Specializing in the Treatment of OCD and Related Conditions

OCD stands for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. A very simple description of OCD is that it is a condition in which an individual experiences recurrent obsessions and/or compulsions. Obsessions are defined as repetitive thoughts, ideas, or impulses that an individual experiences as inappropriate, intrusive, and unwanted. Compulsions are defined as repetitive behaviors that an individual feels driven to perform in an effort to avoid or decrease the anxiety created by obsessions.

In OCD, obsessions are not just exaggerated fears about real-life situations, and usually are not directly connected to commonplace problems such as normal relationship, academic, or financial concerns. In fact, the individual with OCD is quite often very distressed precisely because he or she recognizes that the thoughts are excessive, irrational and/or inappropriate. OCD compulsions may appear in various forms, including recurrent observable behaviors such as hand washing, repetitive "mental compulsions" such as praying rituals, or avoidant behaviors that have an almost phobic quality. Often, the obsessions and compulsions seen in OCD are a source of considerable shame and embarrassment, leading the individual to go to great lengths to hide his or her symptoms. OCD obsessions and compulsions can be extremely time-consuming, often taking up many hours of a person's day. As a result, OCD frequently causes significant emotional distress, and may greatly interfere with academic and professional functioning, as well as interpersonal relationships.

Common Symptoms of OCD

Obsessions seen in OCD vary widely from person to person. Some examples of common OCD obsessions are:

• exaggerated fears of contamination from contact with people or everyday items
• nagging doubts about having locked the windows or the doors to the home, car, or garage
• excessive concerns about having turned off the stove, hair dryer, coffee pot, or other household appliances
• overwhelming urges to arrange items in a particular order so that they are "just right"
• fears of committing a harmful, violent, sexually inappropriate, immoral, or sacrilegious action

As with obsessions, the compulsions seen in OCD vary from person to person. Some examples of common OCD compulsions are:

• repeatedly washing hands or showering
• excessively using anti-bacterial cleaning products in an effort to eradicate potential contaminants
• avoiding contact with everyday objects such as sinks, toilets, doorknobs, money, or virtually anything that an individual could construe as being contaminated
• frequently checking door locks, windows, light switches, electrical outlets, etc.
• unnecessarily arranging the contents of one's desk, closets, cabinets, bookshelves, etc., or straightening household objects such as window blinds or rugs
• hoarding useless items such as old newspapers, magazines, receipts, worn-out clothes, or other objects that most people would perceive as garbage
• repeatedly saying prayers to ensure that one has not or will not commit an unacceptable, inappropriate, or immoral action
• continually seeking assurance from others that one has not or will not commit an unacceptable, inappropriate, or immoral action

Pure Obsessional OCD

Some individuals may suffer from "pure obsessional" OCD in which they report experiencing obsessions without observable compulsions. These obsessions often manifest as thoughts, impulses, or "mental images" of committing an act they consider to be harmful, violent, immoral, sexually inappropriate, or sacrilegious. Click here to learn more about pure obsessional OCD.

The Obsessive-Compulsive Cycle

Perhaps the most salient characteristic of OCD is the cyclical process by which the symptoms intensify. Initially, individuals with OCD perform compulsive and/or avoidant behaviors in an effort to reduce the anxiety caused by their obsessions. Unfortunately, while performing these behaviors may at first reduce the anxiety and obsessions, it actually reinforces and worsens both in the long-term. This in turn leads to an increase in compulsions, which leads to even more obsessions and more anxiety.

While the specific thoughts and behaviors of OCD may vary with each individual, this process, called the Obsessive-Compulsive Cycle., is identical. In the course of going through this cyclical process, the individual becomes emotionally "sensitized" to specific thoughts, objects, or situations. In other words, they develop a "learned response" in which they automatically become anxious in reaction to these thoughts, objects or situations. For those with OCD, this can become a near-constant cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. Click here to learn more about the Obsessive-Compulsive Cycle.

Frequency of OCD in the General Population

Traditionally, OCD was thought to be quite rare, and was frequently misdiagnosed by psychotherapists who didn't understand the disorder. However, research over the past fifteen years has resulted in an improved understanding of OCD, along with a much better idea of just how prevalent this disorder actually is. It is now estimated that OCD affects roughly 2-3% of the population. This finding suggests that over six million Americans will experience OCD in their lifetimes.

Treatment of OCD

OCD is a widespread disorder with extremely challenging symptoms, and for many years, it was considered to be extremely difficult to treat. Fortunately, OCD treatment has improved dramatically over the past twenty years, and it is now a very treatable condition. Advances in the field of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) have led to the development of a therapeutic approach that is remarkably effective in treating OCD. This treatment, called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), or "exposure therapy", has dramatically altered the therapeutic management of OCD. ERP is far more proactive and less time-consuming than psychoanalysis and other "talk therapies," and has consistently been found by researchers to be the most effective treatment for OCD.

Additionally, a variant of ERP, sometimes called "imaginal exposure," is frequently used in the treatment of OCD, OC Spectrum Disorders, and related anxiety disorders. Imaginal exposure involves using short stories based on the client's obsessions. These stories are audiotaped and then used as ERP tools, allowing the client to experience exposure to their fearful thoughts. This form of exposure therapy is particularly beneficial for obsessions that cannot be experienced through traditional ERP (e.g., killing one's spouse or molesting a child). When combined with standard ERP, and other cognitive-behavioral techniques, this type of imaginal exposure treatment can help to greatly reduce the frequency and magnitude of these intrusive obsessions, as well as the individual's sensitivity to unwanted thoughts and mental images.

One of the most effective CBT developments for the treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related conditions is Mindfulness-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. The primary goal of Mindfulness-Based CBT is to learn to non-judgmentally accept uncomfortable psychological experiences. From a mindfulness perspective, much of our psychological distress is the result of trying to control and eliminate the discomfort of unwanted thoughts, feelings, sensations, and urges. In other words, our discomfort is not the problem – our attempt to control and eliminate our discomfort is the problem. For an individual with OCD or a related anxiety-based condition, the ultimate goal of mindfulness is to develop the ability to more willingly experience their uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, sensations, and urges, without responding with compulsions, avoidance behaviors, reassurance seeking, and/or mental rituals. If you would like to learn more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the treatment of OCD and related anxiety-based conditions, click here.

Individual Therapy for the Treatment of OCD and Related Conditions

The OCD Center of Los Angeles offers individual therapy for treatment for adults, children, and adolescents with OCD, with a strong emphasis on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). We have four therapists on staff, and our offices are open six days a week, including evening and Saturday appointments. If you would like to discuss treatment options at the OCD Center of Los Angeles, you can call us at (310) 824-5200, or click here to email us.

Low-Fee Group Therapy for the Treatment of OCD and Related Conditions

In addition to providing individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the OCD Center of Los Angeles also offers six weekly, low-fee therapy / support groups for adults with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related anxiety based conditions.  Numerous research studies have shown that group CBT is extremely effective for the treatment of OCD and these related conditions.  All groups at the OCD Center of Los Angeles are led by our professional staff therapists, and use the same CBT treatment protocol as our individual therapy program.  Please note that all of our groups require an assessment prior to participation, and are open only to adults over the age of 18 with OCD and related anxiety based conditions.  Please note that we currently have two openings in each of our weekly low fee groups for adults with OCD. If you would like more information on our weekly therapy/support groups for adults, click here.

Telephone and Online Therapy for the Treatment of OCD and Related Conditions

The OCD Center of Los Angeles also offers telephone and webcam-based online therapy to clients throughout California. Telephone and online therapy are cost-effective options for clients who have physical and/or psychological limitations that restrict their ability to come to our office, and for those in remote areas who cannot find specialized OCD and anxiety treatment close to their home. Telephone and internet therapy have repeatedly been found to be safe and effective in numerous research studies, and have been legal in California since 1997. If you would like to learn more about our telephone and online therapy program for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related anxiety-based conditions, please click here.

If you are experiencing any of the above OCD symptoms, and would like to discuss treatment options at the OCD Center of Los Angeles, you can call us at (310) 824-5200, or click here to email us.

Please note that the above is not meant to replace a complete and thorough evaluation by a licensed cognitive-behavioral therapist or other qualified mental health professional. Some individuals with OCD may benefit from medication, and may therefore require a psychiatric evaluation. Likewise, a psychiatric assessment may be necessary to differentiate between OCD and other psychological conditions. If a psychiatric evaluation is indicated, the OCD Center of Los Angeles can refer you to a qualified psychiatrist in our area. Furthermore, it is imperative to make the distinction between OCD and other medical conditions. For this reason, a medical examination may be necessary.