Most people have a mental image of OCD that looks pretty specific. Someone checking their locks repeatedly. Someone washing their hands until the skin is raw. Or someone who needs everything arranged just so before they can move on with their day. While these are real presentations of OCD, they represent a narrow slice of what the disorder actually looks like in practice. A lot of people living with OCD don’t recognize themselves in that picture at all, which means many go years without understanding what’s actually happening to them.

For someone with OCD, ERP can be extremely helpful. It allows you to face your fears or the things causing certain behaviors in a controlled and safe setting.