Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is one of a group of illnesses classified by mental health professionals as an anxiety disorders.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by intrusive thoughts and fears (obsessions) that the OCD sufferer tries to relieve with repetitive rituals or habits (compulsions).

The most common obsessive fears experienced by people with OCD include fear of contamination, fear of danger or harm, fear of disorder or chaos, and fear of losing possessions or not having a needed object.

The most common repetitive ritual responses to these obsessions are compulsive washing (usually hand washing) or cleaning, compulsive checking, compulsive counting or arranging, and compulsive hoarding.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is typically treated with a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and antidepressant or anti-anxiety medications. In general, the earlier in the illness that treatment begins, the more successful the outcome is likely to be.

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Treatment is also more successful when OCD is the only illness than when OCD occurs in combination with another psychiatric or neurological disorder.

Most people who develop OCD go through cycles with the illness. OCD may become intense for period of time, and then spontaneously become milder and less of an issue.

Most OCD patients will cope with the disease for their entire lives; going through periods of treatment and medication adjustment that alternate with periods of relative stability. OCD is a chronic illness. No known cure has been discovered, but the illness can be effectively managed in many sufferers.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a results-oriented process that focuses on relieving anxiety and fear by systematically getting OCD sufferers desensitized to what upsets and obsesses them. Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy (CBGT) has also been found to be useful in the treatment of OCD.

Medications used for OCD fall into the SSRI category of antidepressants (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa). SSRI medications work by keeping a substance called serotonin from being removed from the bloodstream. Serotonin promotes feelings of calm and confidence, but for reasons not yet completely understood, in some people, serotonin doesn’t circulate long enough to help them.

An older medication, clomipramine, is actually more effective in treating OCD but comes with unpleasant side effects such as a sudden drop in blood pressure upon standing, dry mouth, sleepiness, and difficulty with urination.

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Clomipramine is still prescribed for OCD in cases where SSRI medications are not getting the desired result. Some medications and treatments used for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are also used, since often the two disorders overlap.

Most OCD sufferer will not get total relief from medication alone, but rather will work with a mental health professional and personal physician to find a combination of treatments that best alleviates their specific symptoms.

People who struggle with OCD can often benefit from self-help programs designed to reduce anxiety and panic attacks through thought-stopping techniques and self-hypnosis. St. John’s Wort, an over-the-counter herbal supplement used to treat mild cases of depression has also been found to help relieve some of the symptoms of OCD in some people.

Finally, inositol, a naturally occurring form of glucose related to the vitamin B family, has very recently been found to help relieve the symptoms of OCD as effectively as SSRI medication in some people. On the down side, inositol is not appropriate for OCD patients who are pregnant or nursing, or for patients who may become pregnant.

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