Suggest Treatment For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Posted on Thu, 6 Feb 2014

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

Thu, 6 Feb 2014 Answered on

Sat, 1 Mar 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : i have some mental problems. like i cant concentrate on things.unusual thoughts distracts me.and i cant avoid thoughts.if i avoid it gives me anxiousness and they come again.then ultimately i have to give them attention. other thing is i get worried by everything.any task comes that i have to do,i get worried no matter how simple it is to do.worries comes internally and even when i don't want to be worried. then worry brings anxiousness in me.and then my mind doesn't work.i cant apply logic in this situation.feels like there is a barrier between me and my mind.i am not able to use my mind and not even able to remember things.head feels heavy and hot. thats why i was not able to learn during my rigorous training and then i got in high depression.there are many other related things happen with me but this is affecting most my life specially professional life. other things- 1.i talk as least as possible since i am busy in my thoughts. 2.i talk in monotones way.don't smile at jokes and just feel them inside that it was funny.and sometimes i start smiling for no reason.like once i was smiling when my cousins dead body was taken at home. 3.i have a habit of doing things again and again.like if i saw something written while walking i have to read it many times.if i don't then i feel restless. 4.i like to live alone.don't call to family members and close friends.i talk only when its too much necessary. 5.i do things the way i have been doing.i just cant do them in new way even if its easy. 6.eat just considering it a daily task. 7.postpone every task. 8.hard to come out of bed.don't feel energy. 9.don't feel excitement for anything. 10. sometimes while talking to someone, i feel like need to get angry and i get angry to that person without any logical reason.i make my own wrong reasons to get angry and even i really start believing those reason and feel angry and get upset.and later realize that there was nothing to get angry. so want to know what is the problem.

Answered by Dr. Preeti Parakh (33 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Explained below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Welcome to Healthcare Magic! From your description, it appears that you are probably suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Obsessions are recurrent thoughts which intrude upon your mind against your will, are absurd and difficult to resist. Attempts to resist them result in anxiety. Anxiety is relieved temporarily by repetitive activities like checking, cleaning etc, which are called compulsions. It is common for people suffering from OCD to become depressed as well and this seems to be so in your case as well. OCD can be treated with medicines and there is a very good response usually. Medicines of the SSRI group like fluoxetine, fluvoxamine etc are known to be effective. You will need to consult a psychiatrist for detailed assessment and prescription of medicines. I hope this helps you. Please feel free to ask if you need any clarifications. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

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

Follow up: Dr. Preeti Parakh (4 hours later)

your reply answers many of the my queries.thanks for that. but still i could not understand few things..it will be good if u can explain them individually- 1.why i get worried by small things and then becomes anxious.which in result stop my mind working properly.? 2.why i don't feel excitement for anything/ 3.why do i get angry for reasons i have assumed on my own. 4.why i don't give response to things which i should.like i should laugh on jokes even if i find them funny.and why i get smile for no reason while i am at a place where my relative is lying dead.

Answered by Dr. Preeti Parakh (14 minutes later)

Brief Answer: More information needed. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Can you let me know how long have you been feeling the four points you listed? Also let me know how long have you been having obsessions? It appears to me that the some of your problems can rooted in your personality but I would be able to answer better if you can give me some more information. I would like to know: 1) Were you an anxious kind of person even in school? 2) Have you always been very particular about the way things are done, adhering to routines as much as possible? 3) Are you a perfectionist and often miss deadlines because of the time you take to do things perfectly? 4) Do you appear as "rigid" to others? 5) How would others describe your personality as? Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

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

Follow up: Dr. Preeti Parakh (25 minutes later)

i am having all these problems listed above since childhood except that my mind stops working completely.this is happening only since last few months. 1.yeah i was anxious kind of person even in school. 2.yes i was always particular. 3.yeah i try to do things the way they are told to do or the way they used to be done.and i often miss deadlines.i check things many times to make sure they are perfect. 4.no i am not rigid to others.but i am particular about how i do things. 5.i guess they will describe me as a person who don't talk much but a honest person.a person who lives with himself.

Answered by Dr. Preeti Parakh (42 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Explained below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX In addition to having OCD, you also seem to have cluster C personality traits (Anxious-avoidant personalily disorder, obsessive compulsive personality disorder) which make you anxious or angry over trivial issues. I do not know why you smiled when in the presence of a dead body. Perhaps you were thinking of something funny which made you smile but which you cannot recall now. People with psychotic disorders behave in this manner, but I do not think that is so in your case. Regarding you inability to feel any excitement or express pleasure, these appear to be due to depression. Low mood is often accompanied with loss of pleasurability and loss of interest. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

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

Follow up: Dr. Preeti Parakh (26 minutes later)

if i remember right then i think i felt urge at that time to smile.there was nothing funny going on my mind. so how much time would it take to cure ocd?

Answered by Dr. Preeti Parakh (11 hours later)

Brief Answer: Explained below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX In OCD, there sometimes are urges to do things without any preceding obsessions. People are unable to resist these urges and feel anxious if they do so. But at the same time they are aware that the urge does not make sense. This could be an explanation for the abnormal behavior your described. The treatment for OCD gives good results but takes time and patience. The medicines take around 4 to 6 weeks to show their response and then the dose is hiked as per requirement. I expect you to have a significant benefit in two to three months after starting treatment. This then has to be continued for long. Once you are totally fine, then medicines should be continued for at least one more year after that, as otherwise there is a strong chance of relapse. There are also options like behavior therapy (exposure and response prevention) which can be done in addition to medicines for better results. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

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