#9 Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy

What are the main components in psychological treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder? We asked PhD student and lic. Psychologist Max Sannemalm.

“The main component of psychological treatment for OCD is exposure with response prevention. Exposure is about exposing oneself to what triggers the obsessive thoughts and associated unpleasant feelings (such as anxiety, disgust or feelings of wrongness) and response prevention is about simultaneously refraining from compulsive acts, which is what you do that reduces the discomfort in the moment. That is, to get a good effect from the treatment, it is not enough just to expose yourself to different situations, response prevention is just as important.

The exercises during treatment can be in vivo exposure, that is exposing yourself to different physical situations in everyday life that you avoid. Another important part can be working with imaginary exposure, that is exposing oneself to different thoughts and scenarios that are perceived as frightening.

During the treatment, the exercises are tailored to the individual and early in the treatment, treatment goals are set to work towards. The overall goal is usually to live a life that is not controlled by OCD, but what this means and what you want to achieve will vary from person to person.

Psychological treatment for OCD can be provided in different formats – such as individual treatment, group treatment and internet-mediated treatment. The choice of format depends on both contextual and individual factors (for example, whether there are multiple diagnoses to consider during treatment, where you live and the severity of the compulsion) and the patient’s own preferences.”

Many do not know where to turn for help. In the first instance, you should contact your primary care provider (husläkare). If they are not able to provide the treatment you need, they can help you find a psychiatric clinic. Here we have listed a number of psychiatric clinics that are particularly good at assessing and treating OCD and related conditions.