As a provider, you can understand the struggles that your patients with OCD go through. OCD is a debilitating condition that is widely misunderstood. However, OCD is also highly manageable with proper treatment.
Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about OCD and OCD treatment that keep people from getting the care they need to get better. To help combat these stereotypes, we’ve identified four common misconceptions that providers often have about treating OCD.
Misconception #1: OCD is only treatable with SSRIs and/or CBT.
Actually, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is the gold standard treatment for OCD—not CBT. In fact, ERP is recommended by the APA as a first-line treatment for OCD. ERP is not the same as exposure therapy, as ERP was specifically designed to treat OCD.
ERP can be combined with SSRI medication for higher efficacy. Members who received ERP at NOCD Therapy have experienced a 48% reduction in OCD symptoms; when ERP was used in conjunction with SSRI medication, it led to an almost 60% reduction in OCD symptoms.
Misconception #2: ERP can only be administered in a therapist’s office.
ERP has been shown to be just as—if not more—effective when done with a specialty-trained therapist via teletherapy. Virtual therapy allows the patient to be in the places that trigger their intrusive thoughts associated with OCD, so they can confront their fears in the appropriate environment and begin to overcome them. Alternatively, with in-person treatment, those situations have to be re-created in a sterile office which, in some cases, may be difficult to do.
In fact, the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) published the largest peer-reviewed study of OCD treatment ever conducted, which showed effective clinical outcomes for virtual ERP that resulted in clinically and statistically significant improvements. This included a median reduction of over 43% in OCD symptoms, as well as dramatic improvements in depression, anxiety, stress, and overall quality of life. The study also showed that NOCD Therapy members receiving teletherapy achieved a significant reduction in OCD symptoms in under half the time needed for traditional, in-person ERP in an outpatient setting.
Misconception #3: Not enough therapists are trained in ERP, so patients can’t be connected to a therapist or have to wait too long to get help.
It’s true that ERP was difficult to access in the past, most often due to high costs, lack of insurance coverage, and a shortage of providers with specialty training in ERP. NOCD set out to break down these barriers, both for patients and other care providers. Today, NOCD has over 375 master-level therapists in all 50 states, all of whom receive specialty training and ongoing supervision from our clinical leadership team, comprised of OCD experts and researchers. Further, NOCD connects new patients to a licensed therapist in their state within 7 days on average of their referral, so they can get the help they need sooner.
Misconception #4: ERP therapy is expensive and costs too much for my patients.
Historically, ERP therapy has been a cash-only therapy provided by a limited number of specialists. Now, NOCD solves this issue by providing options that are significantly more affordable than what the majority of people pay for in-person ERP, with payment plan flexibility. NOCD also manages over 130 million commercially insured covered lives today in the U.S. today—we accept most commercial insurance plans, including UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Aetna, Humana, many Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, and many others.
Change starts with providers like you
There are several ways you can make a difference today for the OCD community, including people currently in your care. If you’re working with a patient who may be in need of specialty treatment for OCD, you can refer a patient to us directly by filling out a brief form. Over 9 in 10 Americans with commercial insurance can access NOCD Therapy, and we usually have availability within 7 days. And if you’re accepting new patients, we encourage you to join the NOCD referral directory to help people with OCD access the additional care they may need while they’re in ERP therapy.
By learning how OCD is treated and where to go for effective care, providers can break down historical barriers to treatment and help people overcome this widely misunderstood and often debilitating condition.