Choosing the best obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) clinic is a matter of figuring out how you will be the most comfortable having your obsessive compulsive disorder treated. One OCD clinic might focus on changes in cognitive behavior, and another might delve into emotional issues that trigger the stress that feeds your OCD. Still another OCD clinic might rely on the use of medications to control your symptoms.
OCD is classified as an anxiety disorder, marked by recurrent obsessive thoughts that cause the sufferer to feel alarm. The reaction to that alarm is for the person with OCD to perform some kind of ritual to relieve the stress of the situation. For one person, it might be as simple as tapping a toe a specific number of times, and another person might say a prayer or touch a particular object. Each sufferer of OCD has his or her own triggers and own private rituals. It is estimated that 80 percent of people with OCD fully understand that their anxiety and the resulting ritualistic behavior is irrational but are driven by stress to behave that way.
The two primary treatments for OCD are psychotherapy and pharmaceutical. Treatment often is most effective when the two methods are combined. If you have an aversion to medication, finding an OCD clinic that primarily focuses on psychotherapy and cognitive behavior might be the most effective way to deal with your disorder. On the other hand, if you feel that you need medicinal intervention in order to relax enough to open yourself to cognitive therapy, an OCD clinic that specializes in a pharmaceutical approach might be most appropriate.
Hospitals and universities around the country offer OCD clinics, each with a slightly different approach to helping OCD sufferers find ways to manage their condition in a healthy manner. The first step is to speak with your personal physician to find out about OCD clinics in your area and to learn which primary method they employ to treat OCD. The next step is to contact the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing help for those with OCD. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the IOCDF was founded in 1986 by people with OCD as a way to reach out to others who might need help managing their symptoms. IOCDF provides a list of OCD clinics around the country.
