Treating complex mental health conditions requires professional help and medication. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients have relied on psychotherapy and medication to keep this condition under control. However, emerging telehealth services like the NOCD app have shown positive results.

You should get an OCD diagnosis only by a medical professional. It can range from mild to complex. Sometimes, OCD symptoms can overlap with anxiety, stress, depression, and other mental disorders. In this regard, the NOCD app can help effectively treat this condition from the comfort of your home.

What Is OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a psychological disorder in which patients have recurring thoughts. That is followed by a strong urge to repeatedly act on those thoughts. Such kind of persistent behavior disrupts daily life and hampers social interactions. For example, the compulsion to rearrange everything in symmetry, constantly washing hands, and checking your surroundings.

OCD can be an intrusive mental illness that drastically decreases the quality of life. According to NIMH, OCD affects around 1.2% of the US population. This disorder is usually long-lasting. However, early diagnosis and treatment can help better manage compulsive tendencies. The NOCD app offers low-cost remote treatment, accessible from anywhere in the world.

Download: NOCD for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

How the NOCD App Can Help Treat OCD

The NOCD app is specifically designed to treat OCD using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. The cost of traditional ERP therapy can be quite high. However, through NOCD, patients can access high-quality treatment at the touch of a button, for a fraction of the cost. Telehealth has brought forth several such apps that can drastically improve your overall mental health.

How Does It Work?

The app interface is intuitive and is easy to use. It has a soothing purple-green color theme, great illustrations, and three primary tabs. When you first sign up, you can select the type of OCD you have and other details of your condition. The app then personalizes your community feed, accessed via the Community tab.

That is a helpful feature. It directly connects you to people who are going through similar mental health conditions. You can join groups, various streams, read posts, or share your own story in the community tab. Additionally, professional NOCD therapists share a lot of helpful content on the app.

If you need help, navigate to the Therapist tab and get on a call with a therapist instantly. NOCD hires specialized ERP therapists that understand all subtypes of OCD. Initially, you can book a free call where you can discuss your condition in detail. Based on that, you get an affordable pricing model.

The therapists help you understand the intricacies of your OCD type and provide effective strategies to manage it. Alongside ERP, your therapist will give you several exercises to work on. NOCD claims that its treatment has helped reduce symptoms in over 90% of members.

Lastly, there’s a Tools tab where you will find two types of exercises: a self-guided exercise and an S.O.S exercise to deal with an immediate OCD episode. The app recommends that you do the self-guided exercise alongside your therapy session for the best results. It's a hierarchy and exposure exercise that helps you work on your compulsions and triggers.

For example, if you are a germophobe, you might be compelled to clean surfaces around you. The app asks you to shortlist instances that trigger your compulsion. You do this by rating (on a scale of 10) how distressed each trigger makes you feel. That sorts your triggers based on worst to least distressing. Finally, the app recommends an exposure exercise built around your least-distressing trigger.

Is It Affordable?

Affordability is one of the key differentiators of NOCD. Since the process of in-person therapy is entirely replaced by remote treatment, the cost is cut drastically. While ERP is effective, it can involve long waitlists and expensive sessions.

Apart from the benefits of telehealth, NOCD has also partnered with over 30 health insurance companies. That means, based on your eligibility, you can get a reimbursement for your ERP sessions. According to the Atlantic, a 45-minute in-person ERP session costs upwards of $300. If you have NOCD-approved medical insurance, a single ERP session on the app will cost you just $10 to $50. Even if you don't have insurance, a 60-minute session on the NOCD app is $170, which is almost half the cost of traditional ERP therapy.

Is NOCD Effective in Treating OCD?

NOCD is currently conducting clinical trials of its treatment in collaboration with Biohaven Pharmaceuticals. If you suffer from OCD, you can take part in the ongoing trial. While NOCD’s clinical efficacy is yet to surface, its reviews and testimonies have been overwhelmingly positive.

Additionally, ERP therapy has proven as one of the most effective treatments for OCD. A study published in The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry showed that ERP produced better results than antidepressant medications. The study concluded that ERP was not only helpful, but cost-effective in the long term.

Furthermore, telehealth services work well in treating a broad range of mental health conditions. For OCD patients especially, remote treatment has shown plenty of benefits. Another study published in Clinical Psychology Review states that telehealth intervention led to a significant reduction of OCD symptoms.

General Therapy vs. NOCD Therapy

Conventionally, in-person psychotherapy and medications are used to treat OCD. Doctors primarily use ERP and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). Cost and convenience are the two large barriers that prevent OCD patients from getting proper care. Since OCD is a chronic mental health condition, there is no cure for it. You need to constantly identify your triggers and work on them alongside a mental health professional.

That means therapies such as CBT and ERP over long periods can be expensive, despite medical insurance. Additionally, a person suffering from complex OCD that overlaps with other conditions can find it difficult to attend in-person sessions. That’s why remote healthcare services such as NOCD are a better option.

NOCD not only cuts down treatment costs, but also makes it more accessible, by eliminating waitlists and logistical challenges. Features such as S.O.S and instant therapy sessions have made receiving treatment easier than ever before. It also wards off isolation through its community section. Reading stories of people with similar health conditions can help diffuse anxiety and raise morale. That is often difficult to achieve through in-person sessions.

Reduce OCD Symptoms With NOCD

Identifying and working on the triggers of OCD is important for the best results. NOCD gives patients real-time access to high-quality care from anywhere in the world. This has never been possible before. NOCD’s therapists specialize in treating every subtype of OCD. Thus, this makes it one of the best telehealth services for OCD.

As hyperconnectivity and IoT devices progress, so will the effectiveness of telehealth services. Even if you have symptoms of OCD, you can get a professional diagnosis through the app. Therefore, NOCD is a good starting point and one of the most cost-effective solutions for the condition.