Educational reference
Treatment overview
Exposure and response prevention is a structured form of cognitive behavioural therapy, and the psychological approach identified most consistently for obsessive-compulsive disorder in authoritative treatment guidance.
It has two parts, and both are needed. Exposure means deliberately approaching situations, thoughts or images that trigger distress. Response prevention means not carrying out the usual ritual afterwards, including mental rituals and reassurance seeking, which are easily overlooked.
Work is normally graded. A person and their therapist agree an order, beginning with situations that provoke manageable distress and moving on as each becomes easier. The aim is not to endure distress indefinitely but to allow it to settle without the ritual, which over time weakens the link between trigger, distress and ritual.
It can be demanding, and pacing is agreed rather than imposed. Practice between sessions is usually part of it. Family members are sometimes involved, particularly where they have been drawn into providing reassurance.
Whether this approach is appropriate, and how it is delivered, is decided with a qualified health professional. MOMD does not provide individual treatment advice.