Do you find yourself slavishly adhering to repetitive behaviors, such as hand washing or checking to see if the lights are turned off? Do you recognize that an obsessive fear is driving those behaviors, and notice that it has an adverse effect on your daily life? If you are nodding your head, you may be struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD.
Treatment for OCD
- Exposure and response prevention (ERP). ERP can help relieve fear-based symptoms by gradually exposing the individual to their fears. As the object of fear is introduced, the individual is taught coping skills that help reduce the related anxiety attached to this trigger.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT involves training the mind to focus on the trigger that causes the fear, and to respond to it in new ways.
- Medication. SSRIs may help individuals with OCD by helping to rebalance brain chemistry. The medications that have been shown to help manage the symptoms of OCD include Prozac, Anafranil, Fluvoxamine, Zoloft, and Paxil.
- Holistic therapies. Because OCD is associated with anxiety disorder, certain learning how to reduce stress is essential. Activities like yoga, meditation, and massage, can promote relaxation.
OCD Quiz
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