OCD AND ANXIETY TREATMENT CENTER

Patricia M. Perrin, Ph.D., Director
Licensed Psychologist
Behavior Therapist

6300 West Loop South, Suite 390
Bellaire, Texas 77401
(Bellaire is located inside the Houston city limits.)
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713-662-3999

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Panic Disorder
Agoraphobia
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder
Phobias
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

And Spectrum disorders related to OCD:

Trichotillomania (Hair pulling)
Body Dysmorphic Disorder

OCD is an anxiety disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions (or rituals) which interfere with one's social, school, or occupational functioning. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994):

Obsessions are recurrent, persistent ideas thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced as intrusive and inappropriate, and cause marked anxiety or distress.

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors (e.g., handwashing, checking, ordering, hoarding,) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, or according to rule that must be applied rigidly.

Compulsions are performed to prevent or reduce anxiety or discomfort.

OCD occurs in about 2.5% of the population (i.e., 1 in 40).

OCD is treated with the cognitive-behavior therapy (sometimes referred to as behavior therapy) recommended in the Expert Consensus Guidelines for OCD. The name of the treatment is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). It aims to give the person contact with the object, situation, or obsession that raises anxiety or discomfort (exposure), while the person refrains from performing the compulsive behavior or mental ritual (response prevention). As a result, anxiety decreases, or habituates. ERP weakens, and eventually can eliminate the urge to do compulsions. ERP also weakens the ability of the object, situation, or thought to trigger anxiety or discomfort.

Researchers have found ERP to be both highly effective and to have enduring effects. So for most people with OCD, there is help available!

Other anxiety disorders and OCD spectrum disorders are treated with specific cognitive-behavior therapies recommended for each respective disorder.

I. Assessment - with or without family member

II. Treatment with ERP

Weekly or Intensive (several times a week)
Training family member as a coach, especially with children
Referrals as needed for medication consultation

III. Relapse Prevention (Individual or Group)

6300 West Loop South, Suite 390
Bellaire, Texas 77401
(Bellaire is located inside the Houston city limits.)
713-662-3999

or Email: perrin@ocdtherapy.com