Obsessive compulsive disorder is a mental health problem that, if left untreated, can rule your life. Between the constant obsessions and overwhelming compulsions, you may be at your wit’s end wondering how to escape. However, there are treatments out there that can help you calm your symptoms and allow you to live a normal life.
At Carolina Wellness Psychiatry, our team of specialists has the tools and training to help you combat a number of mental health problems, including OCD. Our team consists of three expertly trained psychiatrists who are ready to help you get treatment for your OCD. Dr. Elizabeth Bullard, Dr. Brian Moore, and Dr. Allison Foroobar specialize in OCD therapy and are here to support you when you need it the most.
Obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a condition that affects your mental health. It involves a never-ending cycle of obsessions and compulsions that ultimately begin to interfere with your life.
While everyone can experience episodes of obsessions or compulsions, if they’re intermittent, you most likely don’t have OCD. Our team gives you a diagnosis when the unwanted thoughts and actions interfere with your daily life.
In order to get the full picture of OCD, you have to have an understanding of what obsessions and compulsions truly are.
Obsessions are the part of OCD that causes you to have unwanted images or thoughts that continually repeat themselves. Obsessions are completely out of your control, and often happen so much they interfere with your daily life. You’ll likely know the thoughts don’t really make sense, but you’ll still find the obsessions disturbing.
Compulsions are another aspect of OCD; they’re a way of you trying to get rid of your obsessions by performing behaviors that are repetitive and time-consuming. Unfortunately, the compulsions are only a temporary fix in neutralizing your obsessions. However, you continue the compulsions as a quick escape from the disorder.
If you’re suffering from OCD, you’ll likely have both obsession symptoms and compulsion symptoms. However, it’s possible for you to just suffer from one or the other. Typically, the obsessions and compulsions follow specific themes, such as being afraid of dirt or needing extreme order or symmetry.
Every person’s OCD symptoms vary, and they depend on what your fear is and how you try to ease your thoughts with compulsions. Some of the most common types of obsession and compulsion symptoms include:
The obsession and compulsion normally match up; meaning if you have a fear of contamination from touching people, you may wash your hands so much that your skin becomes damaged and raw.
While OCD may seem like a cycle that never ends, our team offers many successful treatments for this condition. The first step to getting your OCD under control is realizing that you have a problem you can’t fix yourself.
Our team of psychiatrists helps you understand what’s causing your obsessions and compulsions in order to find the right type of treatment avenue for you.
Antidepressant medications are often used to help you get your symptoms under control. While there are many different types of these medications, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often used in the treatment of OCD.
Psychotherapy involves talking with our team of experts to help you figure out how to change your thoughts and behaviors related to OCD. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a tool our team uses to assist you with the treatment of OCD and your obsessions and/or compulsions.
Often, you’ll be treated with a combination of medications and psychotherapy for the best results.
If you're in need of expert help to get your OCD under control, call us today at 919-446-3232, or request a consultation using our online booking tool.
