OCD is a chronic and incurable disorder that disrupts the lives of many, including those who suffer from it and the people around them. thankfully, advancements in research and medicine, along with other resources, have made navigating life with OCD a little bit easier.
the most effective treatment for OCD is cognitive behavior therapy or CBT. CBT is a psychotherapy used to challenge and change thinking patterns. this type of therapy is widely used for many disorders, but for people with OCD, it is used to specifically identify and confront their obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. this therapy helps people learn new ways of thinking and behaving that are less stress-causing. to go into more detail about CBT and its different types, exposure and response prevention (ERP), has had the most effective results for OCD patients. ERP focuses on slow exposure to situations that trigger obsessions. though it sounds counterintuitive, this exposure and confrontation actually helps. after exposure, patients are taught strategies to battle their compulsions. over time, this helps to reduce the stress that these triggers cause. up to 70% of OCD patients see a 40%-60% decrease of symptoms after going through ERP!
other than therapy, medication is a common type of treatment. OCD is caused by mixed signals between neurotransmitters in the brain, such as the neurotransmitter serotonin; antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or Prozac, are often used to treat OCD. they can help turn down the frequency and severity of the repetitive intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. the downsides of these antidepressants is that they may cause unwanted side-effects and physical dependency.
there are numerous other resources to help OCD warriors, their family, friends, and others around them! our community and blog here at normalizing the conversation is a great resource to connect with other OCD warriors and to educate yourself and others on OCD. the International OCD Foundation, Beyond OCD, Anxiety in the Classroom, and NOCD are great websites to furtehr research and learn about OCD. OCD Challenge is another great website that simulates ERP to help OCD symptoms. please do not use this website as a substitute for professional therapy. organizations such as OCD Gamechangers, Peace of Mind, and OCD Action (UK-based) offer a variety of helpful and accessible OCD-specific resources. though many OCD and mental health warriors feel alone in their journies, they are not! there are countless online communities, such as OCD Peers, r/OCDrecovery and r/OCDmemes on Reddit, @MyPureOCDAwakening and @ocd_and_positivity on Instagram, the OCD Stories podcast commuinty, and Everything OCD on Facebook.
just remember, when battling OCD, you are not alone!
thank you to these sources for providing information used in this article:
nothing in our articles are medical or professional advice. the writers at NTC are not professionals and should not be treated as ones. our blog was created only for educational purposes and raising awareness.
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