Table of Contents
Introduction
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can trap those who suffer with it into exhausting and frustrating thoughts and behavior patterns that become all consuming in daily life. OCD holds a vise grip over the individual’s every waking moment by demanding constant vigilance over irrational thoughts and repetitive rituals in order to manage feelings of distress and anxiety. As a result, the individual becomes a slave to the demands of the disorder, which can have devastating repercussions across all aspects of life.
Top OCD treatment centers specialize in providing help for the person struggling with the devastating effects of the disorder, including the feelings of powerlessness that accompany it. Treating OCD requires time and patience, but when under the guidance of the mental health professionals at a top OCD treatment center the individual can achieve a sense of power and control over the disorder.
About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
OCD is an anxiety disorder that affects approximately 1.2% of the US adult population, according to statistics provided by the National Institute of Mental Health, with women more than three times as likely to suffer from the disorder. OCD involves two disordered features including obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. The obsessive thoughts direct the individual to partake in repetitive or ritualistic behaviors that can cause distress to themselves or those around them. In their mind they believe that the compulsions will provide relief from the underlying anxiety, when in reality it only contributes to it.
Examples of the behaviors associated with OCD include:
- Ritual washing of hands
- Extreme hyper-vigilance over contact with germs
- Counting and/or checking certain daily behaviors, such as turning off a light switch or locking a door
- Compulsive orderliness, and feelings of distress when an item is out of place
- Constant disturbing thoughts
An individual with OCD differs markedly from the person who might have unusual personality quirks. OCD causes disruption in the individual’s ability to function normally on the job, in relationships, and in common daily activities, becoming an impediment to a normal, healthy life. Individualized OCD treatment plans can help make a significant improvement in the quality of life for someone suffering from this mental health disorder.
How to Treat OCD
Treatment for OCD will involve a combination of SSRI medication and psychotherapy. The antidepressants help rebalance serotonin output and levels, which quells the obsessive thoughts, and the psychotherapy can teach certain skills and techniques for overcoming the compulsive behaviors.
In most cases, a program for OCD will be integrative, meaning several treatment elements can be accessed to help treat all aspects of the person, mind, body and spirit. For this reason, holistic therapies are often folded into an effective OCD treatment program.
Types of Treatment for OCD
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be quite helpful in treating the individual with OCD. Using CBT as the foundation, treatment for OCD involves:
- Exposure and Response Prevention. ERP gradually exposes the OCD patient to confronting their obsessive thoughts without responding to them with a compulsive behavior. By practicing this exposure to the disturbing thoughts and practicing control over the compulsions, the patient will slowly gain control over both the irrational thoughts as well as the resulting behaviors.
- Habit Reversal Training. By practicing the tic or compulsive habit in the mirror the patient becomes aware of the physiological muscle or body sensation that is associated with it, and develops and awareness for how the urge develops. The patient then learns a competing response or intervention that blocks and reverses the disordered habit.
- Cognitive Therapy. Cognitive therapy involves training the mind to focus on the experience of the negative thought and to respond to them in new ways. By helping the patient change the way his or her thoughts are interpreted from negative to neutral, cognitive therapy can alter the disordered response to them.
Seeking Help at Top OCD Residential Centers
The Treatment Specialist will connect you to an inpatient OCD treatment center for adults and adolescent ages. A compassionate treatment professionals will provide assistance and guidance into treatment for yourself or a loved one needs for OCD treatment, contact a Treatment Specialist today at (866) 644-7911.
