How are CBT and mindfulness used to treat OCD?

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a serious mental health condition that typically results in two distinct types of symptoms: ‘obsessions’ and/or ‘compulsions’. These OCD symptoms can cause significant distress and impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of day-to-day life.

Obsessions are characterised by recurrent and persistent thoughts, images or urges that are intrusive and unwanted by the individual, and usually cause them intense anxiety. Compulsions refer to mental or physical rituals that people with OCD feel they have to perform.

There are a number of different methods that can be used to treat OCD, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness.

The symptoms of OCD can take up a lot of time and seem impossible to stop or control. They can also cause OCD sufferers to feel distressed and confused. However, OCD is treatable and with effective therapy, it’s possible for people to regain control over their obsessions and compulsions, and resume the meaningful and valued life they deserve.

OCD treatment options

Two of the most common treatment methods for OCD are CBT and mindfulness, both of which can take place in the form of one-to-one therapy or group therapy, depending on the most appropriate format for you.

Here, we explore how these therapeutic techniques are used in the treatment of this complex condition.

How is CBT used to treat OCD?

CBT is a highly effective therapeutic method that's used worldwide in the treatment of a range of mental health conditions, including OCD. This technique is based on the principle that OCD develops and intensifies as a result of dysfunctional, deeply ingrained thought patterns that cause people to evaluate and respond to thoughts, emotions and physical sensations in unhealthy ways.

The aim of CBT for OCD is to help you to develop a new relationship with, and a more effective way of responding to your obsessions and compulsions, that doesn’t maintain your anxiety and dysfunction in the long-term. It also involves helping you test out specific predictions, identify and question the cognitive processes that maintain your OCD symptoms, as well as the meaning you attach to these.

CBT for OCD also consists of exposure and response prevention (ERP) techniques. This involves gradually introducing a person with OCD to objects or situations that trigger their obsessions and compulsions, until they learn to cope with their anxiety and distress. Ultimately, this technique helps you to confront your fears, learn to tolerate anxiety, and resist using compulsive behaviours.

You'll also receive ‘homework’ following your CBT sessions, which usually consists of you engaging in daily ERP tasks between your therapy sessions, to keep building on these techniques and reducing the obsessive thoughts and rituals that are characteristic of OCD.

CBT has been found to result in long-lasting benefits in OCD patients, and also aims to provide you with a more effective way of managing unwanted thoughts and feelings that doesn’t impair your functioning in the long-term.

How is mindfulness used to treat OCD?

Mindfulness is a well-known therapeutic method that encourages you to focus on the present moment, in a non-judgemental way, whilst accepting and processing any negative thoughts without becoming overwhelmed by them, attaching meaning to them, or trying to stop or change them.

In the context of OCD, people with this condition often don’t live in the present, and instead constantly focus on ‘what ifs?’. For example, you may struggle with an obsessive thought that makes you believe that you’re going to harm another person, causing you to constantly question “what if I hurt someone?” OCD also causes people to be incredibly judgemental about themselves. Again, in the harm obsession example, having these thoughts may cause a sufferer to judge themselves as being a horrible and dangerous person. However, if a person without OCD had this thought, they would probably wonder “where did that come from?”, before letting the thought pass them by. This is what mindfulness seeks to achieve; it teaches people to simply acknowledge their intrusive and obsessive thoughts in the present, before letting them go without dwelling on them, or making assumptions about their meaning.

Once you've learned the principles of mindfulness as part of your therapy sessions, you'll be able to practise mindfulness in the future, enabling you to continue processing feelings and thoughts in a healthy way, without becoming overwhelmed or distressed by them.

There's emerging evidence that mindfulness is effective in the treatment of OCD, and can also be complemented by relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation and breathing exercises.

Seek help for your OCD

OCD can be difficult to cope with, which is why it’s so important to seek the expert OCD support that you need. Our specialist OCD psychiatrists and therapists at Priory will be able to help you every step of the way towards overcoming your obsessions and compulsions, and resuming the healthy, happy and fulfilling life you deserve.