“Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position. But certainty is an absurd one.” – Voltaire
Uncertainty is an unavoidable part of life. Many of us feel distress when faced with uncertainty. This makes sense, given that sometimes things do turn out badly, or not as we would like. Nevertheless, the “not knowing” [Read more…]
Many people with OCD engage in compulsive hand washing. This habit can become excessive, at times resulting in raw and broken skin. There are two ways that hand washing can get out of control: 1) time spent washing, and 2) frequency of washing.
Excessive hand washing may be the single most common observable symptom of OCD, and is probably the behavior most commonly associated with OCD. [Read more…]
Did you know that good OCD treatment is just as likely to include cognitive-behavioral therapy as medication? The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in the UK recommends that adults with mild to moderate symptoms of OCD be offered either cognitive-behavioral therapy or an antidepressant medication (SSRI). The recommendation for adults with severe symptoms is that they undertake both treatments. This is because both options are safe and effective, and perform similarly to in research studies.
Some people prefer to not use medication in their OCD treatment, and some prefer to use it; both options are realistic for most people.
(Originally published at http://www.anxiety-ocd.info/blog/2012/05/treatment-for-ocd/)
Obsessions involving violence are common among persons with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD
). Often, these obsessions start innocently enough with a fleeting thought — e.g., “Hey, there’s a big steak knife on the kitchen table — it sure would be horrible if I were to stab someone with it…” For many people, this thought will come and go without creating any kind of emotional upset. However, for some OCD sufferers, this thought becomes a recurrent one that is hard to
[Read more…]
For those persons suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), there are effective ways to get he
lp. In fact, research has shown two treatments to be quite effective in reducing OCD symptoms: 1) Exposure and response prevention therapy (also known as ERP), and 2) psychotropic medication. Fluvoxamine (Luvox), sertraline (Zoloft), and fluoxetine (Prozac) are commonly prescribed types of OCD medication. These three medications all belong to the same class (SSRIs) [Read more…]