How Do We Take Care Of A Person With Obsessive-compulsive Disorder?

Posted on Thu, 9 Jun 2011

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 9 Jun 2011 Answered on

Last reviewed on

Question : Hi My mother has been diagnosed with Dementia and is currently on the excelon patch. I have recently moved my parents to my home from SC to XXXXXXX to assist my father in caring for my mother. The problems that my dad and I face is my mother also has OCD and steals when she goes into stores. We have reduced the size of her purse but she refuses to leave it in a car and take it with her anywhere. She also tells us all that we are mean and do not treat her nice and finally she has spinal stinous (sp) and is always laying on a couch and not doing any activity at all as she says her back hurts and she needs to lay down. We need help because we just do not know what to do???

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (6 hours later)

Hello.

Thanks for writing to us.

OCD is a psychiatric problem associated with excessive anxiety. It is a type of anxiety that happens when there is a problem with the way the brain deals with normal worrying and doubts. People with OCD usually worry a lot.

Cognitive and behavioural therapies show good response in such cases which you can have in consultation with your psychiatrist.

Meanwhile make her practice relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, XXXXXXX breathing, etc.

The compulsive stealing tendency which your mother is having is called as kleptomania. Along with the behavioural therapy, many drugs like fluvoxamine, paroxetine, etc will help her. You can choose the best drug suitable for her in consultation with her psychiatrist.

I hope this information has been both informative and helpful for you. If there are additional concerns, I am available for your followups.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar