Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

There are two main components to treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), medication and psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy to be exact. A combination of these two treatments is recommended for the best results.

Medications

There are a number of medications that have been proven effective in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. These are drugs that act on the neurotransmitter serotonin, a chemical in the brain that helps neurons communicate with each other. They are called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI's) because they slow the reuptake of serotonin by the neurons. They include such drugs as fluvoxamine (Luvox), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline, (Zoloft), escitalopram (Lexapro), citalopram (Celexa), and clomipramine (Anafronil).

There are other medications that may augment the effect of the SSRI's. These include lithium carbonate (Eskalith), buspirone (Buspar), clonazepam (Konopin), methylphenidate (Ritalin), gabapentin (Neruotin), and other antidepressants, including trazedone and buproprion.

In addition to there, benzodiazepines are sometimes prescribed to treat anxiety and to help with sleep. These include medications such as alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), oxazepam (Serax), and temazepam (Restoril). Benzodiazepines are best used only short term, because long term used can lead to tolerance (it takes higher does to get the same effect) and dependence (the body adapts to the presence of the drug, resulting in a withdrawal reaction when the drug is stopped).

Individuals respond to different medications differently. There are also potential side effects to all medications. Therefore it may take a couple of tries to find a medication or combination of medications that work for a person. It can take four to six weeks to get the full benefit from a medication.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy