Treatment

There is no real "cure" for OCD but using some of the following methods can make it more livable for those who have it.

__**Medication**__ Medication is the most common form of treatment for OCD is medication. The most effective form of medication found so far are Selective Serotonin Reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's), some examples of these medications are; citalopram, fluoxitine, zimelidine and sertriline. Medication benifits approximately 60% of patients with OCD, although the benefit is not usually that high and chances of relapse when medication is stopped is very high.

__**Psychological Treatment**__ This approach is the most effective form of treatment for patients with OCD. The most common method for the Psychological treatment is called Exposure Response Prevention (ERP). The patient is exposed to whatever it is that triggers the anxiety in the first place either directly or mentally. This whole process is done gradually and in a controlled environment. Over time the patient gets less anxious about the obsession through the constant exposure. Once they are more comfortable and feel only little anxiety when exposed to the obsession it is "habituation". The Response Prevention portion of this treatment focuses on the ritual aspect of OCD that they use to lower their anxiety (eg. checking doors and windows constantly to make sure they are locked or washing hands). Through this treatment they learn to resist those rituals and most eventually stop them all together. Here is an outline for someone who is obsesses over the thought of contamination: They will make a list of something that could make them the most anxious down to something that is not as bad, an example being; 1. Touching Garbage (most anxious) 2. Using a door knob in a public place (moderately anxious) 3. Holding someones hand (least anxious) After they have made a list the people giving the treatment will start at the bottom (holding someones hand) and expose them to that situation. They have to stay engaged in the situation without proceeding with their ritual. This process can be done directly like in the example above or through "imagery" exposures where the patient is given examples of a situation and has to think about what they would do. This method of therapy is done along with ERP. In this method they are asked to pay particular attention to the thoughts and feelings they have during the moment that they are triggered by the obsession. It focuses on what the patient feels, what they think will happen if they do not follow through with the ritual and why they are obsessed with that particular situation. The people administering the treatment then try to reinterpret the situation for them to look at it in as lower in risk.
 * Exposure Response Prevention**
 * Cognitive Therapy**

__**Extreme Cases**__ In some extreme cases, although it is very rare, psychosurgery is performed. Only if patients have failed completely to respond to both drugs and therapy is it considered. The surgery uses radio-frequencies to destroy the brain tissue and disrupts a certain brain circuit called the corticostriatal circuit. This method is usually only about 30% effective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVCXGQiQKvg&feature=related