1. Speak to a Mental-Health Professional
A licensed psychologist or psychiatrist--preferably one with experience in obsessive-compulsive disorder--can properly diagnose your condition and suggest a regimen for managing it if you have OCD. Depending on your unique case, you may require medication, such as Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride) or Prozac (fluoxetine hydrochloride), to help curb ritualistic behavior and prevent depression. In other cases, however, simple cognitive therapy may be enough. A licensed therapist can direct you to a local professional with experience in treating OCD, and the psychology or psychiatry departments of nearby universities may be able to make recommendations as well.
2. Look Into Exposure Treatment and Response Prevention
This regimen basically exposes you to the subject of your obsessive thoughts under controlled conditions while preventing you from engaging in the ritualistic behavior that it triggers. For example, if you have a fear of germs, your therapist may ask you to touch the handle on a public door and then prevent you from going to the washroom to scrub. Over time, this may rewire your brain to refrain from compulsive behavior. You should only try exposure treatment with the help of a licensed therapist and under her direct instructions. It is often combined with cognitive therapy and sometimes medication as well.
3. Discuss Medication Options
Antidepressants have been shown to reduce some of the ritualistic compulsions of OCD, helping to balance emotions. SSRI medications, such as Prozac (fluoxetine hydrochloride), Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride) and Paxil (paroxetine hydrochloride), increase the amount of serotonin in the brain while tricyclic antidepressants like Anafranil (clomipramine) work to inhibit the uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin. Both types of medication take 2 to 3 months of use to be effective and should only be taken under the direction of a psychiatrist familiar with your case.
4. Practice Relaxation Techniques
OCD is exacerbated by anxiety and stress. Yoga, meditation and deep breathing can be effective in reducing your anxiety, which helps control OCD behavior. Specifically, such techniques help engender a state known as mindfulness, which is an awareness of yourself and physical state in the moment. This has proven beneficial in countering the symptoms of OCD by redirecting the thought processes and modulating serotonin levels in the brain.
5. Stay Social
As an OCD patient, you may tend to become isolated and disconnected, both because of the perceived stigma of ritualistic behavior and the fear that social contact will trigger a compulsive episode. However, isolation may make obsessive-compulsive behavior worse, consuming your life without any other form of appreciable stimuli. Regular interaction with friends and family can alleviate this while providing a social network to turn to for help when episodes are triggered. A local OCD support group can also put you in touch with others who grapple with the condition.
Member Comments