UF researchers have found that patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder who otherwise wouldn’t have access to in-person treatment can benefit from video therapy.
Patients with OCD, a disorder characterized by recurrent and persistent obsessions, can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy by talking with a therapist through telephone calls or video conferencing, said Carol Mathews, the director of UF’s Center for OCD, Anxiety and Related Disorders. Mathews helped review and analyze information from medical databases for the research.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of hands-on psychotherapy treatment that aims to change people’s patterns of thinking or behavior.
“Given that (OCD is) quite treatable, it’s important to review what the treatment options are for the general practitioner,” Mathews said.
She said OCD patients can be treated through cognitive behavioral therapy with exposure and response prevention.
Video conferencing, which is nearly as effective as in-person therapy, is becoming more common in remote areas, Mathews said.
Ryan McCarty, a clinical research assistant on Mathews’ team, said UF physicians can use video conferencing to provide care to those unable to travel to clinics.
“We have people all across Florida coming to get this treatment because where they are from, they don’t have this type of treatment,” McCarty said.
