OCD Treatment: What You Should Know?

OCD or obsessive compulsive disorder triggers a pattern of thoughts and fears which leads to the appearance of repetitive behaviors, which then starts to interfere in the daily activities and causes a lot of discomfort and stress.

Even though you may try to stop it, it will increase your anxiety as well as distress. Worse, this behavior will appear again and again causing the condition of vicious style of obsessive compulsive disorder.

Some of the common causes of OCD include, biological and neural changes in one’s body, genetics as well as various environmental factors. However, more research is still needed on the theory that environmental aspects can cause OCD.

One of the condition of OCD include fear of contamination due to germs and this leads to the washing of your hand again and again, which makes them sore and chapped. Although this condition causes lot of embarrassment and, therefore, lot of people does not speak about it, providing proper treatment can help in getting rid of OCD.

Here, we have tried to provide all the information about the problem of OCD along with its treatment. Read on to know more about the measures of treatment, which you can consider to get rid of OCD.

Treatment of OCD

It is important to note that the treatment of OCD does not cure the disease totally but helps in reducing the intensity of the symptoms and provides ease to the discomfort. Most of the people will need to undergo the treatment for the rest of their lives. The two most common treatment methods, which are used to treat the problem of OCD is psychotherapy and medications.

We have elaborated both treatment measures of OCD infection here.

● Psychotherapy

It has been found that cognitive behavioral therapy, which is considered a type of psychotherapy, is helpful for various people suffering from OCD. In CBT, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is followed, in which you are exposed to fears gradually to learn about the survival techniques as well as healthy ways to cut down the anxiety. Even though it takes a lot of practice, it is an amazing way to reduce the anxiety to manage your compulsions as well as obsessions.
This therapy can be given to an individual or in group or family sessions.

● Medications

Consumption of certain medications can also be helpful in controlling the symptoms of OCD. Usually, your doctor may prescribe antidepressants at the first.

Certain antidepressants, which can be helpful in reducing the symptoms of OCD are listed below.

• • Fluoxetine, which is good for adults and children of 7 years and older

• • Paroxetine, which is specifically for adults.

• • Sertraline, which is for adult and children of 6 years and older

• • Fluvoxamine, which is for adults and children of 8 years and older

• Clomipramine, which is for adults and children of 10 years and older

Your doctor may also prescribe some other medications as well.

Apart from these two, there are certain lifestyle as well as home remedies can also be followed to take control over OCD. These factors can be helpful as the OCD is a condition and it will always be with you throughout your life. Ignoring the condition by following these lifestyle changes as well as home remedies can be helpful in reducing the intensity of OCD and distress.

Some of the major lifestyle changes and home remedies, which you can consider while treating OCD are as follows.

● Keep an eye on signs and symptoms

It is important to pay a careful attention to the signs as well as symptoms of the OCD. Consult your doctor immediately if you are experiencing the symptoms more than once. Any changes should also be consulted with your doctor or therapist.

● Check yourself before starting medications

Taking the help from your doctor before consuming any medicines, vitamins, home medicines or anything to treat the symptoms of OCD. This will be helpful in reducing the risk of future complications as well as possible side effects.  Any supplementation, before consumption, should be consulted with your therapist or doctor.

● Consume medications as prescribed

Avoid skipping or over-consuming the prescribed medication. It has been found that people stop to consume medicines once the feel good. However, doing this may trigger the symptom to come back again and may cause a lot of future complications as well as health issues.

● Find new ways

Find newer ways to adapt with the OCD and to cut the anxiety caused due to it. Learning new skills and techniques and practicing it regularly can be helpful in treating the condition faster. These technique can also be useful in managing the symptoms of Obsessive compulsion disorder.

● Learn about the condition

Learning about the OCD and taking as much information as you can about the disease may help you in knowing what you should exactly to reduce the OCD and to gain total control over it. Gaining more knowledge may also help in making your own treatment plan to treat the symptoms of OCD.

● Practice relaxation and stress management

Learning various important exercises such as yoga, meditation, muscle relaxation, deep breathing as well as tai chi, massage and visualization helps in managing the stress and also reduces the anxiety. This is highly effective in treating the condition of OCD.

● Join a support company

Reach out to other people, who are experiencing the similar condition to learn more about the condition. You may also join various awareness programs as well as groups of people facing the similar challenges. This will not only help you to get more support but will also motivate you to fight the disease.

● Make yourself busy with healthy things

Exploring more ways, where you can spend your time in happiness such as your hobby or various recreational activities or travelling to certain places can be helpful in treating the symptoms of OCD. Eating healthy food, taking enough sleep and exercising regularly plays a key role when it comes to fighting the condition such as OCD infection.