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3 Drug-Free Ways To Treat OCD

3 March 2015

Vicki Alexander

Do you suffer from OCD, or think that you do? OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) is a neurotic condition that can be very irritating, and even disrupting to your life. It is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain that causes obsessive thoughts and/or compulsions to do certain rituals. People with OCD can have just obsessions, just compulsions, or both. Regardless of what type they have, the condition can cause great stress to those who have it. This is in spite of the fact that they rationally know there is no need for the obsessions or for them to perform the compulsive rituals.

Genetics can bring on OCD in some patients, while others have an emotional trigger for it. There is some evidence that children who get OCD may develop it as a result of a strep infection...the OCD symptoms are an after-effect of it. Whatever the cause of your condition, you will want to get rid of it if you have it. Psychiatrists can give you drugs to treat it, but these have a lot of unpleasant side effects, and don't work as well on some people as others. Some people find the drugs don't work at all. The good news is that there are drug-free ways to treat OCD that are very effective. Here are three that work very well.

1. Use Inositol

Inositol is a natural carbohydrate that has shown extreme promise in treating OCD. When taken in large doses, it produces calming effects in the mind all day long. These calming effects ease the obsessions and desire to perform compulsive acts that come with OCD. It also promotes better sleep in people who have trouble in that area.

Inositol is available in tablet and powder form, though most people use the powder. It has a very mild, sweet taste and can be mixed with any liquid. According to the OCD Recovery Center, the therapeutic dose is around 18 grams a day, but this varies from person to person. Doses should be adjusted as necessary in order to achieve results.

Inositol works as well or better than most of the chemical drugs on the market used to treat it. In fact, the worse the symptoms off OCD are in a person, the better inositol works in correcting it for them. Also, unlike chemical drugs, there are no side effects associated with taking inositol.

2. Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Cognitive behavior therapy is also extremely effective at treating OCD. For this, you will need to see a psychologist who is trained in administering this therapy. Your psychologist will guide you in overcoming the obsessions and compulsions associated with OCD by gradually exposing you to each one you have, making you face it, then avoid it.

This takes some time, and it can be emotionally uncomfortable at first. However, you will be avoiding your obsessions and compulsions under controlled circumstances in a safe environment.

With your psychologists's assistance and supervision, your mind will gradually let go of the need to think obsessively and perform compulsions. Most people who use cognitive behavior therapy and follow through with it for as long as it takes eventually achieve total cures. The success rate with this therapy is extremely high.

Conclusion

Just because you have OCD doesn't mean you have to take psychotropic drugs forever, or suffer with it without treatment. You can achieve great results and significant, or even total relief, through these two non-drug treatments. Get some inositol from a health food store today, call a psychologist who does cognitive behavior therapy and set up an appointment, or both. You will soon be well on your way to the cure you deserve.

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