Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment

There is not much of a difference in obsessive compulsive disorder treatment options and the techniques used in treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder. However, there is one unique exposure and response prevention technique which helps to get rid of obsessions and compulsions. We will take a brief look at what are the treatments involved in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Relaxation Training: In this, deep relaxation methods such as abdominal breathing, meditation, guided imagery, autogenic training, visualizing a peaceful scene, Yoga, biofeedback and calming music are used to treat almost all kinds of anxiety disorders, including the obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Cognitive Therapy: In this type of therapy, your fearful, guilty or superstitious thoughts are identified, challenged and then replaced. Let us take an example here, suppose that a person suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder has a thought such as the life of his/her child is under threat and he/she will have to act to avoid the harm. Through cognitive therapy, this thought is replaced with the idea that it is just a random noise created by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and the person is made to realize that it is just a thought, and there is no need to act.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP): In this, you are exposed to situations, which worsen your obsessions, and then you are prevented from performing the compulsions or rituals. For instance, if you are washing your hands incessantly after touching a doorknob then your therapist instructs you to touch the doorknobs and then you are enforced to slowly reduce the number of times you wash your hands. If you have only obsessions and not compulsions then your secret thoughts or rituals, which you use to reduce your anxiety, are completely stopped. In this, efforts are made in which you start accepting your obsessions without letting them go away.

Medication: As the causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder are mainly neurobiological, it can be easily treated with SSRIS medication. Medicines such as Anafranil whereas Selective Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac can help overcome 70 percent of those people suffering from Obsessive Compulsive disorder. In OCD, it is not new if you will have to take these medications for long term; this is very common with people having OCD. However, some people are able to overcome OCD solely with the help of Exposure and Response strategy and cognitive therapy mentioned above.

Lifestyle and Personality changes: The lifestyle and personality changes, which you can make to get rid of Obsessive-compulsive disorder, are similar to those for treating generalized anxiety disorder such as dietary controls that is eating less amount of sugar and stimulants from diet, stress management, regular exercise, and resolving interpersonal conflict and so on.

Although the above-mentioned obsessive compulsive disorder treatment options may help you to reduce the effects of OCD, it is advisable that you seek the help of a professional expert who has fair and adequate knowledge and makes proper use of Exposure and responsive prevention behavioral methods as well as in the field of granting appropriate medications.

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