Rogers' Specialist Addresses OCD on "Anderson Live"

(Oconomowoc, Wis.) Bradley C. Riemann, Ph.D., Clinical Director of the OCD Center and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Services at Rogers Memorial Hospital, was the featured expert for a recent segment of “Anderson Live.” A nationally syndicated talk show that airs locally on WISN, “Anderson Live” is hosted and produced by Emmy-nominated Anderson Cooper.

The segment, “Extreme OCD Intervention,” featured Stacie Young, a guest with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who has been receiving outpatient therapy for more than two years in North Carolina. Young shared some of the fears she faces every day and admitted, “It’s taken away a lot from my life.”

Dr. Riemann agreed that OCD can be incapacitating in many ways but also offered encouragement. “OCD is extremely common,” he said. “It’s the fourth most common psychiatric disorder, but it’s also very treatable.” He explained that when OCD begins to interfere with life, it’s time to get help. Dr. Riemann said that residential treatment can be very successful, and he provided these top four warning signs of OCD.

A leading expert in the assessment of anxiety disorders and use of CBT treatment, Dr. Riemann serves as chairman for the International OCD Foundation clinical advisory committee and is on its scientific advisory board. He also serves on the clinical advisory board for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

OCD and Anxiety Disorders

OCD symptoms are classified into two areas: obsessions (repetitive unwanted thoughts) and compulsions (the routines individuals perform to help them cope with their unwanted thoughts or to reduce anxiety). At Rogers, services include the care and treatment of OCD and other anxiety disorders, including cases of PANDAS, using evidence-based components and custom treatment plans. Symptoms can begin at any age from preschool to adulthood, but often start during the teens or early adulthood. Studies indicate that early treatment for OCD and related disorders is best.

Rogers’ Role in the Industry

Rogers Memorial Hospital is the world’s largest provider for intensive residential treatment of children, adolescents and adults with OCD and anxiety disorders. Rogers’ Child & Adolescent Centers are the only ones in the country, and the adult OCD Center is one of only two nationwide. Utilizing a comprehensive CBT approach, which research indicates is the most effective method for treating OCD and anxiety disorders, Rogers’ expert staff places the emphasis on exposure and prevention (ERP). The “treatment of choice” for OCD, ERP refers to the gradual and repetitive exposure of an individual to feared situations or ideas. Committed to being a treatment leader in OCD and behavioral health, Rogers’ outcome studies indicate the effectiveness of these programs. In addition, Rogers works to reduce the stigma of disorders like OCD through education and training.

Rogers Memorial Hospital is currently ranked #7 in the country for mental health services and is a key corporation of Rogers Behavioral Health System, which also includes: Rogers Memorial Hospital Foundation, Inc.; Rogers Partners in Behavioral Health, LLC; Rogers Center for Research and Training; and Rogers InHealth. The hospital has become nationally recognized for its specialized residential treatment services and affiliations with academic institutions and teaching hospitals in the area. Rogers Memorial Hospital is currently Wisconsin’s largest not-for-profit, private behavioral health hospital, providing adults, children and adolescents with treatment for eating disorders, chemical dependency, obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders, as well as a variety of child and adolescent mental health concerns.  For more information, please visit www.rogershospital.org.