About OCFighter™

Introduction to  OCFighter™

OCFighter™ s an online program for the treatment for Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD). It uses the evidence based approach known as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT for short.  The program teaches the best practice CBT technique to help with OCD called Exposure with Ritual Prevention. You can print out worksheets for activities, monitor your own progress, receive emails with further tips at the end of each step. Most sessions last about 30/40 minutes.

 OCFighter™ is made up of 9 steps. The program consists of real life cases of people who have suffered from OCD and gives access to downloadable resources you can keep.

Step 1: Getting Started
Learn about OCD, CBT and Exposure and Ritual Prevention (ERP).

Step 2: Rituals and Their Cost
Work out how much your OCD costs you in time and money.

Step 3: Identifying Triggers
Identify the triggers for your rituals and obsessions and learn some coping tactics.

Step 4: Obsessive Thoughts
Look at how OCD affects a person’s thoughts

Step 5: Goal Setting and Exposure
Create ERP goals to help you overcome your OCD.

Step 6: Fine Tuning
Review your ERP experience and get help with dealing with issues such as being afraid harm may result.

Step 7: Continuing Treatment Part 1
Review your ERP experience and learn how to use your exposure diary effectively.

Step 8: Continuing Treatment Part 1
Review your ERP experience and get help with issues such as dealing with depression and dissociation.

Step 9: Firming Up Your Gains
Learn how to use up the free time gained from being free of obsessions and rituals with pleasant activities and how to deal with setbacks.

How can  OCFighter™ help you?

Patients with anxiety disorders use many mental healthcare resources, since such disorders are effectively treated by self-exposure therapy guided by a clinician. However, the waiting list for these services are very long and suitably trained therapists are scarce. Therefore, many are still at present untreated.
OCD not only affects the sufferer but often family and friends find themselves involved in the person’s OCD by doing rituals for them or finding they have to give them lots of reassurance. This can really affect a person’s relationships with those who are close to them. Not only can OCFighter™ help someone overcome the OCD, they will have a knock-on effect on their daily life and relationships with others.

Why should I choose  OCFighter™?

There are different reasons to choose computerised CBT :

• Reduced waiting time to access treatment
• Confidential
• Accessible 24 hours a day
• Do it in your own time
• Track your own progress
• Receive support
• Alternative to taking medication
• No need to attend a clinic

Evidence

OCFighter™ (formerly BTSTEPS)  has been tested already in 2 randomised controlled trials (RCT’s). It has been shown to be effective in reducing the amount of time spent on obsessions and rituals as much as clinician led therapy. It has been involved in trials in the US and UK. One study possibly had the largest sample size recruited in any computerised therapy (218 people). There have also been another 7 published papers which included OCFighter™.

Has  OCFighter™  been clinically proven to be effective for the treatment of OCD?

In 2005, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence recognised the “absolute clinical efficacy” of OCFighter™. The research on OCF shows that users can achieve a reduction in the time spent on obsessions and rituals as much as those treated by a real therapist. It has also been shown to be more effective than relaxation.