Medicines Exposure and response prevention Community Support Groups
Medicine
It is stated by the International OCD Foundation (2015) that medication will assist 7 out of 10 people that suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder and that these people will see a decrease in their symptoms of 40-60%. Medications can be prescribed by a doctor or psychiatrist and must be taken regularly over a long period of time to have any effect, about 50% OCD sufferers stop taking medication regularly because of side effects or illness related reasons. Medications which are most effective at treating obsessive compulsive disorder are known as Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SRI). They were traditionally used as antidepressants and still can be. Depression may develop as a result of OCD and these drugs can treat both at once. Common medications include; sertraline (Zoloft®), paroxetine (Paxil®) and fluoxetine (Prozac®). No one knows exactly why these work but scientists do know OCD is influenced by abnormal amounts of the neurotransmitter called serotonin. These drugs help bring serotonin levels back to normal amounts. Many of these drugs have negative side effects which must be weighed against the severity of symptoms, they vary between drugs.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy - Exposure and response prevention
Cognitive behaviour therapy is an umbrella term which covers an array of therapies used to treat a range of mental illnesses, the specific type which helps obsessive compulsive disorder sufferers reduce the severity of their symptoms is known as exposure and response prevention therapy. This type of therapy involves exposing OCD sufferers to thoughts, images, objects and situations which cause them anxiety and provoke their obsessions. When this occurs the person must make the decision to not engage in the compulsive behaviour, no matter how strong the urge. Over time if done repeatedly this desensitises the sufferer to the stimuli which trigger their compulsive responses, as they develop their own strategies to cope with these stimuli and bring them into practice their symptoms will be reduced over a long period of time. (International OCD Foundation, 2015).
Community Support Groups
Community support groups are gatherings of sufferers and families and friends of people who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder. When in an environment with other affected people the sufferers can openly speak about their experiences and gain insight into their disorder and what triggers their compulsive responses. Hearing the stories of others and the action they took to reduce the severity of their disorder may motivate OCD victims to understand the types of help available and how to access it. It is also a viable alternative to talk therapy, which although ineffective in treating the disorder, helps the sufferer understand themselves and the disease better. (International OCD Foundation, 2015)