We treat every person like, well, a person! When thinking about improving your chances of achieving your treatment goals both during and outside of weekly sessions, the advice mentioned above is often beneficial. You may learn more about these and other factors that may help treatment outcomes in our article and the resources we suggest.
The good news is that you can optimise the efficacy of your therapy sessions with an OCD specialist by forming habits outside of them.
It's critical to recognise that beginning something is always the most difficult phase. You have already accomplished a great deal if you have started therapy for your OCD Treatment in Chicago.
What OCD Treatment Goals Look Like in Chicago
1. Track the sources of your anxiety and assign a scale of 0 to 10 to the severity of your anxiety. Then, track the ensuing obsessive cravings and their corresponding intensity.
2. The objective of the exposure is to touch a public lavatory doorknob and refrain from washing your hands for longer than 20 seconds (two pumps of soap and semi-warm water is the maximum amount allowed).
3. Engage in one values-based activity for at least ten minutes per day (such as yoga, mindfulness exercises, walking your dog, preparing dinner with your significant other, making a phone call, receiving a massage, etc.).
The following strategies will help you get the most out of your OCD therapy in Chicago outside of sessions:
Adopt a Motto or Catchphrase
Remembering to fight compulsions is made easier by doing this. To illustrate:
"Can I Hold Off on Acting on This Urge a Little Longer?" or "Discomfort Does Not Equal Danger"
Make sure to Remember your Catchphrase
Organise your catchphrase by setting up calendar reminders and notifications. For all therapeutic objectives, you can and should employ reminders and notifications. When considering the best way to deal with obsessive cravings, this helps create momentum outside of sessions for the Aware Acknowledgement of Obsessions.
Remind yourself that “Anything's Possible" is Possible
You can utilise this to address your concerns. This prevents exposure and response. If you are receiving therapy for OCD, you are probably looking to other people for comfort instead of reassuring yourself. These assertions aid in achieving that objective.
Allow Your Principles to Drive You
Remember that your goal is to live a happy and fulfilled life, even in the face of obstacles or unanticipated, powerful triggers. Instead of trying to cure your OCD, the aim is to help yourself.
Conclusion
It is crucial to remember that every patient will have a unique set of experiences to bring to their OCD treatment in Chicago. Everyone, therefore, starts sessions with a different set of objectives.
Weekly goals are tailored to each individual and may not be universally relevant to all OCD sufferers, as you may have noticed. Therefore, regardless of the primary themes of your OCD and irrespective of where you are in your treatment timeline, we believed it would be beneficial to compile a list of things that can optimise your treatment outside of sessions.