Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a common mental health problem where you have various unwanted or intrusive thoughts that make you perform behaviors that help you cope with those thoughts.
OCD is a problematic issue because it often interferes with daily living and everyday activities. The intrusive thoughts and behaviors range from a fear of germs or contamination to being constantly haunted by thoughts of symmetry and perfection.
Although OCD is a tedious mental health problem, there's hope through psychotherapy and medications. The team at Carolina Wellness Psychiatry offers personalized care to patients living with OCD and other mental health issues.
Two expert psychiatrists and one experienced psychologist make up the team. All three practitioners offer various treatments to help you manage your OCD diagnosis and live a happy and healthy life.
OCD is a prevalent mental health disorder consisting of obsessions, intrusive thoughts, and compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors. People living with OCD often have unwanted thoughts throughout the day that interfere with mental health and everyday living.
Even if the thoughts are completely irrational, they cause intense anxiety and, in some cases, extreme panic. To appease their thoughts, people living with OCD often perform compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors.
Most people living with OCD know the thoughts are problematic but aren't able to control them alone. It may be so bad that they don't get to work on time or can't leave the house because obsessions and compulsions overtake them.
One of the prevalent types of OCD is a fear of germs and contamination. People living with this type of OCD often have intense anxiety about touching germs, dirt, or other contaminants. The compulsion related to this fear involves excessive hand washing, cleaning, or showering.
Various other forms of OCD revolve around the need for symmetry, unwanted sexual images or thoughts, and intrusive thoughts of self-harm or violence toward others.
You may be wondering how there's possibly good news about an OCD diagnosis – but there is. The best news is that you can successfully manage OCD symptoms through medications and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Ketamine is another exciting treatment option that's working well for OCD patients. Ketamine is a known anesthetic, offering dissociative properties, quick pain relief, and relief of depression and OCD symptoms.
According to a study done by the National Institute of Health, ketamine rapidly relieved OCD symptoms in the participants, and the relief stayed long after the body metabolized the drug. They also found neurochemical changes in the brain after a ketamine infusion that suggest possible long-term changes in OCD symptoms.
The best part about ketamine is it works quickly and is effective for OCD and depression symptoms. Paired with cognitive behavioral therapy, you could be symptom-free faster than you think and leading a healthy and meaningful existence.
Although there’s no cure for OCD, you can control symptoms effectively to live a life where you don’t have to worry about unwanted thoughts or overwhelming rituals.
After years of living with the constant symptoms of OCD, you're likely ready to start getting relief as quickly as possible. Our team evaluates your health and symptoms at your initial appointment to determine the best treatment for your needs.
The sooner we diagnose OCD, the quicker you can get relief from your symptoms and begin living the way you'd like. As soon as you notice signs of OCD, it's essential to make an appointment for treatment.
Our team provides various therapies such as medications, psychotherapy, and ketamine infusions for OCD. Everyone's different, meaning some treatments may work better for some than others – especially regarding medications.
We use antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to regulate your mood and help with intrusive thoughts.
Psychotherapy helps you dig deep into your thoughts and utilizes exposure and response prevention therapy to expose you to your fears so you learn to stop performing compulsions to alleviate them. Although it takes time, it's a very effective treatment for OCD.
You don't have to worry about an OCD diagnosis; there are plenty of treatment options to help and get you back on track.
To find out how Carolina Wellness Psychiatry can help you with your OCD diagnosis, call the team today at 919-446-3232 or message us on the website.
