Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Treatment
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Treatment in the Tampa Bay Area
Are you struggling with illogical obsessions and debilitating compulsions? Do you experience unwanted intrusive thoughts and find that you are spending more and more time trying to fight them off? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may have OCD. According to the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), OCD affects between 2-3 million adults in the United States. You may have already started treatment for OCD and unfortunately, may have found that it did not help or that it got worse. Our clinicians know that effective treatment for OCD requires specialized training which you will find at Anxiety Center of Tampa. If you are ready to live your life the way you want to live it, honoring your goals and values, then you have found the right place.
About OCD
OCD is a disorder where people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, and/or ideas, images, or sensations (obsessions) that make them feel driven to do something repetitively to relieve anxiety or discomfort from the obsessions (compulsions). The repetitive behaviors, such as hand washing, checking on things or cleaning, can significantly interfere with a person’s daily activities and social interactions. The relationship between the unwanted thoughts and the actions taken in efforts to eliminate them causes obsessive-compulsive behaviors that become an obstacle to living functionally.
Symptoms of OCD
According to the DSM-V, the diagnostic criteria for OCD is as follows:
Presence of obsessions, compulsions, or both:
Obsessions are defined by:
A. Recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or impulses that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and unwanted, and that in most individuals cause marked anxiety or distress.
B. The individual attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, urges, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action (i.e., by performing a compulsion).
Compulsions are defined by:
A. Repetitive behaviors (e.g., hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly.
B. The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety or distress, or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental acts are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent, or are clearly excessive.
The obsessions or compulsions are time-consuming (e.g., take more than 1 hour per day) or cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
The obsessive-compulsive symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or another medical condition.
The disturbance is not better explained by the symptoms of another mental disorder.
Different Types of OCD
OCD is not only what is portrayed on film and television. Due to the nature of obsessions, OCD is often accompanied by feelings of guilt and shame, which leads to the secrecy of symptoms and an inability to accurately diagnose OCD. As a result of these factors, the average individual with OCD will take between 14-17 years to find proper treatment for OCD from when symptoms began (International OCD Foundation, 2019). The following are some of the most common subtypes of OCD that you may be struggling with:
Contamination OCD
Obsession: Fear of being dirty or contaminated and that contamination will bring harm to self or loved one.
Compulsions: Excessive handwashing, grooming (showering, toothbrushing), ritualized toiler routines, excessive cleaning of household items, excessive measures taken to avoid or remove contaminants.
Symmetry/Orderliness OCD
Obsession: Fear of items not being lined up or organized in a particular way.
Compulsion: Re-organization; re-aligning; avoidance of items already arranged; re-checking for order.
Perfectionism OCD
Obsession: Fear of making mistakes; an intense need for things to be “perfect” or done correctly.
Compulsion: Checking for completion, accuracy, perfection; re-doing; re-writing; inability to begin or complete activities due to fear of imperfection.
Harm OCD
Obsession: Fear causing harm oneself, loved ones, or other people.
Compulsion: Assessing for safety; reassurance seeking; removing objects than can cause harm but are otherwise commonplace (knives, pillows, etc.).
“Just Right” OCD
Obsession: Fear of things not feeling exactly right, an overwhelming need for the balance, order, or positioning of something and need for it to moved or corrected until “just right.”
Compulsion: Counting; symmetry/evening up; arranging; ordering; positioning; touching; tapping.
Sexual Orientation OCD (aka HOCD)
Obsession: Fear and doubt over their long-standing sexual orientation.
Compulsion: Checking for arousal or attraction; reassurance-seeking; testing oneself; avoidance of specific genders.
Pedophile OCD
Obsession: Fear of being or becoming a pedophile.
Compulsion: Avoiding children; avoiding areas where children may be; checking for arousal; testing oneself.
Scrupulosity OCD (Religious/Morality OCD)
Obsession: Fear of doing something bad, wrong, immoral, or blasphemous.
Compulsion: Praying; asking for forgiveness; apologizing; checking; seeking reassurance; neutralizing behaviors.
Relationship OCD
Obsession: Fear that one is in the wrong relationship.
Compulsion: Preoccupation and doubt regarding the relationship; monitoring/checking ones feelings; comparing with other relationships; recalling “good” memories for proof; consulting friends/families and asking for reassurance.
Somatic OCD
Obsession: Intrusive thoughts that are focused on automatic body processes and functions, like breathing, blinking, or physical sensations.
Compulsion: hyperawareness of automatic body functions; avoidance of awareness of these functions; monitoring or counting breaths/blinking/etc.; a distraction from bodily functions.
ERP is a form of CBT and the gold-standard treatment for OCD. During the Exposure phase of ERP, you and your therapist will confront triggers to anxiety such as thoughts, images, objects, and/or situations that trigger your anxiety or obsessions. The Response Prevention part of ERP refers to the choice you can make to resist compulsive behaviors that seem to alleviate your anxiety. Your therapist will work closely with you and will ultimately challenge you to gradually complete ERP exercises on your own and outside of the office to generalize treatment to everyday life.
Anxiety Center of Tampa’s Approach to OCD Treatment
At Anxiety Center of Tampa, you will have the opportunity to have the most individualized treatment options that are right for you. Our therapists understand that everyone is at a different place in treatment. Your treatment is tailored to meet your exact needs as our therapists can provide as little as a 30-minute maintenance check-in session, the standard 50-minute weekly session, or as much as a custom, 1 on 1, intensive outpatient option. Depending on the nature of your obsessions, you may need to confront triggers in the community. Our therapists can meet you in public locations if your treatment plan calls for exposures that cannot be conducted in the office setting. Ultimately, you and your therapist will work together to identify the treatment frequency and location that is best for you and will continue to re-evaluate your needs throughout the duration of your treatment.
Begin OCD Treatment with Anxiety Center of Tampa
Our therapists are ready to help guide you towards regaining control over your life. Treatment begins with a 1.5-hour intake session that can be held in-person or virtually. To schedule your intake session please call us at 813-773-5807 or submit a contact request below.