Medications
The most common medications used to treat OCD are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac (fluoxetine), Luvox (fluvoxamine), Paxil (paroxetine hydrochloride) Zoloft (sertraline), Celexa (citalopram), and Lexapro (escitalopram); serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors like Effexor (venlafaxine); and a tricyclic antidepressant known as Anafranil (clomipramine).
Psychotherapy
Exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have been shown to be particularly helpful in the treatment of OCD symptoms.
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Another potential treatment option is repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), which involves placing a magnetic coil on the skull to deliver a magnetic field to targeted areas of the brain. This treatment has varied results, but because it is non-invasive and has few side effects, it can be an option for people with OCD who are not finding relief from conventional methods.
When In-Patient Treatment Is Necessary
Participation in intensive in-patient treatment programs is reserved for only the most serious cases of OCD. Fortunately, these severe cases comprise the minority of OCD patients. Given the cost and commitment required, intensive in-patient programs are often viewed as a last resort when other treatments have failed. In cases requiring hospitalization, the person is experiencing OCD symptoms severe enough to seriously impair their ability to function at work and at home. It is not uncommon for candidates for intensive OCD in-patient programs to have been unemployed for many years and to have serious impairments in their relationships with friends and family. In especially severe cases, the person may not have left their home for days, weeks, months (or longer).
Hospitalization Options
Even in cases where patients need a higher level of treatment, there are options such as day programs, intensive outpatient programs, partial hospital programs, and residential programs. Full hospitalization is usually only implemented when patients cannot take care of themselves or they are dangerous to themselves or others. While the vast majority of hospitalizations for OCD are voluntary, in cases where the person’s symptoms are so severe that they are a danger to themselves or others, they may be hospitalized involuntarily. Suicidal thoughts associated with depression caused by severe and unrelenting OCD symptoms might be a reason for hospitalization.
Surgery
As a last resort, various psychosurgical treatments are available to treat patients with severe, treatment-resistant OCD. One procedure targets and burns away parts of the brain in the region known as the anterior cingulate cortex. Studies have shown that these surgical interventions can be effective for over half the people who have undergone treatment. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.
