Most commonly, antidepressants are tried first. Antidepressants approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat OCD include: Clomipramine (Anafranil) for adults and children 10 years and older. Fluoxetine (Prozac) for adults and children 7 years and older.
First-line pharmacological treatment for OCD
SSRIs are associated with many adverse effects but are usually well tolerated. The only other medication which has shown to be consistently effective in OCD is the serotoninergic tricyclic antidepressant clomipramine.
However, SSRIs like paroxetine and fluoxetine are often recommended first because they are considered safe and effective with a low risk for serious side effects.
When it comes to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a common mental health disorder in which a person has reoccurring thoughts and behaviors they continually repeat, avoidance is often used as a coping mechanism.
However, one thing that is clear is that comorbidities, stress, anxiety, and major life changes or circumstances can all play a significant role in how much worse OCD might become. As symptoms increase or intensify, people with OCD may also experience the following: Failure at work and/or school.
Whilst some people may be anxious about taking medication, the medication could be helpful in dealing with the OCD and/or with the reduction of anxiety and improvement on low feelings enough to make it easier to start, and eventually succeed, in therapy.
Psychotherapy can be an effective treatment for adults and children with OCD. Research shows that certain types of psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other related therapies (such as habit reversal training), can be as effective as medication for many people.
If your symptoms are mild, you can try a type of counselling called exposure and response prevention to help control your OCD without medicine. If your symptoms are severe, medicines (antidepressants) will usually be prescribed first. You may want to start counselling at the same time or soon after you begin medicines.
A newly developed drug called truriluze is believed to be able to regulate glutamate, acting as a modulating agent for the neurotransmitter. Through glutamate's eventual effect on serotonin, this indirect route to OCD relief is considered a promising step toward more widespread symptom alleviation.
Symptoms fluctuate in severity from time to time, and this fluctuation may be related to the occurrence of stressful events. Because symptoms usually worsen with age, people may have difficulty remembering when OCD began, but can sometimes recall when they first noticed that the symptoms were disrupting their lives.
The antidepressants with the highest risk of causing weight gain are amitriptyline, citalopram, mirtazapine, nortriptyline, trimipramine, paroxetine, and phenelzine.
The gold standard treatment for OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) is a kind of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) called “exposure with response prevention,” or exposure therapy.
Magnesium plays a key role in balancing mood and relaxation, and its deficiencies are linked with depression. Thanks to its calming effect, magnesium is nicknamed nature's tranquilizer. This is also the reason magnesium supplements can help those with OCD manage the condition.
While medication and therapy are the first-line treatment options, there are strategies you can use on your own to manage OCD. Manage stress: High-stress levels can worsen OCD thoughts and behaviors. Relaxation strategies that relieve stress can help, such as mindfulness, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation.
You may need to take an SSRI for up to 12 weeks before you notice any benefit. Most people need treatment for at least a year. You may be able to stop if you have few or no troublesome symptoms after this time, although some people need to take an SSRI for many years.
It can take a couple of months for OCD drugs to start to work. They also can give you side effects, like dry mouth, nausea, and thoughts of suicide. Call your doctor or 911 right away if you have thoughts about killing yourself. Take your medication regularly and on schedule.
In fact, the success rate for ERP is approximately 65% to 80%. For comparison, using medication alone results in 40% to 60% effectiveness (although ERP in combination with medications can also be a highly effective treatment plan for some).
Compulsions are repetitive behaviors that a person with OCD feels the urge to do in response to an obsessive thought. Common compulsions include: Excessive cleaning and/or handwashing. Ordering and arranging things in a particular, precise way.
"It's just a quirk/tic.
"Many people think OCD is trivial or frivolous," Goodman says. "Some of the symptoms might seem like an exaggeration of normal quirks, so it's easy not to take it seriously. And often, patients in support groups try to keep a sense of humor about the disorder.
Encourage Treatment
The most critical step in helping someone with OCD is encouring them to seek treatment and ensuring they follow through to the end. This may mean helping them find a qualified mental health professional, accompanying them to therapy appointments, or helping them stick to medication.