Medications For OCD

OCD – obsessive conductive disorder – is a common and treatable medical condition. Today there are a series of medications, especially antidepressants, that are effective in the global treatment of this mental disorder. If not treated correctly, OCD can cause distress and make everyday life difficult.

There is no reason to be ashamed to seek appropriate treatment for this disorder, as it is a disease like others can be; like Parkinson’s or diabetes. Therefore, it is essential to be well informed about the pathology, in order to better understand it and put prejudices aside.

A lot of research has been carried out, the results of which show how a good practice of therapy known as cognitive behavioral therapy, together with medications, is a very effective treatment for OCD. However, throughout the article we will see the different medications that exist for OCD, as well as what that therapy consists of.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

The first-line treatment for all forms of OCD is cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of therapy has been recommended by large institutions, such as the National Institute of Mental Health and Harvard Medical School.

One type of cognitive behavioral therapy widely used by specialists is response prevention exposure. This method involves gradually exposing yourself to feared objects or obsessions, such as dirt, and trying to teach the patient healthy ways to cope with any anxiety that may arise.

Exposure with response prevention requires effort and practice, but results in effective results and improves quality of life, once obsessions and compulsions are learned to control. This type of therapy can be developed in individual sessions, as well as in family or group sessions.

What medications are used to treat OCD?

Antidepressants are often the drug of choice for healthcare professionals. Specifically, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This type of medication can decrease the levels of suffering and help people in their therapy.

Antidepressants must be prescribed by a psychiatrist, and are usually used temporarily, until people can manage the disorder with the therapy explained above alone. However, not all patients respond the same.

Some people do well with the first line of this medication, but others must try different drugs in order to lessen symptoms. For this reason, reuptake inhibitors are sometimes combined with other medications, in order to obtain better results. Medications indicated for the treatment of OCD are:

• Clomipramine: for people from 10 years old.
• Fluoxetine: for patients over 7 years old.
• Flucoxamine: indicated for people over 8 years old.
• Paroxetine: is indicated for adults only.
• Sertraline: for adults and children from 6 years old.

It is also worth mentioning that a characteristic of treatment with this type of antidepressant is that they begin to take effect 10 weeks after the start of the intake. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to assess whether it is working or not. However, it must always be the doctor who determines it.

Combination treatment for OCD

Although we have a number of medications that are used in the treatment of OCD, studies have consistently suggested that relapse rates are lower with cognitive behavioral therapy than with medication. This can never be generalized, but it is an interesting piece of information to address the problem.

It is suggested that the combination of therapy and medication is more effective in reducing the symptoms of this disorder. Experts indicate that drug treatment should be an adjunct to cognitive behavioral therapy, and used only when prescribed.