If obsessive compulsive disorder is taking over your life, it’s time to find a treatment that works. The team at Sage Mental Wellness provides holistic and traditional treatments at the facilities in Hagerstown and Frederick, Maryland. Leading the team are Audra Worthington, MSN, PMHNP-BC, and Tammy Lewis, PMHNP-BC, both of whom are ready to listen to your concerns and make a personalized treatment plan to restore your ability to function normally with OCD. If you need treatment for your symptoms, call one of the offices in Maryland today to set up an appointment or book a consultation online.
Obsessive compulsive disorder is a mental health problem that causes you to have recurrent unwanted or intrusive thoughts, which often lead to repetitive actions. This vicious cycle is known as obsessions and compulsions.
With OCD, the thoughts or compulsions disrupt your daily activities. If you’re unable to perform the compulsion, it likely causes you a great deal of distress.
The other aspect of OCD is that you know the obsessions or compulsions aren’t rational or realistic. However, you can’t let the thought or action go, even though you know it’s irrational.
When you have OCD, you may experience either obsessions, compulsions, or both. Typically, your obsessions cause you to perform the compulsions. Some of the common symptoms of OCD include:
You may also find yourself checking the locks several times, even when you know you’ve locked the door. The same goes for the stove or light switches, when you know they’re off, but your mind continues to obsess about them.
When OCD is overwhelming your life, the team at Sage Mental Wellness helps you get your obsessions and compulsions under control through several helpful treatments. After a thorough evaluation, the team creates a personalized plan that addresses your specific problems.
cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the most widely used treatments for OCD. One common form of cognitive-behavioral therapy is exposure and response prevention. In this form of therapy, you’re exposed to the situations or obsessions that haunt you, which initially causes anxiety.
However, the team encourages you to keep yourself from performing the compulsion. Over time, this helps you understand that the thoughts fueling your compulsions aren’t real or scary, helping you overcome the problem.
Medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are often used to help with OCD symptoms. Healthy lifestyle choices, such as yoga and meditation, are also helpful in managing your symptoms.
To learn more about OCD treatments, call the Sage Mental Wellness team today, or book a consultation on the website.