck’ on a horrible topic, it is not the content of your intrusive thought that is the problem, it is how much distress it causes, how often you think about it, and how it is affecting your life that is important. As with other sub-types of OCD, with specialized treatment people usually find relief from intrusive thoughts and related symptoms.
Q: Can OCD treatment include group activities, such as therapy groups and group excursions?
A: Yes! We have helped found the Colorado Therapy Hub, which conducts weekly group support sessions in Denver, as well as group activities such as outdoor excursions. Please see the Colorado Therapy Hub website for more information and to register for meetings and activities.
