Obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a potentially disabling mental illness characterized by unwanted thoughts, or obsessions, and repetitive behaviors, or compulsions. An individual with OCD realizes these thoughts and behaviors are irrational but cannot stop them. Drug treatments can help manage and prevent some of the signs and symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Choosing Medication
The goal of treating an individual with OCD is to choose a medication that is effective in reducing signs and symptoms with the lowest possible dose and with as few side effects as possible. Many individuals might try several medications before finding the right medication and some individuals may have to take more than one medication to successfully treat OCD.
SSRIs
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, block the neurotransmitter, serotonin, from being taken up by the nerve cells in the brain. Although the mechanism of how SSRIs work is not known, it is thought that increased serotonin in the brain helps reduce symptoms of OCD and anxiety. Fluoxetine, paroxetine, fluvoxamine and sertraline have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for treatment of OCD.
Clomipramine
Clomipramine is an older, tricyclic antidepressant and is approved by the FDA to treat OCD. According to the National Institutes of Health, clomipramine may work better than SSRIs, but because of unpleasant side effects, it usually is only prescribed after SSRIs have failed to reduce OCD symptoms.
Side Effects
Common side effects of SSRIs include nausea, headache, inability to have an orgasm, diarrhea, nervousness, weight gain, sweating, drowsiness and insomnia. Side effects of clomiprimide include dry mouth, nausea, constipation, burping, dizziness, nervousness, tremor, fatigue, increased appetite, weight gain and change in libido. Antidepressants can increase the risk of suicide behavior and suicidal thinking in some children and young adults.
Other Medications
John Hopkins Medicine states that a study on venlafaxine and OCD reported that venlafaxine was as effective as clomipramine, but had fewer side effects. In a different study, the antipyschotic olanzapine, when combined with SSRIs, improved OCD symptoms in 46 percent of participants.
