Guest guest Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Can someone tell me what ERP is? I know I've read about it on here before, but I can't remember exactly what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 , ERP means exposure and response prevention. What this means is that the person with OCD is exposed to the feared stimulus and encouraged not to respond by completing the compulsion. So, if the fear is that your hands might be dirty because they might have touched your bottom while you changed your clothes and the compulsion is a prolonged washing ritual to reduce the fear temporarily, you would be encouraged to imagine touching your bottom, to look at a picture of a bottom, to touch your panties or your bottom, and then delay or refrain from washing your hands. It is done on a hierarchy, meaning that you start with the less feared items and move on to the harder things. The same sort of technique can be used for non-OCD fears. If a person is afraid of swimming, you would not toss him or her off the high dive to conquer his/her fear. You would visit the pool, sit on the edge, dangle feet in the water, try standing in the shallow water, etc. as the fearful person gets used to the idea that the anxiety will pass and he/she will get through it. The basis of ERP is that anxiety is a temporary state that your body/mind cannot sustain. It will pass even (especially) if you face the fear instead of avoiding it, and facing the fear will get easier the more you do it. Easier said than done, but I think this is the basic idea. Hope this helps. ERP is one of the most effective treatments for OCD (along with medication). > > Subject: what is ERP? > To: > Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 9:32 PM > Can someone tell me what ERP > is? I know I've read about it on here before, but I > can't remember exactly what it is. > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Our list archives feature may be accessed at: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group// > by scrolling down to the archives calendar . Our links > may be accessed at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group//links > . Our files may be accessed at > http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group//files > . > Our list advisors are Gail B. , Ed.D.(http://www.ocdawareness.com ), Tamar Chansky, Ph.D.( http://www.worrywisekids.org ), and Dan Geller, M.D. > (http://www2.massgeneral.org/pediatricpsych/staff/geller.html > ). You may ask a question of any of these mental health > professionals by inserting the words " Ask Dr.(insert name) " > in the subject line of a post to the list. Our list > moderators are Castle, Judy Chabot, BJ Closner, and > Barb Nesrallah. Subscription issues or > suggestions may be addressed to Louis Harkins, list > administrator, at louisharkins@... > . Our group and related groups are listed > at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ocdsupportgroups/links > . OCF treatment providers list may be viewed at http://www.ocfoundation.info/treatment-providers-list.php > . > NLM-NIH Drug Information Portal may be viewed at > http://druginfo.nlm.nih.gov/drugportal/drugportal.jsp?APPLICATION_NAME=drugporta\ l > . OCF recommended reading list may be viewed at http://www.ocfoundation.org/ocd-oc-spectrum-disorders-book-list.html > . > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.