Support Services & Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

What Is OCD?

When someone has OCD, they experience repeating obsessions (thoughts) and compulsions (behaviors) they can’t control. The obsessions caused by OCD create anxiety that urges the person to do an action. They may check a locked door, count items, or order and arrange things. A person with OCD spends at least one hour every day thinking about their obsessions or performing compulsions.

Most individuals with OCD develop symptoms as teenagers or young adults. We don’t know the exact cause of this disorder, but it seems to have a connection to environment and genetics. Trauma may also trigger the issues associated with OCD.

OCD and Overstimulation: Why Sensory Load Matters

Many people seeking OCD therapy or support services report that their OCD symptoms intensify when environments feel loud, bright, crowded, or fast-paced. This overstimulation, from noise, visual clutter, constant notifications, or competing tasks, can raise baseline tension, making intrusive thoughts feel more urgent. When your nervous system is already at capacity, compulsions may seem like the quickest way to gain relief, even though they keep the cycle going. Lowering background sensory load is an important part of OCD treatment because it creates space for healthier coping skills and evidence-based strategies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP).

Examples of common overstimulation triggers include:

• Loud or overlapping sounds
• Bright or chaotic visual environments
• Constant digital notifications
• High multitasking demands
• Crowded stores or fast-paced workplaces

You can manage sensory triggers related to OCD by mapping your personal patterns. Note times of day, settings (such as open offices and busy stores), and inputs (sirens, overlapping conversations, and scrolling). Then build small buffers. Examples include structured phone settings (batch notifications and focus windows), predictable anchors (a brief walk or a stretch between tasks), and visual simplification (clearing a work surface before starting). For noise, consider earbuds with passive attenuation or a steady, soft background sound rather than a varied one.

Practicing these coping skills helps you respond to potential overstimulation, rather than react. Many OCD patients find benefit from:  When you are in therapy for OCD, ERP therapy can include planned exposures in mildly stimulating settings, helping you build tolerance while delaying or skipping compulsions. ERP is considered the gold-standard, evidence-based treatment for OCD.

With a clearer sensory backdrop and consistent skills, you can create conditions where your obsessions feel less commanding and your recovery work feels more achievable. You do not have to let the overstimulation that comes with OCD control your life.

How Does OCD Impact a Person’s Life?

OCD symptoms can interfere with work, school, and relationships. Since individuals with OCD spend so much time on their uncontrollable obsessions and compulsions, they have less time for other activities. In some cases, they can’t make it to important functions, like social activities or their job. The individual can become so consumed by their obsession and/or compulsion that it triggers anxiety unless they complete their ritual. Some compulsions, such as excessive hand-washing, can even cause medical issues like skin problems.

The stress caused by OCD can also result in the development of additional mental health problems. Some individuals with OCD have a tic disorder that causes them to make uncontrollable movements or vocal noises. They can also have depression, anxiety disorders, or substance abuse disorders.

What Can Bloom Do to Help Individuals With OCD?

Bloom Health Centers provides the following treatments for patients dealing with OCD:

• Medication: As an obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment at Bloom, your prescriber might prescribe an antidepressant. Antidepressants and other mental health medications can balance the chemicals in your brain to reduce your symptoms.
• Therapy: Patients at Bloom can receive many types of OCD therapy that help them control their behavior. In exposure therapy, the patient practices how to avoid compulsions in response to obsessions. Other approaches, such as cognitive therapy, work on obsessive thoughts.

Services for Individuals With OCD

Bloom Health Centers across Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia serve children, adolescents, and adults. Please contact us to request an appointment for you or a loved one today.