Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Talk Therapies
Talk therapies are widely recognised as a choice treatment for OCD. There are various types of ‘talk therapies’, again the one of choice usually being Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT allows a person to be challenged on their beliefs, rituals, what-if’s, in a safe enviroment. CBT is available via the NHS or privately, and there is now a strong recognition of CBT being used in a ‘self-help‘ manner via dvds, dvd roms, books and audio.
Anxiety self help click here!
Medicines
One of the most popular and effective anxiety medicines prescribed are anti-depressants in the form of SSRIs – Selective Seretonin Reuptake Inhibitors, to help balance seretonin levels. Other courses of action could be prescription of an anti-psychotic in lower doses, to counter intrusive or onwanted thoughts.
In-Patient Hospital Treatment
In-patient treatment is, as always, for very extreme cases with people making themselves vulnerable or at risk of harming themselves or others. Treatment for OCD as an individual diagnosis does not usually require hospital admission alone, but quite often with another mental health problem and OCD there may well be a need for hospital admission. This is to be discussed with your GP in the first instance.