ERP Therapy – Most Dependable Therapy for OCD Sufferers
This
article is about ERP which means, Exposure and Response Prevention which is an
important component of OCD treatment. It shouldn’t be confused with ERP which
means Enterprise Resource Planning those businesses use to integrate their
business processes.
Anyone
who has received OCD treatment must be knowing Cognitive Behavior Therapy
(CBT). It is a therapy where OCD and anxiety patients are treated using
behavior therapy. One of its major components is Exposure and Response
Prevention (ERP). Want to know more about it? Here we help you understand ERP
therapy better.
What
is ERP Therapy – Meaning and Definition
Exposure
and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is a kind of behavior therapy in which a
sufferer is exposed to a situation that provokes his obsession and anxiety and
at the same time, he is helped to not to complete the compulsion and perform
the rituals. This therapy is designed to
help sufferers get rid of the vicious cycle of obsession and compulsion so that
they can live a more fulfilling life. ERP therapy is needed to help those
suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and other mental disorders.
Why
ERP Therapy for OCD?
Recurrent
intrusive obsessive thoughts come to those suffering from obsessive-compulsive
disorder or OCD as it is abbreviated. In this disorder, several types of
intrusive thoughts come to your mind. A
sufferer come across religious thoughts, thoughts about harming others,
contamination thoughts and several other types of thoughts. These thoughts are
followed by certain compulsions and rituals. Completing these compulsions and
rituals take time and meddles with the day-to-day life of sufferers.
When
Should You Use ERP Therapy?
ERP
therapy is a part of cognitive behavior therapy. Although a wide spectrum of
mental disorders can be used with ERP, mostly it is used in treating
obsessive-compulsive disorder which is a disabling disease. Most sufferers and
their families ask questions like when should they start doing or taking ERP
therapy? Here we list signals when you should start this therapy.
- When
you have fear of contamination. - You
want things to be arranged in a particular manner. - Horrific
thoughts about harming oneself or near ones. - Intrusive
thoughts about sex and religion cross your mind. - Doubts
about locking the door. - Imagination
about driving a car into the crowd and hurting people. - You
avoid meeting people and going to social gatherings for the fear of
contamination. - You
have an urge for excessive washing. - Your
skin gets raw due to excessive washing. - You
count currency several times. - You
repeat a prayer or some religious words in silence.
These
are the symptoms that show you are suffering from OCD and you need treatment.
However, you should consult your physician who will tell you when you should
start ERP.
Can
I do ERP on my own?
Resources,
study materials and books on ERP are available like never before. But Exposure
and response prevention is a specific type of treatment that should be taken by
an ERP expert. Any wrong step taken may worsen the situation. In our opinion,
you shouldn’t try ERP on your own.
Can
you explain ERP with an example?
There
could be various examples of ERP. Here we are giving a few examples so that you
can have a clear understanding of it.
Diana,
a 30 years old lady, works for a multinational company. She has to report to
work at 9 am. If she leaves home at 8 am she can easily reach in time. But she
gets late. She is suffering from OCD. Every time she leaves home, she checks
the gas stove multiple times. She checks the lock fearing it is still open.
These compulsions take time. Her ERP therapist exposes her to similar
situations and helps her not to check the gas stove and locks again.
25
years old Christina work as a housemaid. But for a few days, she is not
reporting to work due to fear of contamination. Her work requires her to do the
cleaning. OCD is badly affecting her finances. Her therapist is taking her
outside, exposing her to feared things, and persuading her not to follow her
compulsions. Her situation is slowly improving.
What
are the benefits of ERP therapy?
ERP
or exposure and response prevention therapy comes with several benefits. Here
we list some of the major benefits of ERP therapy.
- You
will learn that your obsession and compulsion can be reduced. - The
urge to complete a compulsion get reduced. - You
will believe that your fears have very little chance to come true. - You
will start believing that living with uncertainty is absolutely fine. - Most
of the contamination can be cured so you don’t need to worry much. - You
would believe that checking a lock is OK but checking it multiple times is not
normal. - You
might get frustrated but there is a cure to the problem. - You
will get exposed to your fears and made to believe that performing compulsions
is not necessary. - Your
therapist will take you outside to make you believe that this world is livable
and should not fear stepping out.
Limitations
of ERP Therapy: What to Expect
ERP
therapy might be one of the most sought-after subsets of cognitive behavior
therapy. ERP has several benefits but it
is not about its limitations. Here we list some of them.
- There
is no fixed number of hours of ERP therapy following which you can get good
results. - It
is hard to find an ERP therapist or even a psychotherapist in rural areas. - More
than 50% of counties in America don’t have a psychotherapist forget an ERP
therapist. - ERP
therapy at times could be difficult, so you should get ready for it. - A
clinician can show you the way but you need to practice and follow
instructions. - You
should be truthful to your therapist. If you are not improving, just say you
are not improving so that he can change the strategy. - In
some cases, the situation might worsen even after ERP therapy. you should be
prepared for that.
ERP
Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive
behavior therapy (CBT) is an umbrella term for a number of medical health
professionals use to treat patients suffering from OCD, anxiety and other mental
disorders. As ERP is a part of CBT they shouldn’t be conceived as watertight
compartments instead they are interrelated.
Also
Read
10
Self-Help Books on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Mental
health disorders that can be treated with ERP
The
scope of exposure and response prevention therapy is just not limited to OCD
but this therapy is used for treating a number of different mental disorders.
They are as follows.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Generalized
anxiety disorder which is popularly referred to as GAD is a medical condition
in which the sufferer goes through excessive worries about a number of
things. The reason for their worries is
varied that ranging from finances to family and neighbors to nature. As per
authentic sources 3.1% of the US population – nearly 6.8 million – suffers from
GAD.
Also Read
GAD – Meaning, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Tips, Lifestyle
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder which is also called PTSD is a mental disorder
where people who have gone through terrifying event or experiences may find it
difficult to get over these traumatic memories. The symptoms of PTSD may
include flashbacks, nightmares and memories of trauma you have no control over.
PTSD affects your daily life.
Obsessive-compulsive
disorder (OCD)
Obsessive
Compulsive disorder or OCD is a mental condition in which the sufferer gets
obsessive thoughts about something and finds himself under compulsion to
perform certain rituals. OCD could be of different types that include OCD of
contamination, OCD of religion, OCD of symmetry and many more.
Also
Read
OCD
– Meaning, Causes, Symptoms, Types, Self- help, Treatment
Phobias
A
phobia can be defined as an excessive and unreasonable fear of something.
People suffering from phobias may get panic when they come across the feared
situation or substance. Those suffering from phobia have an understanding that
their fears are irrational but they are not able to control them. Phobia could
be of different types – agoraphobia, social phobia and several other phobias.
The situation can be better tackled with exposure and response prevention (ERP)
therapy.
Panic
Disorder
Panic
disorder can be defined as an anxiety disorder in which a sufferer gets a
sudden attack of panic or fear. People with this disorder may avoid the
situation that triggers a panic attack. This attack may put a limit on their
daily life.
Social
Anxiety Disorder
Social
anxiety disorder is a medical condition in which a sufferer gets irrational
anxiety when he interacts with society. The sufferer may get feelings like
anxiety, fear and embarrassment. This situation can be better treated with ERP
therapy.
Also
Read
Manage
OCD Yourself Through These Top Books on ERP for OCD