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Suggest Treatment For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

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Posted on Tue, 9 Dec 2014
Question: This is what is happening to me. For example:
1- I never think of the word "terror", but when I hear it on TV or anywhere else, I suddenly got afraid and my heart beats very fast for seconds, then I get back to my normal situation.
2- I never think of staring at the papers that are in people's hands, until I see someone infornt of me holding papers, I suddenly start staring.
3- I never think of staring at women's chest, until I'm infornt of a woman, I suddenly start staring regardless of her age.
and same thing for all other things that are happening to me.
My question is: if it is OCD, isn't it mean that I have to think about those things all the time? But what happens to me happens only when I'm in the situation itself.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shubham Mehta (38 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
You have only compulsions.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear,

I have gone through your questions thoroughly.

OCD is classically defined as having both obsessions and compulsions. But the psychiatric disorders are of such nature that they never occur in copy-book patterns.
A person can either have only obsessions or only compulsions or both. And in either of the cases, OCD is diagnosed. Even, sometimes thought ruminations are the only symptoms of OCD.
From your description, it appears that you mainly have compulsions and not obsessions. Therefore you do not have continuous intrusive thoughts.

And fortunately, the drug treatment is same, be it only compulsions, only obsessions or both. The drugs used are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like fluoxetine or sertaline or paroxetine. These are primarily antidepressants but also act as anti-OCD drugs in higher doses.

Hope this clears your doubts.
Happy to help if you have any more queries.
Thanks.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Shubham Mehta

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 2144 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Brief Answer: You have only compulsions. Detailed Answer: Hello dear, I have gone through your questions thoroughly. OCD is classically defined as having both obsessions and compulsions. But the psychiatric disorders are of such nature that they never occur in copy-book patterns. A person can either have only obsessions or only compulsions or both. And in either of the cases, OCD is diagnosed. Even, sometimes thought ruminations are the only symptoms of OCD. From your description, it appears that you mainly have compulsions and not obsessions. Therefore you do not have continuous intrusive thoughts. And fortunately, the drug treatment is same, be it only compulsions, only obsessions or both. The drugs used are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like fluoxetine or sertaline or paroxetine. These are primarily antidepressants but also act as anti-OCD drugs in higher doses. Hope this clears your doubts. Happy to help if you have any more queries. Thanks.