How to Recover from OCD
Talk to a therapist., Consider cognitive behavioral therapy., Take medication., Enter a treatment facility., Face the anxiety., Accept the thoughts., Resist giving into the rituals., Sleep enough, eat well, and get plenty of exercise., Join a...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Talk to a therapist.
Attending sessions with a professional counselor or therapist may help with calming down the anxiety that led to OCD.
Rituals associated with OCD are often used to calm the person down.
A therapist may be able to provide you with techniques that can quell the anxieties.
Ask friends and family members for the name of a therapist they trust.
Use a therapist that others you know feel comfortable around and have been successful with.
Look online for recommendations, as well. -
Step 2: Consider cognitive behavioral therapy.
Undergo cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, if your therapist believes it is a good idea.
Over time, you may learn new ways to respond to the triggers.
CBT involves exposure and response management.
You will typically be asked to make a hierarchy of things you find easy and working your up toward more difficult tasks.
Your therapist will help you learn new responses and behaviors to handle these things.It can be helpful to include family or close friends in your treatment.
They can help you practice your exposure and provide you with support and encouragement. , OCD is often helped by the use of medication.
Typically, therapists prescribe antidepressants to help calm the fears and feelings that are associated with OCD.
Therapists may also use psychiatric medications to help some patients.
The therapist may prescribe Zoloft, Paxil, or another type of antidepressant.
It may take lots of trial and error to determine which medication works the best and you may need a combination of several.
Additionally, the medication can take many weeks to work.Medications may also cause unpleasant side effects like nausea, decreased sexual drive, or weight gain.
Talk to your doctor to decide which, if any, medication is right for you. , Consider staying at a treatment facility if your symptoms are severe or outpatient therapy isn’t working.
Centers offer treatment and support at all times of day and night.
This is helpful when you are unable to control your symptoms and can’t function during your daily life.
Talk to your therapist about getting this type of treatment, if you feel it is necessary.
They may be able to offer suggestions about facilities and make the necessary connections you need in order to become admitted.Don't just depend on your provider to do the legwork.
Take some time to research and even contact a few treatment centers before your admission.
Find out their unique philosophies and the way they approach treatment to determine which is right for your case. , A common theory in the medical world regarding OCD is to not run away from the anxiety, but to face it.
Instead of trying to escape your thoughts, confront them.
Doing so may help you understand the underlying cause of them, which may ultimately force them to go away.
Write down your thoughts.
Getting them out in the open may get them out of your mind.
Try not to prevent the thoughts from coming into your head.
The more you try to keep them away the more likely they are to return, often making the fear worse over time.
Instead, try to live your life and accept what is going to happen.For example, you might start tracking anxious thoughts in a journal.
Write it down if obsess about whether you turned off your stove before you left home.
Your notes can help in your treatment process. , Simply accepting the fact that you’re going to have these anxiety-ridden thoughts can actually stop the anxiety that comes with the idea that you’re going to experience these thoughts.
The key is to know that you don’t have the accept the feared outcome of the thoughts.
Remind yourself that you aren’t battling the catastrophic events that you are afraid of, you’re just battling the thoughts.
Tell yourself that every thought you’ve ever experienced in your life has not come to fruition.
Therefore, the chances of these thoughts actually occurring are slim to none.
Say, "Just because I think it does not make it true." Repeat this whenever your thoughts overwhelm you with fear or worry. , People with OCD typically engage in rituals to help themselves feel better about the anxiety they are experiencing.
They often feel their fears and anxieties calmed within a few moments.
Trying to just get through the feeling of anxiety, instead of performing rituals to get through them, may eventually help the OCD improve.
This type of treatment is used in exposure and response prevention therapy.
This type of therapy takes a lot of psychological effort and strength, but is often effective with the help of therapist.You might practice deep breathing when you feel strong compulsions.
It may also help to count aloud to
100.
Practice getting further and further along the number line before you give in to the compulsion. , Part of OCD recovery is taking care of yourself physically and mentally.
Exercising every day may help release some of the tension and anxiety you feel.
Getting enough sleep can prevent some of the triggers you may experience.
It can also make you feel better and give you a clearer mind.
Stress reduction is also important in managing symptoms for most people with OCD.
Eating a healthy diet is also essential when trying to become physically and mentally healthy.
Talk to your doctor about any vitamins or supplements they think you may also need.Make time for daily relaxation, as well.
Therapy and practice with exposure are important, but can be emotionally draining.
Take time to rest, recharge, and put yourself at ease. , Attend a support group created for people with OCD.
Talking to others about what you experience can make you feel like you’re not alone in this.
It may also give you suggestions on how you can combat the condition.
Talk to your therapist about any support groups in the area that they may recommend.
You may also consider attending one online., Talk to people you trust when you are having difficulty coping with your symptoms.
Confide in someone you trust and who won’t judge you.
They may be able to offer insight when you are feeling scared and help you through it.You might say to a friend, "I am late for class a lot because I have to do these rituals before I leave my apartment.
I just wanted someone in my life here at college to know what I'm dealing with." Your friends and family can also help hold you accountable for doing exposures, and can provide you with support and encouragement when you face challenges. , Your therapist may give you assignments to do while you are at home.
Make sure you do them, as they can help in your recovery.
Skipping the work could hinder your progress.
Consistency and persistence are critical in recovery for OCD, so it is important to tackle something that challenges you every day.
Even if the homework is difficult or you feel that it isn’t helpful, it is still important to finish it.
It is likely working in ways you aren’t aware of. -
Step 3: Take medication.
-
Step 4: Enter a treatment facility.
-
Step 5: Face the anxiety.
-
Step 6: Accept the thoughts.
-
Step 7: Resist giving into the rituals.
-
Step 8: Sleep enough
-
Step 9: eat well
-
Step 10: and get plenty of exercise.
-
Step 11: Join a support group.
-
Step 12: Talk to friends and family.
-
Step 13: Do the work.
Detailed Guide
Attending sessions with a professional counselor or therapist may help with calming down the anxiety that led to OCD.
Rituals associated with OCD are often used to calm the person down.
A therapist may be able to provide you with techniques that can quell the anxieties.
Ask friends and family members for the name of a therapist they trust.
Use a therapist that others you know feel comfortable around and have been successful with.
Look online for recommendations, as well.
Undergo cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, if your therapist believes it is a good idea.
Over time, you may learn new ways to respond to the triggers.
CBT involves exposure and response management.
You will typically be asked to make a hierarchy of things you find easy and working your up toward more difficult tasks.
Your therapist will help you learn new responses and behaviors to handle these things.It can be helpful to include family or close friends in your treatment.
They can help you practice your exposure and provide you with support and encouragement. , OCD is often helped by the use of medication.
Typically, therapists prescribe antidepressants to help calm the fears and feelings that are associated with OCD.
Therapists may also use psychiatric medications to help some patients.
The therapist may prescribe Zoloft, Paxil, or another type of antidepressant.
It may take lots of trial and error to determine which medication works the best and you may need a combination of several.
Additionally, the medication can take many weeks to work.Medications may also cause unpleasant side effects like nausea, decreased sexual drive, or weight gain.
Talk to your doctor to decide which, if any, medication is right for you. , Consider staying at a treatment facility if your symptoms are severe or outpatient therapy isn’t working.
Centers offer treatment and support at all times of day and night.
This is helpful when you are unable to control your symptoms and can’t function during your daily life.
Talk to your therapist about getting this type of treatment, if you feel it is necessary.
They may be able to offer suggestions about facilities and make the necessary connections you need in order to become admitted.Don't just depend on your provider to do the legwork.
Take some time to research and even contact a few treatment centers before your admission.
Find out their unique philosophies and the way they approach treatment to determine which is right for your case. , A common theory in the medical world regarding OCD is to not run away from the anxiety, but to face it.
Instead of trying to escape your thoughts, confront them.
Doing so may help you understand the underlying cause of them, which may ultimately force them to go away.
Write down your thoughts.
Getting them out in the open may get them out of your mind.
Try not to prevent the thoughts from coming into your head.
The more you try to keep them away the more likely they are to return, often making the fear worse over time.
Instead, try to live your life and accept what is going to happen.For example, you might start tracking anxious thoughts in a journal.
Write it down if obsess about whether you turned off your stove before you left home.
Your notes can help in your treatment process. , Simply accepting the fact that you’re going to have these anxiety-ridden thoughts can actually stop the anxiety that comes with the idea that you’re going to experience these thoughts.
The key is to know that you don’t have the accept the feared outcome of the thoughts.
Remind yourself that you aren’t battling the catastrophic events that you are afraid of, you’re just battling the thoughts.
Tell yourself that every thought you’ve ever experienced in your life has not come to fruition.
Therefore, the chances of these thoughts actually occurring are slim to none.
Say, "Just because I think it does not make it true." Repeat this whenever your thoughts overwhelm you with fear or worry. , People with OCD typically engage in rituals to help themselves feel better about the anxiety they are experiencing.
They often feel their fears and anxieties calmed within a few moments.
Trying to just get through the feeling of anxiety, instead of performing rituals to get through them, may eventually help the OCD improve.
This type of treatment is used in exposure and response prevention therapy.
This type of therapy takes a lot of psychological effort and strength, but is often effective with the help of therapist.You might practice deep breathing when you feel strong compulsions.
It may also help to count aloud to
100.
Practice getting further and further along the number line before you give in to the compulsion. , Part of OCD recovery is taking care of yourself physically and mentally.
Exercising every day may help release some of the tension and anxiety you feel.
Getting enough sleep can prevent some of the triggers you may experience.
It can also make you feel better and give you a clearer mind.
Stress reduction is also important in managing symptoms for most people with OCD.
Eating a healthy diet is also essential when trying to become physically and mentally healthy.
Talk to your doctor about any vitamins or supplements they think you may also need.Make time for daily relaxation, as well.
Therapy and practice with exposure are important, but can be emotionally draining.
Take time to rest, recharge, and put yourself at ease. , Attend a support group created for people with OCD.
Talking to others about what you experience can make you feel like you’re not alone in this.
It may also give you suggestions on how you can combat the condition.
Talk to your therapist about any support groups in the area that they may recommend.
You may also consider attending one online., Talk to people you trust when you are having difficulty coping with your symptoms.
Confide in someone you trust and who won’t judge you.
They may be able to offer insight when you are feeling scared and help you through it.You might say to a friend, "I am late for class a lot because I have to do these rituals before I leave my apartment.
I just wanted someone in my life here at college to know what I'm dealing with." Your friends and family can also help hold you accountable for doing exposures, and can provide you with support and encouragement when you face challenges. , Your therapist may give you assignments to do while you are at home.
Make sure you do them, as they can help in your recovery.
Skipping the work could hinder your progress.
Consistency and persistence are critical in recovery for OCD, so it is important to tackle something that challenges you every day.
Even if the homework is difficult or you feel that it isn’t helpful, it is still important to finish it.
It is likely working in ways you aren’t aware of.
About the Author
Lori Garcia
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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