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What Is Exposure and Response Prevention?
Exposure and response prevention is a two-step process.
ERP starts with exposure to the very things that cause you discomfort.
Kemal Yildirim / Getty Images
ERP is a behavioral therapy that takes a different approach.
At the same time, the therapist coaches and teaches the patient how to cope in real time.
How Does ERP Therapy Work?
ERP exposes people to situations that trigger intrusive thoughts or obsessions.
With practice and gradual habituation, ERP reduces anxieties and prevents compulsive responses.
and internal stimuli (intrusive thoughts, panicky feelings, etc.)
that trigger behavior related to OCD, severe anxiety, phobias, or eating disorders.
What Can ERP Therapy Treat?
An older 2005 study found that 62% of people with OCD responded to their initial ERP treatment sessions.
If they completed the 12-week program, success rates jumped to 86%.
ERP remains the gold standard for treating OCD.
Visit theIOCDF’s homepageto get help and learn more about ERP specialists.
Summary
Exposure and response prevention therapy is the gold standard for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder.
It’s also an effective way to cope with social anxiety, phobias, and eating disorders.
Unlike talk therapy, which doesn’t require exposure to triggers, ERP usually takes place in real time.
ERP forces people to face what they fear most.
Facing what scares you most or triggers obsessive behaviors or phobias is scary.
Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see immediate results.
ERP therapy can take a while to work but can make a notable difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
ERP is one form of CBT.
Under the CBT umbrella, exposure and response prevention is one of the behavioral therapies.
Excessive hand washing is a compulsion that’s often treated with ERP.
Some compulsive handwashers scrub their hands until they’re raw after contact with any surface touched by others.
Over time, exposure to surfaces gradually increases.
ERP won’t completely void intrusive thoughts.
Yes, ERP works for social anxiety.
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