A Guide to OCD Support Groups

If you have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), you might want to consider an OCD support group to add to your treatment plan to help you cope. A few warnings should come before any discussion of support groups, however. First, support groups and group therapy are two different concepts. An OCD support group is a meeting of people who have OCD that may or may not be led by a mental health professional. Its primary purpose is to provide comfort and camaraderie to those who have this condition. Group therapy is always led by a mental health professional, and it has treatment-focused goals to help the OCD patient overcome his disease. OCD support groups should never take the place of individual therapy, group therapy, or medication. They are merely a tool for OCD patients to learn they are not alone and find ways to cope.

Traditional and Online OCD Support Groups

Traditional OCD support groups meet in person and are often led by those who are recovering from the condition themselves or who are still struggling with it. It is not often a place where a mental health professional is in attendance, but some support groups run through hospitals or other mental health facilities are run by therapists or counselors. It is important to know the difference when entering into one of these groups so that you understand the level of treatment to expect. If you need more than friendly support, an OCD support group may not be for you, and you may need to see out more intense therapy.

Online OCD support groups offer another level of support that you cannot get in face-to-face support groups. You will often have the benefit of meeting a larger group of people, and that will increase your odds of finding someone who has experienced the same things you have. This can be a great feeling and wonderfully supportive. However, you have to be careful that you do not let too much personal information out in online OCD support groups or become overly attached. Also realize that those who post and run these forums are not mental health professionals and cannot replace a therapist.

Spiritual Based and Medical Based OCD Support Groups

Spiritual based OCD support groups focus on using your interest in spiritual practices and religion to provide support for your OCD and help you to overcome it. You can count on those in these types of groups to be of the same spiritual and religious bent, so you can all work together towards your spiritual goals. It also focuses on using your belief in your spirituality as a coping mechanism to overcoming your OCD traits.

Medical based OCD support groups are group therapy type groups where a trained therapist conducts the proceedings. These are groups that focus on therapeutic goals, such as facing anxieties or confronting grief, and sharing those experiences with the group. Often, these groups are held in conjunction with a medical center and are part of the larger journey of therapy for OCD. Your individual therapist can set you up with a medical based support group when he feels it is in the best interest of your overall therapeutic goals.

Skills Training Groups

Skills training OCD support groups focus on teaching you how to deal with life and develop the skills necessary to function in the outside world. For instance, a skills training group for a OCD patient could focus on how to control anxiety over a particular obsessive trait, such as hand-washing. These groups would have therapeutic goals and would more likely be a medically based OCD support group. They would be run by a therapist because they focus on teaching you skills to overcome anxiety, depression, and obsessive thoughts. If the group is focused on people who have been hospitalized for OCD or if your OCD is severe, some of the groups may include skills such as how to cook for yourself, how to manage a bank account, and how to live on your own. These OCD support groups are addressed towards the specific groups they service.

Interpersonal Groups

Interpersonal OCD support groups focus on allowing the group members to learn how to function with each other and relate to each other. Sometimes those with OCD have difficulties with relationships, and interpersonal OCD support groups are designed as a microcosm of the outside world so that you can learn how to interact with people in a safe environment. Whether people make you anxious, angry, or depressed, the interpersonal experience is targeted towards getting you to open up and interact with group members so that the facilitator can guide you towards better relating. Then you can take this knowledge and apply it to your life in the real world.