OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder): How to Manage

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition with symptoms that can be hard to deal with. It can make it hard for you to do daily tasks.

But there are treatments and other things you can do to help with OCD.

What actions can I take to manage OCD?

Treatments

• Mental health therapy. This can help you learn:
  • How to change your thinking about obsessions.
  • How to stop doing compulsions.
• Medicine. Some medicines can make your symptoms easier to handle.

• Deep brain stimulation (DBS).
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

How to manage lifestyle changes

Managing stress

Stress can make OCD symptoms worse. Doing things to lower stress can help with symptoms.

To help lower your stress, you could:

• Find things to help you feel calm, such as:
  • Meditation.
  • Relaxing your muscles.
  • Deep breathing.
• Move your body. You could take a short walk each day.
• Get enough good sleep.
• Do things you like or that are fun for you.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Take your medicines only as told.
  • Avoid substances that can stop your medicines from working like they should.
  • Do not stop taking your medicines all of a sudden. Talk with your doctor about how to stop your medicines slowly.
• Check with your provider before you take any new medicines.

General instructions

• Write in a journal. Share it with your provider to show how you're doing. Write about:
  • Your feelings.
  • Your medicines.
  • Your sleep.
  • Things that happen each day.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle. You should:
  • Avoid substances, such as alcohol or products with nicotine in them.
    • Alcohol may help lower worry and stress at first, but those feelings come back and get worse as the effects of alcohol wear off.
    • Nicotine can make your symptoms worse.
  • Eat healthy foods.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Get enough sleep.

Where to find support

• What OCD is. This can help them better support you. Share with them:
  • What it's like for you.
  • Books or papers they can read about OCD.
• Treatments you're doing.
• Family therapy. This can help lower stress and make your home life better.

Questions to ask your health care provider

• If you take medicines, ask your provider:
  • How long will I need to take this medicine?
  • What are the side effects?
• You can also ask:
  • What other treatments do you think I should have?
  • Can you give me referrals to specialists you think I should see?

Where to find more information

• HelpGuide.org at helpguide.org. Then:
  1. Click on the magnifying glass and type "OCD."
  2. Find the link you need.
• American Psychiatric Association at psychiatry.org/patients-families.
  1. Scroll down on the page to the list of mental health topics.
  2. Choose "obsessive-compulsive and related disorders" from the list.
• International OCD Foundation at iocdf.org.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at nami.org/your-journey.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your symptoms get worse.
• Your symptoms don't get better with treatment.
• You have new symptoms.
• You get side effects from your medicines that worry you.

Get help right away if:

• You feel like you may hurt yourself or others.
• You have thoughts about taking your own life.
• You have other thoughts or feelings that worry you.

• Go to your nearest emergency room.
• Call 911.
• Contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24/7, free and confidential):
  • Call or text 988.
  • Chat online at chat.988lifeline.org.
• For Veterans and their loved ones:
  • Call 988 and press 1.
  • Text the Veterans Crisis Line at 838255.
  • Chat online at veteranscrisisline.net.