OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD)

People with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder struggle with intrusive and unwanted thoughts, obsessions, and impulses that make them feel out of control. To alleviate the distress, the person will engage in compulsions, either mental or physical, to try to reduce the anxiety or “just-not-right feelings”. Obsessions can come in the form of fears of contamination, thoughts of harming oneself or others, inappropriate sexual thoughts or immoral religious acts, or doubting whether one has performed such actions such as turning off the stove or locking the door. Compulsions often appear as rituals such as cleaning, checking, repeating, hoarding, and sorting, but can also take the form of equally debilitating “mental” rituals that often go unnoticed by others.

Children and adults with OCD are often compelled to perform these ritualistic behaviors for hours at a time, wreaking havoc on their normal routine, schoolwork, job, family, or social activities. Family members are usually at a loss for how to respond, and the individual suffering with OCD is unable to stop behaviors that they know don’t make sense. 

But it is possible to tolerate unwanted thoughts and sensations without resorting to compulsions or rituals.

Ruth works with both children and adults who struggle with OCD, and offers parents and family members guidance and support in helping respond appropriately to loved ones. With extensive training in OCD, including specialized education through the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation’s (IOCDF) Behavior Training Therapy Institute (BTTI), Ruth has the experience and expertise to provide you and your family with effective, long-lasting treatment for OCD.