How to Get Treatment for OCD
Treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder can reduce its severity. Treatment comprises a combination of professional counseling and medicine.
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Learn about a wide range of mental illnesses and how to deal with them.
You Will Need
- Doctor
- Physical exam
- Mental health assessment
- Therapist
- Antidepressants
- Brain stimulation
Steps
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Step 1
Get diagnosis
Get a diagnosis based on your symptoms, medical history, and a physical examination from your doctor.
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Step 2
Get mental health assessment
Get a mental health assessment that will evaluate your ability to think, reason, and remember, and will assess your emotional functioning.
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Tests may include a written and verbal test, blood and urine tests, and an assessment of your mood and ability to express yourself.
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Step 3
Receive therapy
Receive exposure and response prevention therapy. With therapy, you expose yourself to an obsession, and then deny yourself compulsive gratification.
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Step 4
Receive cognitive therapy
Receive cognitive behavior therapy if you need to overcome beliefs pertaining to fear and contamination.
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Step 5
Get antidepressants
Ask your doctor about antidepressant medication.
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Step 6
Receive brain stimulation
Receive brain stimulation therapy, which involves stimulating your brain directly with electricity, magnets, or implants to help with depression.
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Step 7
Avoid relapse
Avoid relapses by taking medication and maintaining regular therapy sessions.
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According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 2.2 million Americans aged 18 or older have OCD.
