Antipsychotics are commonly prescribed to help with symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, or racing thoughts, but can also be prescribed for individuals without those symptoms. Some antipsychotics are considered mood stabilizers because they, too, even out the highs and lows.
The antidepressants most widely prescribed for anxiety are SSRIs such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, and Celexa. SSRIs have been used to treat generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one strategy that is often successful in helping people manage intrusive thoughts. The process may help you to shift some of your general thought patterns, which can enable you to better manage these thoughts when they do occur and might lessen their frequency.
Overview. Medication is an effective treatment for OCD. About 7 out of 10 people with OCD will benefit from either medication or Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). For the people who benefit from medication, they usually see their OCD symptoms reduced by 40-60%.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
SSRIs are a type of medication people may use as a treatment for depression. People may also use SSRIs to treat mental health conditions that can cause intrusive thoughts, such as: OCD. PTSD.
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.
If you experience anxiety
If you have a form of anxiety or phobia, an antidepressant could help you feel calmer and more able to deal with other problems. It could also help you feel more able to benefit from other anxiety treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
Racing thoughts in ADHD can be a mental manifestation of restlessness, a result of your brain's unique self-regulation processes. While sometimes confused with racing thoughts in bipolar disorder, an ADHD active mind may last for an hour, a day, or a couple of days.
Zoloft (sertraline) "Zoloft has changed my life. I used to feel like I wanted to stop living. I had anxiety with racing thoughts, feeling short of breath, social anxiety, and obsessive bad thoughts. I no longer feel suicidal and my irritability has gotten 100% better.
Antidepressants: Certain antidepressants can be effective in treating anxiety and racing thoughts. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used. Antihistamines: Some over-the-counter antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl®), can have a sedating effect and may be used to help with sleep.
Overthinking can be an early indicator or symptom of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. To stop overthinking, you can try challenging your thoughts, reaching out to loved ones for support, or talking to a mental health professional for extra help.
Popular benzodiazepines to treat OCD include:
Xanax (Alprazolam) Ativan (Lorazepam) Valium (Diazepam)
Repetitive, intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors associated with OCD and other related disorders can result from exposure to a variety of medications and substances including: Amphetamines (prescription) – often prescribed for ADHD or purchased and used illegally.
Is Lexapro used as a treatment for OCD? Few studies¹ have assessed the use of escitalopram (Lexapro) for OCD; however, studies² have found that escitalopram has good efficacy in treating several OCD symptoms. Several indicators show that escitalopram has significant potential in treating OCD in adults.
Prozac (Fluoxetine)
Prozac can be used to treat depression, eating disorders, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, and OCD. Prozac may improve symptoms like washing compulsions and obsessive thoughts.
When intrusive thoughts or obsessions become uncontrollable to the point that they are affecting daily function, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may be the explanation. OCD-intrusive thoughts that occur repeatedly throughout the day are unhealthy and interfere with quality of life.
“There are parts of the brain that are a bit disrupted, like the frontal cortex, in terms of brain function and we know that serotonin can reduce the intrusive thoughts,” Dozois says.