Pure O with Taylor Newendorp

Pure OCD (also known as Purely Obsessional OCD or Pure-O) is a common subtype of OCD with a confusing name. Those with Pure-O, like anyone with OCD, actually do have compulsions. But the difference is that their compulsions are mental—for example, counting in one's head or reviewing memories over and over.

The obsessions involved in Pure-O can be related to any topic, and these are especially common: harm, sexual orientation, relationships, sexuality, pedophilia, religious or moral correctness, neatness or symmetry. Because those with Pure-O use mental compulsions to temporarily alleviate the distress these obsessions cause, their struggle may go completely unnoticed by anyone else.

Here, Taylor Newendorp, MA, LCPC, discusses this aspect of OCD and what people can do about it. Taylor is an OCD specialist and one of our NOCD Therapists. He works primarily with exposure and response prevention, or ERP, the most effective form of therapy for OCD.

Research shows that ERP helps 70-80% of people with OCD improve significantly. ERP involves exposing oneself to obsessions, and learning to deal with distress without using compulsions to escape it.

[Zgembo]

Great video about a subtype of ocd that lot of people dont talk about

[ginacostigan]

Really brilliant helpful videos, thank you

[crystallikeice]

So how do you react to intrusive thoughts or images if you can't do those mental compulsions?