ERP Basics
This is the term for creating a list of feared situations ranked from least to most anxiety-provoking, which is used to guide exposure exercises in ERP.
What is an exposure hierarchy?
This term describes the unwanted, intrusive thoughts that are characteristic of OCD.
What are obsessions?
This subtype of OCD involves obsessive fears about contamination and the compulsive need to clean or avoid touching perceived contaminants.
What is contamination OCD?
This is the first step in ERP, in which the therapist talks to the client about OCD, its symptoms, and the rationale behind exposure exercises.
What is psychoeducation?
ERP is a well supported treatment for disorders other than OCD. Name at least two.
What are phobias, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, PTSD, and generalized anxiety?
This process in ERP focuses on preventing the ritualistic or compulsive behaviors that usually follow a distressing thought or trigger.
What is response prevention?
The repetitive behaviors or mental acts that individuals with OCD feel driven to perform to reduce the anxiety associated with their obsessions are called these.
What are compulsions?
"Pure O" OCD is a subtype that some believe does not include this type of behavior.
What is compulsions?
This type of exposure involves experiencing real-life situations where triggers naturally occur, rather than using controlled or imagined scenarios. This often results in slow, gradual improvements in distress, though not always.
What is naturalistic exposure?
An important skill of ERP involves being in the emotion without needing to do anything to avoid it, change it, or make it go away.
What is mindfulness?
This technique involves gradually confronting feared stimuli, starting with less anxiety-provoking situations and moving to more challenging ones.
What is systematic desensitization?
The class of medication most commonly prescribed for OCD.
What are SSRIs?
This type of OCD involves religious or moral themes, often fearing committing an act outside of their moral or religious beliefs in the future, or angst about a past experience.
What is Scrupulosity or Immoral OCD?
This type of ERP involves working with clients to gradually expose them to distressing situations in real-life settings, instead of just in the therapist's office.
What is in vivo exposure?
This event has been linked to a rise in anxiety-related conditions, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
What is the COVID-19 Pandemic?
The intensity of a person’s anxiety is rated using this scale, which helps guide the process of gradually facing feared stimuli.
What are Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS)?
Engaging in compulsions helps individuals to temporarily reduce emotional discomfort; a form of this tendency.
What is avoidance?
This subtype of OCD involves the need for symmetry or exactness, leading to repetitive checking, arranging, or ordering behaviors.
What is symmetry, counting, perfectionism, or "just right" OCD?
This is an ERP modification for clients where the therapist might incorporate visualized exposures when real-world exposure is too overwhelming.
What is imaginal exposure?
Through ERP therapy, an individual can alter the way they interpret, make meaning, and react to feared stimuli. This concept is central to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Psychological flexibility
Our presenter emphasized ERP being this type of treatment.
What is evidence-based?
Name three disorders within the Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders category (Not including other and unspecified)
What are body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), trichotillomania, skin picking (excoriation), substance/medication induced OCD.
This subtype of OCD is characterized by obsessive doubts about the safety of objects or situations, or being responsible for causing harm.
What is safety, checking, or reassurance seeking OCD?
This technique involves deliberately inducing physical sensations that mimic anxiety symptoms to help individuals confront and reduce fear of bodily sensations.
What is interoceptive exposure?
The American College Health Association’s (ACHA) Spring 2023 national survey of over 55,000 undergraduate students revealed that this percentage of students had an OCD Diagnosis. Fun Fact: the same percentage as eating disorders.
What is 7%?