Does OCD Go Away?

Does OCD go away? This is a common question especially for people diagnosed with OCD and even those who are concerned that they have it but aren’t sure yet. Does OCD go away? They need some sort of reassurance that they can improve even without treatment, while some just need something to propel them into taking that first cautious step towards seeking medical help. Does OCD go away? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic condition, which means it won’t fix itself and it generally cannot be completely cured. Instead, its symptoms are treated so as to not be as invasive as if it were left alone. However, don’t be disheartened. Though OCD can’t be completely cured, people diagnosed with it can still lead normal lives with the proper help, medication, as well as psychotherapy.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Does OCD go away? This therapy is considered to be the best form of treatment for OCD, at least currently. Researchers continue to conduct studies in search of other newer ways for treating and managing OCD symptoms.

Since OCD falls under the neurobiological disorder category, it involves behavioral components and is thus not psychological in origin. Therefore, ordinary therapy won’t work.

E&RP

Usual methods in cognitive behavior therapy for OCD involves Exposure and Response Prevention, or E&RP. In E&RP, you will be gradually confronting your fearful thoughts and situations while trying to resist the compulsions you typically use to relieve them. The main goal of E&RP is to develop a tolerance for the thought or situation that makes you anxious. It aims to let you and your subconscious understand that nothing bad with happen if you don’t give in to the compulsions.

This requires repetitive exposure, sometimes to the point of mental and emotional fatigue. Indeed, E&RP thrives on wearing the invasive thought out, to the point that you have no choice but to accept that yes, not performing the compulsions have no bad effects after all. This helps break the cycle of compulsions that just becomes more severe and harder to resist the longer it goes on.

Medication

Does OCD go away? Medical health professionals and physicians most commonly prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to people with OCD. These medications help raise the amount of serotonin in the body. Some of the brand names of SSRIs include Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Luvox, and Anafranil.

OCD medication typically takes about 8 to 12 weeks to start working well and showing effects, but some results can show within three to four weeks. However, of people who use medication and no other treatment plans, less than 20 percent end up without symptoms. In addition, 20 percent of those who start on medication later need to change their medications to find one that is more effective for them. So it really is a case to case basis

Side Effects

Does OCD go away? It should be noted that medications may have some side effects, including nausea, insomnia, restlessness, diarrhea, sedation, weight gain, dry mouth, and dizziness.

There is also the stigma that people who use drugs to manage their mental disorder are crazy or delusional. This is wrong on all levels. The need to use drugs doesn’t mean you are weaker; your chemistry just needs these particular medications to help you thrive.

Final Thoughts

Does OCD go away? There is the potential that OCD will stay there in the background, but you could get better. Learning to manage and control the compulsions would let you live a healthy life. To do so, you have to be open to using the tools provided in cognitive behavioral therapy as well as keep taking your prescribed medications if applicable. If you decide to stop without consulting your mental health professional, then there is a chance that you will relapse. Finding yourself hemmed in by symptoms again, you may face a harder time of regaining control once you lost it.

Treatments Plan

The thing with the treatment plans for OCD is most are geared towards helping you manage the symptoms yourself, without the need to rely on others. After all, it is never healthy to become entirely dependent on others when facing your fears. Their support is important and appreciated, but at the end of the day, the one who constantly has to face your fears is you yourself. Does OCD go away? An effective cognitive behavior therapy will teach you to stand on your own and be your own therapist as the process progresses. It will equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to effectively manage your symptoms, allowing you to learn how to handle the rest throughout your life.