New dot com clinic treating people with OCD online

OCD is an anxiety disorder that affects more than 500,000 Australians, however less than half of those with OCD receive evidence-based treatment. People with OCD often face barriers to treatment, such as the lack of access to trained mental health professionals and difficulties with the financial costs involved. There is also reluctance to seek treatment for symptoms because of the stigma and shame associated with the disorder.

Delivered over an 8-week period, this free clinical trial hopes to address these barriers by offering participants weekly contact with a Clinical Psychologist in the privacy and convenience of their home.

“We are conducting these trials in direct response to the results of a recent study into the acceptability of internet-based treatments for people with OCD” said eCentreClinic Director Dr. Nickolai Titov.  

“We found that ninety-eight percent of respondents indicated that they were open to trying treatment delivered online, with over half indicating the reduced cost and convenience would be an advantage”, said Titov.    

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed the national annual spending on mental health services was $5.3 billion, in a report released last year. Alternative online treatments such as those being offered by the eCentre Clinic could help to substantially reduce this cost to both individuals and the government.

Since beginning research into the use of online education and treatment for mental health disorders in 2007, the team at the eCentreClinic, formerly from another university, have treated more than 1,600 Australian adults. Now with the addition of an online OCD treatment program the clinic is set to revolutionise the way people with this condition receive treatment.

More information: http://www.ecentreclinic.org

Provided by Macquarie University