OCD and Addiction Treatment in Denver, CO
Integrated treatment for co-occurring obsessive-compulsive disorder and substance use in Denver and Lakewood, Colorado. Compassionate, evidence-based care for both conditions at once.
The Relationship Between OCD and Addiction
Obsessive-compulsive disorder creates a relentless cycle of intrusive, unwanted thoughts and the compulsive behaviors that temporarily reduce the anxiety those thoughts produce. It is exhausting. For many people living with OCD, substances offer something the compulsions do not: a more complete and longer-lasting suppression of the mental noise.
Alcohol, cannabis, and benzodiazepines are among the substances most commonly used by people with OCD to manage intrusive thoughts and the anxiety that accompanies them. The problem is that substance use worsens OCD over time. Alcohol withdrawal significantly intensifies anxiety and can amplify intrusive thoughts. A cycle develops where the OCD drives substance use and the substance use worsens the OCD.
Denver Recovery's integrated program in Denver and Lakewood treats OCD and addiction together, with clinical experience in the specific challenges this combination presents.
How We Treat OCD and Addiction Together
Accurate Assessment of Both Conditions
OCD is sometimes misdiagnosed or missed in the context of active substance use. Our intake assessment evaluates both conditions carefully, including the content and pattern of obsessive thoughts, the nature of compulsive behaviors, and the relationship between OCD symptoms and substance use.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
Exposure and Response Prevention is the gold-standard behavioral treatment for OCD. ERP involves gradual, supported exposure to the situations or thoughts that trigger obsessions, while practicing the prevention of the compulsive responses that usually follow. Over time, this process reduces the power of obsessive triggers and breaks the compulsive cycle.
CBT for OCD and Substance Use
CBT approaches adapted for OCD help clients examine and challenge the beliefs that give intrusive thoughts their power. CBT for substance use addresses the thought patterns and behavioral triggers that maintain substance use. In the context of dual diagnosis, both threads of CBT work are integrated into the same therapeutic process.
Learn moreMedication Management
SSRIs are the first-line medication treatment for OCD and are often an important part of the treatment plan. Denver Recovery's psychiatric providers evaluate medication needs within the integrated care plan, ensuring that medication decisions are coordinated with the substance use treatment and recovery process.
Learn moreBuilding Tolerance for Uncertainty
At its core, OCD is driven by an intolerance of uncertainty. A central therapeutic goal for OCD in recovery is developing a genuine capacity to tolerate uncertainty without resorting to compulsions or substances, a skill that is built gradually through therapy and practice.
Serving Denver, Lakewood, and the Greater Colorado Region
Denver Recovery provides OCD and addiction treatment at our Denver and Lakewood locations, serving individuals from Denver, Lakewood, Aurora, Golden, Jefferson County, and across the Colorado region. Our admissions team is happy to help you find the right fit.
Frequently Asked Questions: OCD and Addiction Treatment
How are OCD and addiction connected?
OCD creates persistent, intrusive thoughts and the compulsive behaviors that temporarily relieve the anxiety they produce. Many people with OCD turn to substances as a more complete way of managing this anxiety and quieting the mental noise. Substances provide temporary relief, which reinforces their use, but over time worsen OCD symptoms through withdrawal-induced anxiety and the neurological effects of chronic substance use.
Is OCD treated during addiction treatment?
Yes. At Denver Recovery, OCD is treated as part of the integrated care plan from the beginning of treatment. Exposure and Response Prevention, CBT, and medication management where appropriate are all part of the program for clients with co-occurring OCD and addiction.
What therapies help manage OCD in recovery?
The primary evidence-based treatments for OCD are Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. ERP helps break the compulsive cycle by gradually reducing the power of obsessive triggers. CBT helps clients examine the beliefs that give intrusive thoughts their power. Denver Recovery uses both approaches in the context of integrated dual diagnosis treatment.
Is medication management included?
Yes. For clients with OCD whose condition warrants medication support, Denver Recovery's psychiatric team evaluates and manages medication as part of the integrated care plan. SSRIs are commonly used for OCD and are non-addictive options appropriate for clients in recovery from substance use disorder.
Next step
You Do Not Have to Live in That Loop
OCD can make the mind feel like a prison. Denver Recovery's integrated program in Denver and Lakewood offers treatment that addresses both the compulsive cycle and the addiction that has developed around it. Reach out today.