OCD Treatment
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, otherwise known as OCD, is the fourth most common mental health condition across the globe. Here in the United States, the exact statistics vary, but the most agreed-upon estimate is that about 2% of people have OCD. That means, in Arizona, nearly 150,000 people have OCD.
Many mental health conditions are still widely stigmatized. As one of the youngest branches of medicine, psychology is still something the medical community is learning more about every day. Part of the way we can approach this stigma is by continuing to learn more about mental health conditions like OCD so people who are managing it can get access to any help and support they might want or need.
There’s no shame in needing help when it comes to managing any aspect of our well-being. Just like we couldn’t easily set a broken bone on our own, and can’t tell what vitamins we may be deficient in without testing, we also don’t always inherently know how to best address our mental health.
That’s where Pinnacle Peak comes in. Our team of dedicated, master’s level therapists are here to help you find the healing you deserve by teaching you the skills you need to properly manage your mental health. Let’s take a look at OCD and how our team can work with you to make living with it suit your needs.
In 2022 and 2023, over 1.4 million Arizona residents were living with at least one mental health condition.
What We Treat: Understanding OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)
OCD is a mental health condition that can impact people of any age. Those who have OCD experience both obsessions and compulsions that can greatly impact their day-to-day life.
Obsessions are unwanted urges, or intrusive thoughts, that cause anxiety and an overall distressing reaction. Obsessions can vary from person to person but have been noted to include things such as:
- Aggressions toward yourself or others
- Fears regarding germs or contamination
- Fears of losing items
- Fears of not being in control of your behaviors and actions
- Unwanted or taboo thoughts often involve religion or sex
- Needing symmetry and order in objects and surroundings
Compulsions, on the other hand, are often in response to obsessions. They are repetitive behaviors that are taken in order to address obsessions. Oftentimes people act on compulsions hoping they will lessen the anxiety they’re experiencing. For example, in response to fears surrounding germs, someone may wash their hands multiple times in a row. If someone is stressing about the appearance of their surroundings, they may rearrange the objects around them, constantly making tiny adjustments to ensure perfection.
Overall, OCD is a time-intensive condition that causes high anxiety.
OCD doesn't have to be in charge.
Let us show you the path to healing.
Ensuring Your Needs Are Met Through Evidence-Based Treatments
We work with our clients on an individual level to find the right treatment options to suit their healing needs. We encourage clients to try out all that we have to offer, so they can truly see what OCD treatments do and don’t work for them. We want to set you up for success and are happy to work with you along the way to make sure that happens.
Many of our different evidence-based practices are simply different vehicles to help teach you new skills to properly manage and address your OCD symptoms and mental health. Some people may thrive best when working in a group, while others may do well when utilizing music as a focus for their recovery. There is no wrong way to find healing and learn more about yourself while managing your obsessive-compulsive disorder.
OCD Therapy Programs
Here are some of the key programs that we offer.
Experiential Therapy
Experiential Therapy - The term “experiential” is related to the word “experience.” Experiential therapy is exactly that, therapy revolving around experiences. It utilizes activities and the world around you as a tool for healing. During experiential therapy, you learn how your perception of the world impacts your feelings and responses. It also promotes communication, problem-solving, and offers a way to work through emotions and inner turmoil.
Holistic Therapy
Holistic Therapy - Unlike what social media may lead you to believe, holistic therapy isn’t about quick fixes. “Holistic” means “as a whole.” Holistic therapy works by addressing your body and mind as a unit, working on learning how everything relates to each other, instead of focusing on just the symptoms you’re experiencing.
Individual Therapy
Individual Therapy - In individual therapy, you will work one-on-one with your therapist to help address your needs and goals. Many see success in private practice, allowing you to be more open about what’s bothering you and working as a team to find solutions.
Group Therapy
Group Therapy - One of the primary benefits of group therapy is realizing that you’re not alone. You will work on many of the same practices that you might in individual settings while engaging with others who are also seeking healing. This space allows for bonding and can showcase other points of view and insight into not only what you’re experiencing, but the healing process as a whole.
Family & Couples Therapy
Family & Couples Therapy - We understand that mental health can often impact the ones we love, especially those who are around us most often. Our family and couples therapy program allows for the healing of your support system and the healing of relationships, too. It can also serve as a great space for mutual learning.
In everything we do, we’re constantly open to learning more. We know that the world of medicine and science is always learning and evolving. When new methods and studies become prevalent, we make sure to incorporate what works for our program so you always have access to the best treatments possible.
How We Treat OCD: A Patient-Focused Approach to Healing
One of the most important components of our treatment approach for OCD at Pinnacle Peak is acknowledging that every client who walks through our doors is unique. This is why we offer treatment options like talk and group therapies, and psychoeducation. We also recognize the effectiveness of utilizing CBT during the treatment process for OCD.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a versatile approach to recovery that can help those seeking to manage obsessive-compulsive disorder. Through CBT, clients identify unhelpful ways of thinking and unhelpful patterns of behavior that are often instilled through their experiences with OCD. Once identified, they then work on relearning how to approach conflict, relationships, triggers, negative thoughts, and more.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
When it comes to treating OCD, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is a helpful tool. When obsessions take over the mind, DBT works by changing the emotional response to them. This helps reduce the need to engage in compulsive behaviors and also alleviates the overall stress associated with the thought.
Individual Therapy
Individual therapy for OCD provides a safe, focused environment to explore obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors with the guidance of a trained therapist. Therapists often use evidence-based approaches like exposure and response prevention (ERP) to help you gradually face feared situations and reduce compulsions. Over time, individual therapy provides significant relief from symptoms and helps develop stronger coping skills.
OCD can quickly take over your mind, causing you added stress and anxiety when you least expect it. Through our guided therapies, Pinnacle Peak provides relief and hope for those living with OCD. We go above and beyond providing psychoeducation about the condition and adding a holistic approach through meditation.
How is OCD Diagnosed?
Anyone can experience compulsions and obsessions. Intrusive thoughts are not uncommon and are often experienced as a symptom of other conditions, too. For compulsions and obsessions to be considered OCD, they must have a certain level of intensity and overall impact.
Those with OCD manage compulsions and obsessions for longer than an hour at a time. They don’t derive pleasure from performing the compulsions, and often only experience temporary relief when they enact them. People with OCD cannot control their thoughts and behaviors, even if they feel they are harmful or excessive. All of these factors are kept in mind when an OCD diagnosis is considered.
Are There Risk Factors for OCD?
Many people who have OCD will notice the symptoms of it in childhood or as a teenager. On average, women are more likely to have OCD than men. While there aren’t set-in-stone risk factors for developing OCD, genetics have been known to play a role. Those who have family members with OCD are more likely to develop it as well.
Additionally, our brains are greatly impacted and altered by experiencing trauma. OCD is one of many conditions that can develop as a result of trauma.
How to Spot the Signs of OCD
As we’ve talked about, OCD can be greatly marked by how much it’s interfering with your day-to-day life. If you’ve had OCD most of your life, it might not always be easy to see exactly how much you’re being impacted by it. How, then, can you tell if you have OCD?
If you often experience thoughts that cause you high anxiety, that make you feel out of control, and the actions you take to address these thoughts do not make them go away – you might have OCD. No two people may experience the exact same compulsions or obsessions, but they commonly revolve around concepts like health, your environment, your self-image, anger, perfection, responsibilities, possessions, and more.
What’s the Difference Between OCD and OCPD?
OCPD stands for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. While some of the symptoms can overlap with OCD, they are two separate conditions. Let’s take a look at some of the differences between the two.
OCD
- Often starts in childhood
- Experience unwanted thoughts/compulsions
- Can relate to many things like germs/control/etc
- More likely to occur in women
OCPD
- More likely to develop as a teen/young adult
- Believe their compulsions are correct/good
- Strictly relates to a need for control and perfectionism
- More likely to occur in men
Both of these conditions can greatly impact a person’s life and can be comorbid, but aren’t inherently related.
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What Our Valued Patients Say
Finding Long-term Support Through Pinnacle Peak
You deserve to have the skills you need to manage your mental health. We all face things in our lives that can make life seem daunting, or impact the joy we feel on a daily basis. We’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way.
With proper treatment, we will help you find ways to address and manage symptoms as they happen. We will work with you to give you the power to navigate your mental health in a more effective way. This can include everything from learning how to address things on your own, to knowing when to seek help and support.
We offer both inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment at Pinnacle Peak. Even after you leave our doors, our alumni group is here for you to continue to give you ongoing support.
There’s no wrong time to get started on your journey of healing. We know it can seem daunting, but everyone deserves care and support when they need it. Our team at Pinnacle Peak is here to help you find that. Give us a call anytime at 866-377-4761 and we’ll get you started right away.
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