Outpatient methods to treat OCD include evidence-based psychotherapy like cognitive behavioral therapy – specifically exposure and response prevention therapy.
Exposure and response prevention therapy is a type of cognitive therapy. A therapist will essentially trigger the person’s compulsions, not allow them to complete their compulsion, and train their brain to experience anxiety adapting to those feelings until it is more tolerable. A person can regain control of their behavior. ERP therapy would be done in a therapist’s office and requires regular sessions to manage symptoms. This cognitive-behavioral therapy is generally considered the most effective and common therapeutic treatment for OCD.
For younger patients who develop symptoms in their childhood or teenage years, parents should seek out help specializing in adolescent psychiatry. Young adults have different needs, so tailoring their treatment plan makes for more effective treatment for OCD. Seeking treatment early on can mitigate other related disorders that may arise due to the constant anxiety that OCD patients experience.
In a more intensive outpatient setting, patients in treatment may attend multiple behavioral therapy sessions and support groups full-time during the day.
Patients can also attend support groups, which helps build a support network of people who understand what they are going through during exposure therapy and other aspects of treatment.