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Treatment & ERP
Exposure and response prevention is the first-line psychological treatment for OCD. These guides explain its principles and practical tools, while leaving treatment decisions to you and a qualified professional.
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OCD Medication: SSRIs, ERP, and What to Expect
Medication for OCD is usually a gradual, clinician-guided process rather than a quick test. Here is how SSRIs fit with ERP, what an adequate trial can involve, and what to discuss with a prescriber.
Read postHow to Find an OCD Therapist Who Understands ERP
A licence tells you someone can practise therapy. A few direct questions can tell you whether they understand OCD and actually use ERP.
Read postWhat to Expect in Your First ERP Sessions
Early ERP is usually quieter than people imagine: mapping the loop, agreeing on goals, building a hierarchy, and trying a planned first exercise together.
Read postCompulsion Delay: How to Pause Before an OCD Ritual
Never doing the compulsion again is a plan almost nobody can execute. Waiting five minutes is. Here is why delay works and how to use it without turning it into a ritual.
Read postERP vs CBT for OCD: Why the Distinction Matters
People are often told to get CBT for OCD, start generic CBT, and find it does not help. The reason is that the CBT that treats OCD is a specific branch of it called ERP.
Read postHow to Build an Exposure Hierarchy (With Worked Examples)
A hierarchy is the plan that makes ERP possible: your triggers, rated and ordered, so there is always a next rung you can actually reach.
Read postSUDS Scale for ERP: How to Rate Distress During Exposure
A single number, rated in the moment, is what turns an exposure from a bad hour into data you can learn from. Here is how to use the SUDS scale properly.
Read postWhat Is ERP Therapy for OCD? A Plain-English Guide
ERP is the front-line therapy for OCD, and it is far less mysterious than it sounds. Here is what it is, what a session looks like, and why the response prevention half is the part that does the work.
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