Living with obsessive-compulsive disorder can be an ongoing struggle for those affected, impacting relationships and daily activities in profound ways. For many individuals living with OCD, their compulsions and obsessions severely hamper daily functioning and cause strain within relationships and activities that impact daily activities and personal interactions.
Psychotherapy and medication are the two primary approaches for treating OCD; oftentimes combining treatments together can prove most successful.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, commonly referred to as talk therapy, can assist individuals in changing irrational beliefs and behaviors. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy may also reduce symptoms.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is an alternative treatment for OCD that involves changing negative thought patterns and compulsive behaviors. CBT helps you recognize how your thoughts can influence behavior and that any obsessions or compulsions you experience can be changed through deep breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation techniques. CBT may also include relaxation techniques like deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation that may reduce anxiety and stress; to be successful at using CBT it’s key to find an experienced therapist in treating OCD for its entirety.
Cognitive therapy involves interactive question-and-answer sessions with your therapist who will assist in helping to identify unhealthy emotions or beliefs that contribute to symptoms. They’ll then teach you how to replace negative thinking patterns with more rational, healthy ones. Cognitive restructuring teaches you to identify the triggers of your OCD and devise effective coping mechanisms, including exposure and response prevention (ERP). Step one of overcoming OCD involves gradually exposing yourself to thoughts, images and objects that trigger it while refraining from performing compulsive behaviors such as washing hands for longer. For example, those suffering from contamination fears may begin by briefly touching surfaces before gradually increasing exposure by not performing ritualistic handwashing behavior as part of this step.
Metacognitive therapy offers another effective approach, teaching you to detach from obsessive thoughts by emotionally detaching yourself from them and viewing them objectively. Your therapist may recommend keeping a journal of your symptoms so you can track progress more easily and find more efficient management techniques.
Research supports the effectiveness of CBT for treating OCD and other mental health conditions, with studies proving its efficacy on depression, anxiety and phobias while simultaneously decreasing symptoms associated with OCD and bipolar disorder. CBT was also found effective at combatting addictions and insomnia; no controlled studies on other forms of psychological therapies such as hypnotherapy and homeopathy exist yet.
Medication
Though psychological therapy is the usual approach to OCD treatment, there are also alternative therapies that may help alleviate its symptoms. These alternative methods may also help decrease how often medication needs to be taken.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), an evidence-based form of talking therapy, is the leading solution for OCD. While CBT may work for two thirds of those treated, if your family history includes depression, bipolar disorder or mania this treatment may not work as effectively and you may require another psychological approach called Exposure and Response Prevention therapy instead.
CBT and medication may be the ideal combination for many individuals suffering from OCD. Medication that acts on the Serotonin System, like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), have proven their efficacy for treating this disorder, as have herbal remedies such as St John’s Wort, Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) and N-Acetylcysteine.
Research has demonstrated the power of pairing herbs and SSRIs together to increase your odds of relief from OCD. A 16-week placebo-controlled augmentation study with 40 individuals suffering from severe, treatment-resistant OCD demonstrated that taking both together proved more successful than either alone. A 16-week augmentation study involved 40 individuals and found that N-Acetylcysteine (3000mg daily) combined with either an SSRI alone or placebo was far more successful at providing relief than either alone.
Some individuals using natural treatments for OCD include dietary supplements such as vitamins and minerals. Research is being done into how these supplements might enhance the efficacy of conventional OCD medication; although they aren’t being used as replacements to SSRIs or other conventional OCD treatments yet, they could help mitigate any side effects caused by them.
Other holistic methods, like neurofeedback and meditation, may also help soothe the brain and nervous system in order to manage OCD symptoms such as anxiety and fear. By training the mind differently and breaking free of obsessions and compulsions, this could retrain it in an effective way.
Acupuncture
People suffering from OCD often discover that medication prescribed by their psychiatrist can have unpleasant side effects, prompting them to explore alternative therapies for managing symptoms such as mindfulness meditation and acupuncture as alternatives. Such holistic techniques may reduce dependence on prescription drugs while simultaneously alleviating OCD symptoms.
These therapies tend to be safer for the body and less invasive than taking prescription drugs for treating OCD, and may be useful in managing depression and anxiety as well. Since there is no universal approach for treating OCD, it’s essential that you work with a qualified practitioner who can create a personalized treatment plan.
Talk therapy is an integral component of treating OCD, and therapists employ various approaches to address your irrational thoughts and emotions. One such technique is cognitive behavioral therapy which involves discussing situations to uncover unhelpful or unreasonable beliefs or reactions and then exploring these further during conversations between sessions. Cognitive behavioral therapy also can assist in learning to recognize triggers for compulsive behaviors so you can avoid engaging in them altogether.
Therapists can also assist you in practicing Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), an effective technique for countering OCD thoughts and behaviors. Studies have proven its success; exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy may be used alone or combined with medication to effectively address OCD.
Natural supplements are also being studied as possible treatments for OCD. While some have been proven effective at alleviating its symptoms, others remain under investigation in clinical research studies. One supplement that has proven itself helpful is St John’s Wort which acts as an excellent complement for antidepressants that target serotonin systems.
Acupuncture is another popular alternative therapy for OCD. This ancient healing practice centers on the belief that energy channels in our bodies can become blocked or out-of-balance, with tapping techniques used by an acupuncturist able to release blockages and restore balance to our systems. When choosing an acupuncturist, always check their state license before starting treatment; additionally it would be wise to consult your primary care doctor first before undertaking new treatments.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), one of the newest and most promising alternative therapies for OCD, uses electromagnetic fields to stimulate the brain. Similar to acupuncture but much less invasive and with no anesthesia required or sedation necessary, TMS uses magnetic coils placed on the scalp that deliver electromagnetic pulses that help rebalance brain chemistry over time while alleviating symptoms over time.
Multiple studies have reported that low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) helps relieve OCD symptoms. This may be because obsessions and compulsions may originate in this part of the brain, while also providing pain reduction benefits from multiple causes. Furthermore, rTMS has also been demonstrated as an effective pain reduction treatment method.
An ongoing, randomized, controlled study treated participants with rTMS over the OFC for three weeks. Most experienced significant improvements in their OCD symptoms, with most showing reductions in their YBOCS score and having only minor adverse events such as headache. Overall, treatment with rTMS proved safe and well tolerated with headache being the most frequently reported adverse event.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Medication for OCD is another possible treatment method. SSRIs like Prozac (fluoxetine) and Fluvoxamine (Luvox) are widely prescribed by mental health professionals to help manage OCD symptoms; these drugs increase serotonin levels in the brain to control symptoms; however, not everyone finds these effective and they may cause side effects like nausea, sexual dysfunction and fatigue – therefore it’s essential that you talk with a mental health provider regarding which options would best meet your individual needs.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a form of psychological acupressure used to unlock blocked energy channels within the body and restore their balance. EFT’s central belief is that every cell in our bodies contains energy channels; when these become blocked or unbalanced they may lead to emotional issues that need to be released through tapping various areas on our bodies. EFT involves tapping each area systematically until these blocks have been cleared away.
TMS Treatment may be an ideal option for individuals who have attempted alternative approaches for OCD without success, yet have not seen results. This non-invasive therapy offers an alternative to conventional methods and does not cause systemic side effects. To learn more, arrange a TMS consultation at TMS NW today!
