How to Control OCD

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a serious mental condition that cannot be cured, but can be treated. While there is no set timetable on when one can expect to see results after beginning treatment or how long treatment should last, the fact remains that OCD is a very controllable disorder, as long as the proper options are sought out.

The two best recognized ways to control OCD are psychotherapy and medications.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well-known, often utilized method of dealing with the disorder. Essentially, it involves adjusting the inherent thoughts and emotions that relate to OCD and making it so that rituals and compulsions no longer dominate the mind. The most well-known CBT approach is exposure and response prevention which features slowly but surely exposing the sufferer to the objects that they fear, until they become comfortable with them. There is no specific amount of time how long this can last, but studies show that this tends to happen moreso over the long term than the short term.

Taking medication for OCD is also a known option to control the condition. The Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs that are used to treat OCD include, but aren’t limited to: Anafranil, Luvox, Prozac, Paxil, Pexeva and Zoloft. That being said, other medications do exist and can be effective so it is important to consult with a physician if this is the route that a sufferer wishes to take.

The one downside to taking medication as opposed to the natural alternatives is the potential side-effects that can occur. This, obviously, is a risk with any medication, but that risk is particularly increased when you’re dealing with mental disorders of various types.

Controlling OCD is no easy task by any stretch of the imagination. It is, however, every doable. Like with anything else, the key is educating one’s self on the available options and making the decision that the sufferer feels is best for them.