OCD Treatment near Fort Washington, PA

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder that is characterized by two things; recurring, unwanted thoughts and compulsive behaviors. These thoughts and behaviors can severely impact your daily life, making it difficult to do simple things, as OCD triggers can be associated with anything. It’s important to note that OCD is not simply being organized or neat, but instead characterized by daily intrusive thoughts and behaviors that are unwanted by the person experiencing them. 

Types of OCD

OCD can manifest in several different ways. While these types are not considered different diagnoses, knowing what type of OCD you have can help inform treatment. The most common types of OCD include: 

• Harm: Someone with Harm OCD will have intrusive thoughts around causing harm to themselves or others. 
• Contamination/cleanliness: Someone with contamination OCD with contamination and cleanliness OCD will have intrusive thoughts about their world and themselves being dirty or sick. 
• Symmetry/ordering: Someone with symmetry OCD will feel compelled to order things in specific ways, and have intrusive thoughts about bad things happening to themselves and their loved ones if things get out of that order. The ordering or symmetry doesn’t necessarily have to be linear, or “neat”, as symmetry OCD can fixate on any sort of pattern. 
• Taboo themes: Someone with taboo OCD will have intrusive thoughts usually of a sexually explicit nature that are unwanted. These thoughts do not reflect the actual sexual desires of the person, and in fact can be caused by personal experience with sexual trauma. 

These types of OCD can interlap, which is why they are usually contained within one diagnosis. It’s important to note that each type is completely unwanted by the individual, and causes serious distress on a daily basis.

Treatment for OCD

Treatment for OCD often involves a combination of therapy and medication. While there is no specific medication for OCD currently, certain antidepressants can help manage symptoms associated with and caused by OCD, such as depression and anxiety.

 Additionally, there are several different types of therapy that can help address symptoms of OCD, including: 

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of therapy that can help you identify and change negative patterns of thoughts and behaviors. 
• Exposure and response prevention (ERP): ERP is a specific type of CBT. It involves gradually exposing individuals to situations that trigger their OCD, and then helping them resist the urge to perform compulsions. 

Help for OCD is Available

Brooke Glen Behavioral Hospital in Fort Washington, PA, provides support for people in Montgomery County facing mental health challenges such as OCD. Our comprehensive programs aim to empower your mental health journey. Contact us for confidential, level of care assessments, available 24/7, at 800-256-5300. To learn more about our programs for both adults and adolescents, check out our main services page.