OCD treatment in Houston & across Texas

What does OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) actually look like?

Some obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors are present in many of us. We might check twice that a door is locked, organize clothes in a certain way, or have “mini rituals” before or during lunchtime. This is usually considered normal, as long as it does not affect your daily life or that of others.

With OCD, all of a sudden you have a thought in your mind that you cannot easily take away. The thought is intrusive in nature and cannot be easily forgotten. People feel the urge to think about something else, or to perform ritualistic behaviors in order to appease the thought and make it go away. Some people fear germs and need to wash their hands repeatedly (even if they are clean), as the thought of germs makes them very anxious and washing their hands temporarily relieves the anxiety.

In others, compulsive behaviors can involve counting, or doing things a certain way “to prevent something bad from happening”, or to “do better” in a certain interview or task. The obsessive and compulsive thoughts and behaviors in OCD start to affect your functioning, and simple tasks can become very difficult to accomplish.

At Tentie Psychiatry we make sure to carefully assess your symptoms and how they affect your daily life, and to understand you as a person, in order to provide the most accurate assessment of your situation and to offer the best treatment possible.

When is it time to see a psychiatrist?

• You have intrusive, uncomfortable thoughts that you cannot easily take away, and they have started to affect your life.
• Someone has started to show obsessive, ritualistic behaviors that consume long periods of their time.
• You feel distressed by not doing something a certain way, and you need to do it repeatedly in order to relieve anxiety.
• Some of your ritualistic, obsessive thoughts or behaviors have started to interfere with your relationships with others.
• You, or someone close to you, are unsure whether the behaviors are just part of “who they are” or could be considered abnormal.

Treatment options

Several medications have good response evidence as core treatment of OCD. SSRIs and other medications have proven beneficial in the treatment of OCD. Psychotherapy (cognitive behavioral therapy and others) has strong independent evidence for treatment and works well in combination with medications.

The goal of treatment is to minimize or reduce the level of obsessive and compulsive thoughts or behaviors in order to regain normal functioning in your daily activities.

The right choice of medication depends on a careful review of your history and of previous medication trials with good outcomes or unwanted adverse effects. Good sleep, physical activity, consistency with medications and added specialized behavioral therapy are great contributors to your recovery.

All treatment options are carefully reviewed with you, and you will have ample time and understanding to make the right decisions without feeling pressured.