In the first part of this two-part article we discussed causes and symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. Here we will look at treatment options.
Do you need to double-check that you locked the door when you leave home, or that you locked the car when you parked? That is normal – we all do it occasionally because our minds are on other things and we forget. However, if you need to go back three, or four times, that may be a problem. You may suffer from OCD, or obsessive compulsive disorder.
Research has looked closely at the two ways the mental health profession treats depression: depression counselling and drugs. While evidence suggests that drugs have a more immediate impact, counselling is more effective over the long term. Also, drugs have side effects that may be worse than the condition they are meant to treat.
Our body is kept in balance by our sympathetic nervous system, which facilitates action, and our parasympathetic nervous system, which facilitates rest and recovery. During stress, we experience pressures that outweigh our coping abilities. As a result, our body senses danger and activates our sympathetic nervous system. This can occur even without our awareness of the stressors.
