How is OCD treated?
OCD is a type of anxiety disorder, the most common of all the mental disorders. Many people misunderstand these disorders and think people should be able to overcome the symptoms by sheer willpower; however, the symptoms can’t be willed or wished away. There are treatments, developed through research, that work well for these disorders. Anxiety disorders are treated in two ways – with medication and with certain types of psychotherapy (sometimes called “talk therapy”). Sometimes only one treatment is used or both treatments are combined. If you have an anxiety disorder, talk with your doctor about what will work best for you. If you do choose psychotherapy, make sure the therapist is able to provide you with medication, if needed. A number of drugs used for treating depression, called antidepressants, have been found to help with anxiety disorders as well. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are used, along with the newer selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
For the majority of children, OCD can be treated effectively with either cognitive behavioral therapy or medications or both. You will need to consult a physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist to tailor the therapy to meet your childs needs. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is based on the idea that children with OCD perform repetitive behaviors/compulsions to alleviate the anxiety associated with a bad thought/obsession. When a child is exposed to a feared object, like a dirty toilet seat, anxiety is experienced. However, this anxiety will disappear fairly quickly. Children with OCD do not wait for the anxiety to disappear; they cannot stand feeling uncomfortable even for a few seconds, and so they wash their hands in order to decrease their anxiety level. However, hand washing actually increases the anxiety. This sets up a vicious cycle, and the child becomes stuck. In CBT, children are slowly exposed to objects that cause anxiety and are taught to resist the urge to perform a com
