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If you've searched up any of these, you're not alone:
You've probably tried most of the list already. An app, a laminated index card of breathing ratios, the memorized five senses drill, maybe a PRN prescription for the worst moments. And somewhere around the fortieth time none of it held when it actually mattered, you started to wonder if the problem is you - if you're just too anxious for what apparently works for everyone else. The problem isn't you. The problem is the techniques. Most new moms who eventually end up in OCD treatment don't start by Googling "do I have postpartum OCD?" They start by searching up, at 2am, with the baby finally asleep and the search history about to be cleared:
If any of those just made your stomach drop because you've typed that exact phrase before, read the next sentence twice: Most people who eventually end up in OCD treatment don't start by Googling: "Do I have OCD?" They start by Googling things like:
And the answer they usually find is: "You're having intrusive thoughts." Technically true. Also, kind of unhelpful - and in some ways, it accidentally points people in exactly the wrong direction. Here's something I see constantly in my office: someone with severe anxiety who "never gets angry." Anxious about everything - health, relationship, work, safety. But angry? No. They're not an angry person.
Except that's not quite true. If you're reading this, you already know that "Exposure and Response Prevention" is the gold standard for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder. But here's what fewer people know: ERP is also highly effective for panic disorder and health anxiety. Same principles, different applications, equally powerful results.
If you suspect you have panic disorder or health anxiety and you're wondering whether ERP applies to you, the answer is yes. Let me explain how. If you've done any research on treatment for OCD, panic, or anxiety, you've heard it a thousand times: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold standard. It works! The evidence is clear, robust, and frankly, hard to argue with. I use it every day in my practice because it does exactly what it's supposed to do - it significantly reduces OCD symptoms.
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