Treating obsessive compulsive disorder is not an easy task. It is an unfortunate that a lot of time is lost before obsessive compulsive disorder is properly detected and treated. It is said that obsessive compulsive disorder treatment is given to people about fourteen to seventeen years after it has started.
Here in this article:
Common OCD Treatment Methods
Obsessive compulsive disorder treatment usually comprises of the following methods and most of the people benefit from the use of either of these methods:-
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Drug Therapy
- Natural medicine
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for OCD
This method is an effective form of obsessive compulsive disorder treatment. It is practiced on most of the people since each person has unique fears, habits and responses and this method can be customized as per individual need and mental make-up.
Here the focus is also on the patient and his active participation is required for the treatment to work. There are several therapies included under this method but the most common and effective therapy is the “Exposure and Response Prevention” or the ERP therapy.
Here “Exposure” denotes facing the source of anxiety such as confronting the very thoughts and situations which cause the worry. Next is the “Response Prevention” where the patient has to make a conscious choice of not following the particular habit or compulsive behavior even in such a situation.
This method involves lot of self-discipline and mental control needs to be exercised by the patient. The key lies in breaking the chain of repetitive thoughts which have formed in the brain over a prolonged period of time.
Drug Therapy and Natural Medicine for Treating OCD
In this method of obsessive compulsive disorder treatment, medicines are used to eradicate the worries and symptoms. These drugs reduce the symptoms but do not attempt to solve the main cause of the disorder. When the drugs are stopped, the problem recurs again. Apart from the temporary effect, the drugs also cause undesirable side-effects such as sleepiness and nausea.
Many people prefer natural medicines such as herbal or homeopathic medicines since they are not associated with unwanted side-effects. However it is important to ascertain that the medicine is prescribed by an authorized practitioner before resorting to this method of obsessive compulsive disorder treatment.
Other Ways of OCD Treatment
Apart from these methods for obsessive compulsive disorder treatment, Dr. Armando Torres also suggest neurosurgery as one of the ways for treating severe OCD and mental disorders.
Few practitioners also recommend the use of group-therapy or family-therapy which helps to overcome this disorder.
Since this problem disrupts the normal activities of the patient, the family and people interacting with him are also impacted. They can also play an important role in addressing this mental disorder by helping the patient to get rid of his baseless anxieties.
