OCD

What is OCD?

OCD is a long-term mental health condition. People with OCD experience uncontrollable thoughts (obsessions) and perform repetitive behaviors (compulsions).

Obsessions

Obsessions are thoughts, images, or ideas that make you anxious. Anything could become a focus for your obsessions, but they tend to be unpleasant and intrusive.

Some people obsess over germs and have a fear of contamination or infection. Others might be unable to stop thinking about taboo topics like unusual sexual activities or develop ideas about harming themselves or others. Another common obsession is with order and symmetry.

Compulsions

Compulsions are behaviors that someone with OCD feels they must perform. Compulsions usually develop as a coping mechanism for obsessive thoughts. For example, someone with a germ obsession might feel compelled to wash their hands frequently, for a set number of minutes, and in a particular way.

Compulsions can also be attempts to prevent or manage obsessive thoughts. You might have to open and close a door 10 times before leaving a room or touch every railing in a fence as you walk past.

You are convinced that failing to perform these rituals will result in disaster. Being unable to complete them can cause immense distress and panic.

How is OCD diagnosed?

The Pro Health Psychiatry Nursing Corporation team diagnoses OCD after learning about your obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. They perform a comprehensive assessment to determine your OCD’s severity and design a suitable treatment plan.

Some people worry they have OCD because they’re particular about how they arrange their belongings or spend a lot of time focusing on one thing. However, most people with these tendencies don’t have OCD.

Those with OCD are likely to find their condition exhausting and may develop distressing and embarrassing physical tics, such as shoulder shrugging and eye movements, or make uncontrollable sounds.

OCD symptoms can also make it difficult to sustain relationships or develop your career.

How is OCD treated?

Pro Health Psychiatry Nursing Corporation offers comprehensive OCD treatment, including:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Individual psychotherapy
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
• Antipsychotic medications
• Lifestyle changes

The team monitors your progress over time and adjusts your medications if necessary. You can receive your prescriptions and undergo talk therapy using Pro Health Psychiatry Nursing Corporation’s secure telemedicine platform.

Call Pro Health Psychiatry Nursing Corporation today to schedule an OCD evaluation or book an appointment online.