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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Break free from the loop.

OCD traps you in a relentless cycle of intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. You are not your thoughts — and with the right treatment, the cycle can be broken.
Book an ADHD evaluation
ADHD by the numbers
of people worldwide have OCD
1 %
Average delay before getting help
1 Years
Improve with proper ERP treatment
1 %
Most disabling condition globally (WHO)
1 th
OCD Subtypes

OCD looks different for everyone.

OCD is not just about “being clean.” It’s a neurological condition with many faces — most people don’t recognize their experience as OCD at all. All subtypes are real, serious, and treatable.

Contamination

Fear of germs, illness, or being "dirty." Compulsions include excessive washing, cleaning, or avoiding certain places and objects.

Checking

Fear of harm from forgetting — leaving the stove on, doors unlocked. Compulsions involve repeated checking that feels impossible to stop.

Harm OCD

Intrusive thoughts about hurting yourself or others. These thoughts are deeply distressing and completely ego-dystonic — not desires or intentions.

Scrupulosity

Religious or moral obsessions — fear of sinning, offending God, or being fundamentally evil. Compulsions include praying, confessing, or seeking reassurance.

Pure O

"Pure obsessional" OCD — intrusive thoughts with hidden mental compulsions (ruminating, mental reviewing). Often misdiagnosed as anxiety or depression.

Symmetry & Order

Distressing need for things to be "just right" — arranged perfectly, in specific numbers, or repeated until it feels correct. Not just perfectionism.

Relationship OCD

Persistent doubt about relationships — "Do I really love them? Are they the right person?" Compulsions include constant reassurance-seeking and mental reviewing.

Identity OCD

Obsessions around sexuality, gender, or "who you really are." The distress comes from the uncertainty itself, not from the content of the thoughts.

Myths vs Facts

What OCD actually is

Common Myth

“OCD just means you’re really neat and organized.”

The Reality

OCD is a debilitating neurological disorder. Many people with OCD are not organized at all — the condition is defined by distressing intrusive thoughts and compulsions, not tidiness.

Common Myth

“If you have violent or disturbing thoughts, you’re dangerous.”

The Reality

Intrusive thoughts in OCD are completely ego-dystonic — they horrify the person having them. People with OCD are statistically no more dangerous than anyone else. These thoughts reflect fear, not desire.

Common Myth

“You just need to relax and stop giving in to the thoughts.”

The Reality

OCD involves a neurological feedback loop that willpower alone cannot break. Telling someone to “just stop” is like telling a broken arm to heal itself. Effective treatment (ERP + medication) is required.

Common Myth

“OCD is rare and unusual.”

The Reality

OCD affects approximately 1 in 40 adults and 1 in 100 children — making it one of the most common psychiatric conditions. It’s also among the most underdiagnosed, with an average 17-year delay to treatment.

Common Myth

“Once you have OCD, you’ll have it forever.”

The Reality

With proper ERP therapy and when indicated, medication, the vast majority of people with OCD achieve significant symptom reduction and reclaim their lives. Many experience long-term remission.

Common Myth

“Reassurance helps OCD get better.”

The Reality

Reassurance is a compulsion that temporarily relieves anxiety but strengthens OCD in the long term — feeding the cycle. Effective treatment teaches the brain to tolerate uncertainty, not eliminate it.

Treatment Options

What actually works for OCD

OCD requires specialized treatment — standard talk therapy alone is often not enough. Here’s what the evidence shows.

Gold Standard - Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP)

The most effective treatment for OCD. You gradually face feared situations or thoughts (exposure) without performing compulsions (response prevention). Over time, the brain learns anxiety decreases on its own — without the compulsion. This rewires the OCD feedback loop at the neurological level.

Medication - SSRI Therapy

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are FDA-approved for OCD and significantly reduce symptom severity — often making ERP more effective.

Accessible - Telehealth ERP

Research confirms telehealth ERP produces outcomes equivalent to in-person treatment. Access specialized OCD care from anywhere, privately, on your schedule.

Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation

Every treatment plan begins with a thorough evaluation — understanding your specific OCD subtype, severity, history, and co-occurring conditions. OCD frequently co-occurs with anxiety, depression, ADHD, and tic disorders, all of which affect the treatment approach.

Specialized - ICBT

Inference-Based CBT — especially effective for "Pure O" subtypes where the obsessions are primarily mental rather than behavioral.

Augmentation - ACT for OCD

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy teaches psychological flexibility — changing your relationship with intrusive thoughts rather than fighting them.

How ERP Works

Facing fear safely

ERP doesn’t eliminate intrusive thoughts — it changes your relationship with them. You learn that you can tolerate the anxiety without needing the compulsion.

  • Build your fear hierarchy

    Together we map out your specific triggers from least to most distressing — creating a personalized roadmap for treatment.

  • Gradual, supported exposure

    Starting with lower-anxiety situations, you face feared triggers while resisting the compulsion — with full support at every step.

  • Brain learns: anxiety passes

    Without the compulsion reinforcing it, anxiety peaks and then naturally decreases. The brain updates its threat response. This is called "habituation."

  • Reclaim your life

    As the OCD loses power over your decisions, you begin doing things you've avoided for years. Activities, relationships, freedom — all return.

ERP SESSION IN PROGRESS

  • Step 1 — Active

    Trigger identified: Touching a door handle without washing hands afterward

  • Step 2

    Anxiety level: 7/10 — Notice the urge to wash. Don't act on it. Stay with the feeling.

  • Step 3

    Anxiety level: 4/10 — 12 minutes later. The feeling is passing — without washing.

  • Step 4

    ✓ Session complete. Brain updated: danger signal was false. Compulsion was not needed.

FAQ

Common questions

OCD is surrounded by myths and misunderstanding. Here are the answers to what people most often ask. Every question deserves a real, honest answer — not reassurance, but genuine information that helps you move forward.

Is ERP painful or scary?
ERP can feel challenging — you’re deliberately facing things that trigger anxiety without doing the compulsion that usually relieves it. But we always move at your pace, starting with lower-anxiety exposures and building gradually. The discomfort is temporary; the freedom is lasting. Most people find it far less scary than they imagined.
My thoughts are so disturbing — am I a bad person?

Absolutely not. The content of OCD obsessions is almost always the opposite of what the person values most. If you’re horrified by violent or immoral thoughts, that horror is the evidence of your values — not a reflection of who you are. People with OCD are typically caring, conscientious, and deeply empathetic individuals.

What's the difference between OCD and "just being anxious"?

OCD is a distinct neurological condition defined by the obsession-compulsion cycle. While anxiety is a key feature, the driver is the specific feedback loop: intrusive thought → distress → compulsion → temporary relief → repeat. Standard anxiety treatments can actually worsen OCD by providing reassurance rather than teaching uncertainty tolerance.

Can we prescribe stimulants via telehealth?

OCD is a distinct neurological condition defined by the obsession-compulsion cycle. While anxiety is a key feature, the driver is the specific feedback loop: intrusive thought → distress → compulsion → temporary relief → repeat. Standard anxiety treatments can actually worsen OCD by providing reassurance rather than teaching uncertainty tolerance.

Can I do ERP via telehealth?
Yes — and multiple studies show telehealth ERP produces outcomes equivalent to in-person therapy. For some OCD subtypes (like contamination), telehealth can even be advantageous, as exposures happen in your real environment. Sessions are conducted over encrypted, HIPAA-compliant video.
Do I need medication alongside therapy?

Not always, but often the combination of ERP and an SSRI produces better outcomes than either alone — especially for moderate to severe OCD. SSRIs specifically approved for OCD include fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, sertraline, and paroxetine. We evaluate each case individually and discuss all options before deciding together.