1. Make Sure You Are Properly Diagnosed
Obsessive-compulsive disorder can often be accompanied by symptoms of other conditions, such as clinical depression or eating disorders. Some OCD patients are reluctant to talk about their intrusive thoughts or ritualistic behavior, believing there is something "wrong" with them. Because of that, it may be hard for a counselor to diagnose the condition. When you enter counseling, be prepared to speak openly about anything going on in your life, and keep an open mind about the possible source of your difficulties.
2. Seek the Causes of the Condition
Most counselors treat OCD with cognitive-behavioral therapy, though other types of therapy are available as well. Cognitive therapy involves you and your counselor identifying the thought processes that led to your OCD as well as the roots from which the thoughts stem. Experts have yet to pinpoint the exact causes of OCD, but it is often associated with early traumas and emotional pain. It may begin with perfectionism caused by parental expectations, early fears of sickness or germs, a sense of inadequacy fostered by poor performance in sports or schooling, or any number of other factors. Whatever the reasons, cognitive therapy can help you identify them and teach you to respond to them with more positive patterns of thinking.
3. Learn How to Respond to the Symptoms
The second half of cognitive-behavioral therapy is much more direct. It teaches you how to deal with the symptoms of OCD--the intrusive thoughts, the rituals and the repetitive actions. The most common method is called exposure and response prevention, which first desensitizes you to the triggers of your obsessive-compulsive behavior and then prevents you from responding to them. For instance, if your OCD centers on a fear of germs, your counselor might expose you to "unclean" objects and keep you in close contact with them while preventing you from obsessively washing. The process is very gradual and focused on slowly reducing your anxieties rather than wrenching you out of your rituals and thought processes all at once. However, when combined with cognitive therapy, it has proven to be an effective form of OCD counseling.
4. Ask About Medication Options
Medication isn't right for every OCD patient, but when used in conjunction with proper counseling, it can help reduce the intensity of the symptoms. Most forms of OCD medication increase the levels of a neurotransmitter called serotonin in your body. Common types of medication include fluoxetine, clomipramine and sertraline. They usually take several weeks of regular doses to function, so don't become discouraged if they don't work right away. Medication should only be taken with a doctor's advice, and you will usually want to continue with counseling regardless.
