Are You Struggling With Distressing Obsessions And Rituals?
Perhaps you’re experiencing obsessions—recurrent, unwanted, and highly distressing thoughts that evoke uncomfortable feelings or images. And as a result, you may engage in repetitive behaviors or mental acts, commonly known as rituals, to reduce or undo the emotional terror triggered by these obsessions.
While rituals may provide short-term relief and respite, they eventually backfire. This is because, when you suffer from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), rituals serve as fuel for the fire, keeping the cycle in motion. Instead of providing you with lasting relief, these obsessions and compulsions may actually begin to rule your daily life, making it hard for you to navigate social settings, keep up with your professional responsibilities, or enjoy your hobbies.
Signs You May Be Living With OCD
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder often centers around one or more themes, such as contamination, harm, checking, and perfection.
You might be coping with a range of symptoms that affect your mental and physical health, such as:
Intrusive Thoughts: Experiencing persistent, distressing thoughts or mental images that cause anxiety.
Compulsive Behaviors: Engaging in repetitive, ritualistic behaviors to alleviate anxiety or prevent a feared event.
Excessive Doubt: Constantly questioning one's actions or worrying about potential harm, even when there is no realistic threat.
Time-Consuming Rituals: Spending a significant amount of time on extensive rituals or compulsive behaviors, which may interfere with daily activities and responsibilities.
Fear of Consequences: An intense fear that something terrible will happen if specific rituals or compulsions are not performed.
Impact on Daily Life: Significant anxiety or impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of life due to obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
Although all forms of OCD have some symptoms in common, the way these symptoms present themselves in daily life differs from person to person. Counseling can be the first step to determine how OCD may be affecting you.
Many People Suffer From OCD In Silence
About 1 in 40 adults and 1 in 100 children in the US live with some form of OCD. Many of them have trouble addressing their issues on their own due to personal, cultural, and social factors. They might try to simply stop engaging in rituals or compulsive thought patterns rather than exploring the root causes of their distress, only to fall back into these patterns without understanding why.
Honoring the mind, body, and spirit is an essential aspect of healing from obsessions and compulsions. But without an accurate diagnosis and ongoing support, people with OCD may not know how to begin this journey.
Have any questions? Send us a message!
Is It OCD Or Anxiety?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is widely misunderstood, and many people with OCD do not necessarily realize they have this disorder. Distinguishing between OCD and generalized anxiety can be challenging due to their overlapping symptoms.
While both conditions involve excessive worry, individuals with OCD often experience intrusive and distressing thoughts that drive compulsive rituals. These rituals aim to serve as a way to alleviate the anxiety associated with obsessive thoughts. In contrast, general anxiety tends to manifest as pervasive worry about various aspects of life without the specific compulsive behaviors seen in OCD.
It's important to recognize that Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a distinct mental health disorder with its own diagnostic criteria. Seeking professional guidance from mental health professionals can help you gain clarity on your symptoms, leading to an accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment plan.
At Repose, we understand the critical role a therapist plays in treating OCD. A therapist can facilitate reality testing and validate the legitimacy of your struggles while challenging unhelpful patterns. This expert intervention is key to navigating the complexities of OCD.
Therapy Can Help You Find Freedom From Your OCD Symptoms
Anyone living with OCD faces unique challenges. Therefore, working with a therapist who specializes in treating OCD is a crucial step towards management of your symptoms and learning to thrive despite this condition.
At Repose, we provide a safe and compassionate space for you to explore and eventually let go of your obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors, fostering a path towards improved mental well-being and a higher quality of life. Our OCD therapists can integrate multiple therapeutic approaches to guide you through the healing process, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP), and somatic therapy techniques.
Eye Movement Decensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful, evidence-based therapy designed to help individuals process distressing memories and rewire maladaptive thought patterns. While EMDR is often associated with trauma treatment, it can be highly effective for obsessive-compulsive disorder as well.
By targeting the underlying distress and past experiences that fuel obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors, EMDR reduces emotional reactivity and desensitizes triggering thoughts. Through guided bilateral stimulation, EMDR allows the brain to reprocess stuck memories, creating healthier associations and reducing the compulsive urge to neutralize distress. For those struggling with OCD, EMDR offers a unique, nontraditional approach supporting deep healing at the root of the disorder.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) & Exposure And Response Prevention Therapy (ERP)
ERP therapy, a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is one of the most popular and effective approaches for treating obsessive compulsive disorder. This technique targets the source of a person’s obsessions by directly exposing them to it in the safe context of the therapeutic relationship.
Through intentional and graduated exposure to situations that provoke obsessive thoughts and accompanying distress, individuals with OCD build their distress tolerance and learn healthier ways to cope, preventing their compulsive responses. Our therapists work collaboratively with clients to identify and challenge cognitive distortions, reframe intrusive thoughts, and develop healthier coping strategies.
ERP usually involves about 12 to 20 sessions, and about 80% of clients with OCD experience positive results after completing ERP therapy. In some cases, people find that ERP helps to eradicate their fears in their entirety.
ERP therapy is an active form of OCD treatment that requires client engagement when participating in exposures, willingness to experience discomfort, and transparency around their obsessions and compulsions. People undergoing ERP benefit greatly from weekly participation.
Because OCD often coexists with high levels of anxiety, shame, and self-judgment, our approach is warm, interactive, and holistic. Although this process can feel uncomfortable at first, ERP takes place within the safety of a strong therapeutic alliance and provides opportunities to adopt new patterns of behavior without avoidance of the feared situation or thought.
Somatic Therapy and Somatic Experiencing
Somatic therapy and somatic experiencing are integrative approaches that recognize the intricate connection between the mind and body. In the context of OCD counseling, somatic therapy helps individuals acknowledge and release tension stored in the body, which often arises from the anxiety and compulsive behaviors associated with this disorder.
Therapists employing somatic techniques encourage individuals with OCD to tune into their bodily sensations, helping them identify and understand the physical manifestations of stress and anxiety. Through practices such as breathwork, mindfulness, and gentle movement, individuals can learn to regulate their nervous system, fostering a sense of calm and control.
Somatic therapy can assist individuals in breaking the cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions by redirecting their focus to the present moment and bodily experiences. By incorporating somatic approaches into OCD treatment, therapists provide clients with a holistic, personalized path towards symptom relief and improved well-being.
But You May Still Have Questions About OCD Therapy…
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We’re dedicated to supporting our clients in achieving lasting, measurable changes. At Repose, we draw on a wealth of evidence-based practices for managing OCD and tailor your treatment plan to your specific needs. You and your therapist will work together to track your progress and adapt strategies to ensure that you’re making the most of your sessions.
If you’re already working with another therapist, we can collaborate with them to provide OCD-specific treatment, or support your treatment with another OCD therapist, depending on their specialty. Furthermore, we can provide referrals to higher levels of care, including inpatient options, if more treatment is needed.
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Our approach to therapy is designed to empower you with the tools and strategies to manage your OCD independently while knowing that therapy is always available when needed. Our therapists foster self-reliance and resilience, helping you build confidence in your ability to navigate challenges. Over time, you may find that you no longer need regular sessions, but therapy will always be here as a resource for ongoing support, new goals, or times when additional guidance is helpful.
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We understand that it can be tough to fit therapy sessions into a packed schedule. That is why we offer virtual sessions as well as flexible scheduling with early morning and evening availability to suit your lifestyle. Ignoring OCD symptoms can take a serious toll on your quality of life in the long run, and therapy represents a valuable investment in your wellbeing.
You Can Find Relief From OCD Through Therapy
OCD does not have to dictate your life. If you’re ready to free yourself from the constraints of obsessions and compulsion, we invite you to contact us.
At Repose, we provide in-person therapy at our boutique offices in Pleasantville, NY, located off the Pleasantville Metro-North station, and in Manhattan, near the Union Square station. Our therapists also offer virtual OCD treatment for clients in NY, NJ, CT and internationally, allowing you to conveniently attend sessions from the comfort of your home.
Common OCD Subtypes
OCD themes and symptoms can look different from person to person. An OCD specialist can help you identify which subtype of obsessive compulsive disorder you may be struggling with and create a customized treatment plan accordingly.
Harm OCD
Most people are able to shrug away intrusive, violent thoughts that crop up randomly, but people with this type of OCD may feel completely overwhelmed by them. Harm OCD can manifest as self-doubting thoughts about one’s inclination towards violence. A harmful OCD obsession might look like this: “I could use this kitchen knife to hurt my partner right now,” and the related compulsion could involve avoiding knives altogether.
Sexual Orientation OCD (SO-OCD)
SO-OCD involves obsessions about one’s sexuality. This may look like constant questioning about one’s sexuality and its expression. A SO-OCD obsession might look like this: “I think that man is handsome. That must mean I am gay.” An SO-OCD compulsion might look like avoidance of gay men.
Pedophilia OCD (P-OCD)
P-OCD is especially prone to stigma because of how strong people’s feelings are about the matter. However, OCD obsessions do not equate to desire, and obsessions are often opposed to one’s actual values. Someone with P-OCD might worry that they molested a child and just can’t recall it happening, while the ensuring compulsion could be repeatedly ensuring that all people you find attractive are of age.
Relationship OCD (R-OCD)
People with R-OCD are unable to tolerate uncertainty in their relationships and struggle with obsessions about what a “healthy” or “perfect” relationship is supposed to look like. They frequently question the security of their relationship, their feelings for their partner, or their partner’s feelings for them. For instance, someone with R-OCD might obsess over whether or not they love their wife, while the related compulsion could be looking through old videos to gauge whether or not they actually looked happy and in love.
“Just Right” OCD
“Just Right” OCD differs from the aforementioned subtypes, as it’s difficult to identify a specific fear that may be triggering it. Instead, it’s usually a strong “sense” that something isn’t “right” when things are not set up in a certain way. Someone with “just right” OCD might be folding their laundry, then worry that something feels “wrong,” and start folding their clothes over and over again until it feels “right.”
Contamination OCD (C-OCD)
C-OCD is the most commonly stereotyped form of OCD in popular culture. People with C-OCD are afraid of getting sick, falling ill, or infecting someone they care about after being in contact with some type of bacteria. An individual with C-OCD obsession might fear, “This person sneezed near me, I must have contracted something,” and repeatedly wash their hands and face as a compulsion.
Pure-O OCD
Pure-O OCD is a complicated OCD subtype. People with Pure-O have obsessions without “visible” compulsions or behaviors. The obsessions can be about sex, sexuality, religion, harm, personal health, romance, and other issues. A Pure-O Obsession could look like, “How am I even meant to know that life is worth living?”, while the compulsion could feel like constant pressure to find meaning in everything you do.
Scrupulosity OCD
Scrupulosity OCD is characterized by obsessions and compulsions around violating religious, moral, or ethical beliefs that one tries to live by. A person’s OCD may center around fears about going against these beliefs by sinning or cursing. A compulsion of Scrupulosity OCD might be repeated prayer whenever one feels like they have erred.
Perinatal OCD
Some individuals with Perinatal OCD have had OCD before getting pregnant and notice exacerbated symptoms during pregnancy. For others, OCD symptoms may arise during fertility challenges, pregnancy, or the postpartum period for up to two years.
Most people have had OCD symptoms at another time in their life, but either the severity of symptoms or diagnosis becomes apparent during this major transition period for a new parent. Perinatal OCD may present itself as any of the aforementioned subtypes, but it typically involves obsessions around the safety of the baby, like intrusive thoughts about your child’s safety while they are asleep in the other room. A compulsion may look like repeatedly waking up to check on your child through the night. If this sounds like you, check out our Maternal Wellness Page to connect with our Maternal Wellness Specialists.
Childhood-Onset OCD
OCD qualifies as childhood-onset if obsessions and compulsions occur before a child reaches puberty. Children with OCD have less insight into their obsessions than adults do and lack the capacity to understand the irrational nature of their thoughts. Combined with limited verbal ability, this can make it difficult to determine an appropriate diagnosis.
Common childhood-onset OCD obsessions may involve disturbing thoughts about harming others, preoccupation with order, or need to have things be only “one way.” Compulsions may include repeatedly counting things over and over again, excessive repetition of words or sounds, ordering or rearranging things frequently, or frequent reassurance seeking from family. If you suspect your child has symptoms of childhood-onset OCD and want support, check out our Therapy for Teens and Therapy for Parents pages to learn more about Repose’s offerings for children, parents, and families.
More on OCD from the Repose Journal
Yes! We Accept Insurance!
Many of our therapists accept Aetna, Aetna Student, and Wellfleet Student health insurances. When using these in-network insurances, you will only be required to pay the cost of your copay at the time of service.
If you want to use other insurance providers with out-of-network benefits, you are required to pay the full fee at the time of service. When using out-of-network insurance only, we provide you with a monthly superbill (a receipt of the therapy services you paid for) with all of the necessary information for you to submit the claim to your insurance.