Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a potentially disabling mental disorder characterized by recurring unwanted thoughts and compulsive behaviors. A person with OCD realizes the obsessive thoughts are irrational, but he cannot stop them. The obsessions, usually disturbing and depressing, cause anxiety. The anxiety and obsessions can only be relieved by performing certain behaviors, called compulsions. The relief, however, does not last long and the person must perform the behavior again when the obsession returns. Several types of medications are available to help manage and decrease OCD symptoms.
SSRIs
People with OCD may have an imbalance of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors block the nerve cells in the brain from reabsorbing the neurotransmitter serotonin, causing more serotonin to be available in the brain for a longer period of time. Increased serotonin is associated with a more positive mood, a drop in anxiety and a decrease in OCD symptoms. The National Alliance on Mental Illness states that fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine are the most commonly prescribed and most effective SSRIs to treat OCD. Side effects of SSRIs include dizziness, nervousness, fatigue, restlessness, sexual dysfunction, nausea, constipation, headache and insomnia.
Clomipramine
Clomipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant that is effective in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, the National Institutes of Health states. Tricyclic antidepressants inhibit the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine to be taken up by the cells of the brain, allowing these neurotransmitters to also stay in the brain longer. While the exact mechanism in not known, an increase in these neurotransmitters in the brain is associated with a decrease in anxiety and symptoms of OCD. Clomipramine is usually prescribed after trials with SSRIs have failed. Side effects of clomipramine include constipation, nausea, dry mouth, weight gain, fatigue, tremor, dizziness, nervousness and impotence.
Other Medications
John Hopkins Medicine reports that in a preliminary study conducted with patients who did not respond to SSRIs, 46 percent showed improvement in their OCD symptoms when olanzapine (Zyprexa), a second-generation antipsychotic with fewer side effects than older antipsychotics, was used in combination with an SSRI. Doses must be carefully monitored because low doses of atypical antipsychotics ease the symptoms of OCD, but higher doses can cause a dramatic increase in OCD symptoms. Side effects of olanzapine include constipation, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, abdominal pain, double vision, weight gain, agitation and headache. John Hopkins Medicine also reports that venlafaxine has shown to be effective in individuals who do not respond to SSRIs. Venlafaxine proves to be just as effective as clomipramine, but has fewer side effects. In one study, 38 percent of patients taking venlafaxine experienced no side effects, compared with 8 percent who were taking clomipramine. Side effects of venlaflaxine include nausea, headache, drowsiness, dizziness, nervousness, sweating, constipation, indigestion and blurred vision.
