Obsessive compulsive disorder can be a very emotionally taxing mental disease. Many people do not realize that the sufferer understands the irrationality of their actions. This consciousness of how their behavior looks to the outside world also adds to a feeling of isolation.
While cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for people in the early stages of this disorder or who have a mild case, it may not be the only answer for someone who has a severe case of OCD.
Using Medication In Treatment
New medications prescribed for OCD can help to ease the anxiety that many people feel when obsessive thoughts start to occur. Anti depressants are commonly prescribed to help a person to cope with the anxiety and depression that often accompanies OCD. However some patients do not respond to treatment when prescribed OCD anxiety medication.
There may be hope for patients who do not respond to traditional drug treatments for OCD. One of the new medications for OCD is the drug riluzole. This drug is more commonly used to treat people suffering from Lou Gehrig’s diseases. However a small study at the Yale OCD clinic in New York has shown promising results.
If you find that you have drug resistant OCD then perhaps you should discuss with your doctor the possibility of using these new medications for OCD. Before you decide that you need drugs other than the standard anti depressants it must be understood that finding the right drug combination can be difficult and may take a long time.
While it is tempting to jump at a chance to try new medications for OCD it is best to fully explore treatment with standard OCD medication. People often expect medication to have an immediate or miraculous effect on their behavior. The very opposite is true, it can take months before any improvements are noticeable.
It is also important that you see a psychiatrist instead of a general practitioner of medicine. If you are not already in therapy for OCD then you should start seeing a therapist. It is important to combine both therapy and medication for effective treatment.
It can be exhausting and the side effects of some medication can be discouraging. However good results have been seen in patients who combine medication and therapy over a six month period. You may need to try more than one of the new medications for OCD before you find an improvement in obsessions and compulsions.
OCD Symptoms in Children: What Parents Can Do to Help Their Children Manage OCD -
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Although most children grow up without so many problems, there are certain types of kids who are prone to mental disturbances. Children who parents suffered from OCD at one point or another are more at risk of suffering from this type of disorder early on....
A Guide to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Treatment in Children -
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Take an OCD Test Online to Determine If You Have a Problem -
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You have these obsessive thoughts and behaviors that are constantly affecting your life in the worse way. What should you do? It sounds like you may have OCD. That means you’re going to have to see a therapist who can effectively treat your condition so...
Supplementing Therapy with OCD Anxiety Medication -
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When looking for a way to treat obsessive compulsive disorder you will find many polarizing opinions. Some psychiatrists believe that medications alone can help a person overcome obsessive compulsive disorder. Obsessive compulsive disorder groups tend to favor cognitive behavioral therapy as the best way to...
Should You Trust an OCD Screening Test? -
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If you think you have OCD, you know how much the symptoms can disrupt your life. You’ve also probably looked up your symptoms on the internet and, while you don’t have all the ones listed, you saw enough of your symptoms listed to begin to...
The Different OCD Spectrum Disorders -
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OCD is a specific anxiety disorder that is characterized by obsessive thoughts that the sufferer tries to combat with repetitive rituals. There are other diseases that have similarities to OCD; these diseases are called OCD spectrum disorders. Usually the different OCD spectrum disorders have an...
OCD and Personality Tests -
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Personality tests were first developed in the aftermath of World War I. The Woodworth Personal Data Sheet was unveiled in 1919 as a way of weeding out army recruits who may be susceptible to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or "shell shock", as it was referred...