The library
Understanding OCD, and getting better
Every article here is created and clinically directed by Weston Scott Fisher, MD, a psychiatrist who has focused on treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) for over a decade, and every statistic links to the source it comes from. Start with the section written for you.
For people with OCD
You have OCD, or you're wondering if you do
From "is this even OCD?" to what treatment and recovery actually look like, written plainly enough to read in the middle of the night.
What works for OCD: every treatment worth knowing
The two first-line treatments, what comes after them if they're not enough, and what doesn't work for OCD.
When it can't wait
When is OCD an emergency?Is this OCD?
Do I have OCD?What a real screening looks like Are intrusive thoughts normal?Where OCD begins Is it OCD, or something else?OCD's lookalikes, sorted Can you have OCD without compulsions? Is it OCD or anxiety?How to tell the difference Is it OCD or ADHD?Two different reasons you can't focus Is it OCD or autism?What the repetition is for Is it OCD or PTSD?How to tell the intrusions apart Is it OCD or BPD?How to tell the difference Is it OCD or psychosis?The line clinicians look at Is OCD genetic, and what does that mean for your family?Your theme
The types of OCDThemes, not separate disorders Pure OIntrusive thoughts, hidden compulsions Checking OCDWhy one more check never settles it Contamination OCDWashing is the visible half Just-right and symmetry OCDThe incomplete feeling ScrupulosityWhen OCD attacks your faith Relationship OCDWhen doubt about love becomes a loop Harm OCD vs. being dangerousWill I act on my thoughts? Postpartum OCDIntrusive thoughts about your baby SO-OCDWhen doubt targets your sexual orientation POCDThe intrusive thoughts you can't say out loud Real-event and false-memory OCDWhen one memory won't closeGetting treated
What ERP actually is, and what your first session looks like Does ERP make OCD worse before it gets better? Is exposure therapy safe? ERP, I-CBT, or ACTWhich OCD therapy is right for you? Why didn't regular talk therapy work for my OCD? How long does OCD treatment take, and how to vet a therapist Questions to ask an OCD therapist, and what good answers sound like Can I do ERP on my own? And are OCD apps any good? SSRIs for OCDWhat to actually expect Coming off OCD medicationWhat to know firstFor family & partners
Someone you love has OCD
Saying no to OCD without going cold on them, and staying well yourself.
How to support someone with OCD (without feeding it)
What holds in every relationship, and deeper pages if you're the parent or the partner.
For parents
How to help your adult child with OCD without making it worse When your adult child with OCD refuses treatmentThese pages are about supporting an adult. For a child or teenager, start with the International OCD Foundation's (IOCDF) kids and families resources and a pediatric OCD clinician.
For clinicians
You treat clients with OCD
Written for therapists who see OCD, from recognizing it to the practical side of treating it. Pairs with the CE course.
The OCD treatment gap: misdiagnosis, delay, and the numbers
Misidentified half the time in primary care, documented at less than a tenth of its prevalence, and over a decade to a diagnosis. Every number linked to where it comes from.
Clinician resourceExample scripts for provider recordings
Seven short scripts for recorded messages to a client, labeled by method (ERP, I-CBT, ACT), with guidance on adapting them. Educational examples for licensed clinicians.