This includes discussing your thoughts, feelings, symptoms and behavior patterns to determine if you have obsessions or compulsive behaviors that interfere with your quality of life. With your permission, this may include talking to your family or friends. Diagnostic criteria for OCD. Physical exam. This may be done to help rule out other problems that could be causing your symptoms and to check for any related complications. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter.
Show references Deep brain stimulation for obsessive compulsive disorder: Evolution of surgical stimulation target parallels changing model of dysfunctional brain circuits. Frontiers in Neuroscience. Brown AY. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. May 2, Obsessive-compulsive disorder. American Psychiatric Association; Accessed Sept. Suicidality in children and adolescents being treated with antidepressant medications. Food and Drug Administration.
Accessed Aug. Gabriel M, et al. Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. Canadian Medical Association Journal. Zai G, et al. It is important to find a psychiatrist who has special knowledge about the use of drugs to treat mental health disorders. Click here to find a psychiatrist in your area. Look for therapists with an MD or DO after their name. Usually with help from a doctor that you trust, your fears can be overcome. If you have fears about taking medication, ERP can be started first and part of the therapy can focus on these fears of medications.
It is important not to give up on a medication until you have been taking it as prescribed for 10 to 12 weeks. Many patients feel no positive effects for the first few weeks of treatment but then improve greatly. No one knows how long patients should take these medications once they have been effective. Some patients are able to stop their medications after a 6 to month treatment period.
It does appear that over half of OCD patients and maybe many more will need to be on at least a low dose of medication for years, perhaps even for life. It seems likely that the risk of relapse is lower if patients learn to use behavior therapy techniques while they are doing well on medications. And if medication is tapered slowly even over several months , the ERP treatment may enable patients to control any symptoms that return when they stop taking the medication.
After medications are stopped, symptoms do not return immediately; they may start to return within a few weeks to a few months. If OCD symptoms return after a medication is stopped, most patients will have a good response if the medication is restarted. Many patients drink alcohol while on these medications and handle it well, but be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist if it is safe.
It is important to keep in mind that alcohol may have a greater effect on individuals who are taking these medications; one drink could affect an individual as if it were two drinks. Drug companies give doctors free samples of some medications.
Doctors give these samples to patients who cannot afford the cost of the medications. Most drug companies also have programs that help patients get these and other medications free or at a reduced cost. For more information, visit: www. Please check with your physician. Overview Medication is an effective treatment for OCD. For medications to work, they must be taken regularly and as directed by their doctor. About half of OCD patients stop taking their medication due to side effects or for other reasons.
If you experience side effects, you should bring this up with your doctor so they can help you address them. They may be able to change your dose or find a different type of SRI that your system better tolerates. What kinds of medications may help OCD? You may need to try taking different amounts or a different type to find what works best.
Many side effects go away a few weeks after treatment starts. You may need to decide which bothers you more—the side effects of the medicines or your symptoms and anxiety from OCD. What is obsessive-compulsive disorder? What can you expect if you take medicine? Common side effects include: Nausea. Appetite changes or weight loss. Trouble sleeping and tiredness. Loss of sexual desire or ability, and delayed orgasm.
Dizziness or shakiness tremor. What can you expect if you don't take medicine? With this type of counselling, you gradually increase your contact with the feared obsession so that you have less anxiety about it. For example, if you were obsessed about germs, you would repeatedly touch an object you believe has germs and then not wash your hands afterward.
You would repeat that behaviour until you felt less anxious about it. Counselling may also help you think about your beliefs in a new way.
For example, if you are a person who washes your hands over and over because you believe germs will harm you, counselling could help you see that you don't need to be afraid. Why might your doctor recommend taking medicine for OCD?
Your doctor might recommend medicine if: Your symptoms get in the way of your ability to work and have relationships. Counselling has not helped control your thoughts and behaviours well enough for you to live with them. Compare your options. You still visit a counsellor regularly. Research shows that certain antidepressants improve symptoms of OCD and help balance brain chemicals. Medicine may cause side effects such as nausea, headache, nervousness, or trouble sleeping.
Use counselling only Use counselling only You visit a counsellor regularly. You may need as many as 13 to 20 sessions to relieve your symptoms. Research shows that counselling helps many people with OCD. Counselling alone may not be enough to help your symptoms. Personal stories about taking medicines to treat OCD These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. What matters most to you? I can deal with my obsessions and compulsions on my own. I don't feel that counselling is helping my symptoms enough.
I'm happy with the way counselling is helping my symptoms. My other important reasons: My other important reasons:. Where are you leaning now? What else do you need to make your decision? Check the facts. True That's right. Counselling alone often works to control OCD in people who have only mild symptoms. False Sorry, that's not right.
I'm not sure It may help to go back and read "Get the Facts. You will want to weigh which bothers you more—the side effects of the medicines or your symptoms and anxiety from OCD. Decide what's next. Yes No. I'm ready to take action. I want to discuss the options with others.
I want to learn more about my options. Your Summary. Your decision Next steps. Your knowledge of the facts Key concepts that you understood. Key concepts that may need review. Getting ready to act Patient choices.
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