Popular benzodiazepines to treat OCD include: Xanax (Alprazolam) Ativan (Lorazepam)
Medication for intrusive thoughts: Types and other treatments. Intrusive thoughts are ones that people do not want or feel they have no control over. Common medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines, and tricyclic antidepressants.
Paroxetine (Pexeva)—prescribed only for adults. Fluoxetine (Prozac)—for children above seven years and also for adults. Sertraline (Zoloft)—for children above six years and for adults. Fluvoxamine—for children above eight years and also for adults.
There aren't medications that specifically target intrusive thoughts. However, people with OCD and PTSD who experience intrusive thoughts may benefit from medication. It can help you manage the underlying conditions that contribute to intrusive thoughts.
Benzodiazepines reduce the intensity of physiological symptoms of GAD, such as muscle tension, headaches, panic attacks, sweating, insomnia, and restlessness. Benzodiazepines may also reduce the cognitive symptoms of anxiety, such as worry and rumination.
Mindfulness meditation
This can make it a great way to cope with intrusive thoughts because you're not denying that the thoughts are present — just changing your relationship with them. You don't need any special equipment to start meditating, just a few spare moments, and somewhere quiet to practice, if possible.
The two main treatments for OCD, medication and talk therapy, can be very effective for relieving OCD. 13 Medications can help relieve symptoms of OCD, and talk therapy can help people learn to manage OCD thoughts and learn to better tolerate feelings of distress.
Commonly prescribed Alprazolam alternative antidepressant medications used to help with anxiety include Zoloft (sertraline), Prozac (fluoxetine), or Lexapro (escitalopram).
How long does it take Xanax to work? For most patients, Xanax will start to work within one to two hours. These other treatments may take a few weeks to take effect, though. So Xanax and other benzodiazepines are sometimes used as a “bridge” until other treatments can have a chance to work.
Ashwagandha is an ancient medicinal herb that is popular in Ayurvedic medicine. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen and helps the body manage stress and anxiety. In fact, it has been shown to reduce anxiety and insomnia in rats by 69%. Similarly, magnesium, a natural Xanax alternative, helps calm the mind and improve mood.
Many users suffering from anxiety are drawn to Xanax because it creates a sense of relief to allow them to focus on their lives without troubling thoughts or phobias swarming their minds. The substance also works to reduce physical symptoms like rapid heart rate or hyperventilation.
What Is Alprazolam and What Does It Treat? Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine. It is approved for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. However, benzodiazepines are also commonly used to treat difficulty sleeping and alcohol withdrawal.
SUMMARY: Obsessive thoughts – defined as persistent thoughts that are difficult to remove – are common in many anxiety disorders. The irony is that the anxiety caused by the thoughts themselves often lead to more of these same thoughts.
Anxiety is a prominent symptom of ADHD, but it is also the main symptom of PTSD, phobias and panic disorder. Now, worrisome and intrusive thoughts are two cognitive features of anxiety, hence they are already part and parcel of ADHD spectrum of symptoms.
Vitamin B12 and folate are thought to be effective in OCD treatment due to their associations with neurotransmitters. Depending on their antioxidant effect, zinc and selenium can be used in augmentation therapy for OCD. However, both trace elements and vitamin B12/folate can be affected by diet.
While they're called antidepressants, most offer benefits in the treatment of anxiety, as well. Furthermore, therapeutic techniques like psychotherapy may also benefit you in the fight against these thoughts.
So, it's understandable why people might hope it would simply go away after some time. Unfortunately, OCD doesn't just go away. There is no “cure” for the condition. Thoughts are intrusive by nature, and it's not possible to eliminate them entirely.
While psychologists are not entirely sure why some people have looping thoughts and others do not, they agree that some brains are wired differently than others. Those with looping thoughts tend to come from perfectionist families, struggle with trauma, have anxiety disorders, or depressive symptoms.