Final answer:
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD involves educating the patient, identifying triggers, and creating a hierarchy of anxiety-provoking situations. The therapist exposes the patient to these situations in a controlled way, preventing the compulsive response, and monitors and adjusts the therapy based on progress.
Step-by-step explanation:
Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a common and effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In the case of Jamie, who feels the compulsion to flick a light switch five times, his therapist would initiate ERP with the following steps:
- Educate Jamie about OCD and the ERP process.
- Together with Jamie, identify the triggers that lead to the compulsion.
- Create a hierarchy of anxiety-provoking situations related to the light switch compulsion.
- Begin exposure therapy with the least anxiety-provoking situation and have Jamie refrain from flicking the light switch.
- Gradually move up the hierarchy, increasing the level of exposure to more anxiety-provoking situations and continuing to prevent the compulsive response.
- Monitor Jamie's response, offering support and guidance, and encouraging him to tolerate the resulting anxiety without engaging in the compulsive behavior.
- Practice these steps repeatedly, until Jamie can face the trigger without feeling the necessity to perform the compulsion.
- Throughout the process, continuously assess and adjust the therapy based on Jamie's progress.
Progress in ERP is often monitored through subjective units of distress scale (SUDS), where Jamie would rate his anxiety in various situations during the therapy. With consistent application of ERP, Jamie would be expected to experience a decrease in his compulsive behaviors and anxiety.