Millions of people around the world suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), leaving under constant fear, frustration and anxiety. It is a mental illness that induces some stereotype obsessions in people who then feel compelled to behave in a manner giving in to the obsessions over and over again. Though the patients realize that their thoughts have no basis and are irrational, they fail to suppress them. Often it is a one-sided lost battle that they fight with their obsession.
Unfortunately, like many other mental disorders, OCD does not have a permanent cure. Medications and coping skills can only alleviate the symptoms so that life would be much easier for the patient.
Obsessive compulsive disorder is generally treated with psychoactive drugs and psychotherapy. Psychoactive medications can make a person permanently dependent on them; therefore it is absolutely necessary to try all other options before opting for it.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
One of the most successful treatments that have helped people cope dexterously with OCD symptoms is the exposure and response prevention technique, which is also known as Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT). Here the patient instead of being protected from the trigger, which may result in obsession, is exposed to it consciously. When the compulsion to react to the situation sets in, the patient is prevented from acting it out.
A person who may have fear of handshakes would be directed to shake hands with a stranger and then stopped from washing hands. Next it may be progressed to the level of making them shake hands with not so clean people. With due exposure, slowly the coping skill sets in and the compulsion to react, dies down gradually. CBT as a psychotherapy without medications has been successful in 65-70 percent of OCD cases, whereas, when combined with medications, it has much higher success rate.
Homeopathy Treatment of OCD
Homeopathy has been successful in treating OCD by removing the obsession and compulsion effectively. Homeopathy does not just treat the condition but considers the patient as a whole being and addresses the situation only after collecting information about the personality type, medical history, and current health situation. Depending on the data collected, Homeopathy uses the following medications according to the requirement of the patient:
- Natrum Mur
- Cannabis Indica
- Medorrhinum
- Pulse
- Arsenic Album
- Lachesis
- Rhus-tox
Magnet Therapy
Magnetic therapy involves repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) which is the least invasive physical treatment available for OCD. The success of TMS has made the doctors consider it as a promising alternative therapy to psychotic drugs. The focal points in the brain which may be responsible for OCD are targeted by placing a sealed electro-magnetic device on the skull of the patient. The device affects specific regions of the brain, either stimulating or inhibiting the activity in the region as required.
Family Support
Learning about OCD and being aware of what is in store for them is the first step the family should take towards helping their loved one who is suffering from the malady. The next step would be to move towards family accommodation behavior, where certain helpful things are done by the family as a unit to help the person cope with the condition. A supportive, loving and understanding family contributes a lot to the treatment.
