No medication.

[M4ch44l]

Has anyone been able to get their OCD under control and find a way to manage it without the use of medication? I have an extreme fear of medication and I’m hoping therapy will be enough to tackle my severe case. I would just like some hope and perhaps be able to hear some success stories.

[Handy]

Certainly, you absolutely can! It requires quite a bit of courage tho.

[Ashley]

8 hours ago, M4ch44l said:

Has anyone been able to get their OCD under control and find a way to manage it without the use of medication? I have an extreme fear of medication and I’m hoping therapy will be enough to tackle my severe case. I would just like some hope and perhaps be able to hear some success stories.

For the most part I have overcome 90% of my OCD. It's taken time, and I still have a bit of work to do. I was not particularly depressed because of the OCD so I chose never to take medication.  Could I have overcome quicker with meds, who knows, but I chose to tackle with CBT alone.

I would never rule meds out, they can be helfpul, but it's ok to try therapy first. The NICE Guidelines do support this too.

[Albertina]

Yes you can recover from OCD without medication. But it will take time and at start it a bit tough to do therapy but later you will know how to tackle your thoughts. Which therapy you are starting with? The most recommended therapy for OCD is ERP therapy which is a form of CBT therapy and it helps a lot to deal with OCD.

Some good articles that can help to start with ERP therapy

https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/ocd-treatment/erp/

https://www.mentalhelp.net/blogs/erp-therapy-a-good-choice-for-treating-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/

https://peaceofmind.com/starting-erp/

[Angst]

The NICE guidelines which are presented on the information pages of this site (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) indicate that drugs, SSRIs, should be used in combination with therapy if the patient has severe ‘functional impairment’. This can be measured by one of the standard OCD questionnaires. NICE indicates levels of severity of OCD and the appropriate treatment paths for each level. I had severe OCD diagnosed by a psychiatrist and clinical psychologist and I think SSRIs helped together with therapy.

Edited January 20, 2021 by Angst

[Ashley]

18 minutes ago, Angst said:

The NICE guidelines which are presented on the information pages of this site (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) indicate that drugs, SSRIs, should be used in combination with therapy if the patient has severe ‘functional impairment’. 

 

This is right and is most likely the gold standard approach,  but I believe the guidelines do also make the point the patient should be offered a choice between combining therapy with meds or more intensive therapeutic intervention. I will have to dig it out for the exact wording, but the point about 'choice' is important

 

1 hour ago, Albertina said:

The most recommended therapy for OCD is ERP therapy which is a form of CBT therapy

Just to clarify, here in the UK we advocate CBT (the cognitive and the behavioral - including ERP), rather than ERP on its own.   The cognitive aspect of OCD is felt to be helpful in addressing the meaning attached to the thought which can often keep OCD fears going, even after exposure work and lead to relapses.

[malina]

I took medication for only a brief period in my early 20s and haven't taken it again in over 10 years. I've managed to overcome many big hurdles with CBT and I'm happy about that. However, I would also say that you shouldn't have such a negative view of medication. It can be helpful and you should be flexible and open minded about things. Many people do take medication and it helps them.

[PolarBear]

Meds changed my life. They don't work that way for everyone. If you don't want to go down the meds route, then you need to come up with a plan to take care of yourself and minimize your overall anxiety. It can be done but you have to work at it.

Your plan must include times for relaxation and exercise. You need to eat healthy and get plenty of sleep. Look into taking a course on relaxation. Check out mindfulness.

You won't overcome OCD if you are worn out.

[Handy]

DBT is also effective.  DBT is CBT & mindfulness & group. 
 

A lot of SSRIs are effective just from a placebo effect according to Harvard.

It can be good to be on certain meds but it’s also important to avoid some things like caffeine, nicotine, alcohol & meth as these can mimic anxiety.

Edited January 22, 2021 by Handy

[Handy]

The paradox of medication is the medication becomes the compulsion. It’s just another way to not resolve the anxiety. Just like washing the hands. It’s  a compulsion after a few months. To resolve anxiety one must be able to feel it by not doing the medication compulsion.

[PolarBear]

41 minutes ago, Handy said:

The paradox of medication is the medication becomes the compulsion. It’s just another way to not resolve the anxiety. Just like washing the hands. It’s  a compulsion after a few months. To resolve anxiety one must be able to feel it by not doing the medication compulsion.

Where do you get this stuff? Medication becomes the compulsion? Whaaaaat?

Your posts sometimes seem like they come out of the Twilight Zone.