What is OCD?
When you have OCD, you have recurring obsessions, compulsions, or in most cases, both:
Obsessions
Obsessions are uncontrollable and unwanted thoughts or mental images. These thoughts keep reappearing, causing anxiety that leads to compulsions.
Compulsions
Compulsions are specific behaviors you feel you must perform to relieve the anxiety and stop your obsessions. Though following your compulsive urge may relieve your anxiety, it’s only temporary; intrusive obsessions return.
What types of obsessions and compulsions might I experience?
When you have OCD, your thoughts and behaviors take up an hour or more of your time every day, interfering with your ability to function normally.
Obsessions are often centered on a theme. Some of the most common themes include:
- Fear of germs
- Fear of being harmed
- Needing to put things in a specific order
- Needing to keep items symmetrical
- Aggressive thoughts about yourself or others
Compulsive behaviors often fall in line with your obsessions. For example, you may repeatedly wash your hands to eliminate germs or frequently rearrange items on a shelf even though they’re already lined up.
How is OCD treated?
Treatment for OCD begins with medication and psychotherapy. Medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) help to relieve OCD symptoms, although they can take 8-12 weeks to start working.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), including one type called exposure and response prevention, may help you learn to reduce compulsive behaviors.
If your OCD symptoms don’t improve with medication and/or CBT, you may still find relief with ketamine infusion therapy.
How does ketamine treat OCD?
Ketamine is a prescription medication that produces different results, depending on the dose. At high doses, it’s a safe and effective anesthetic. At low doses, ketamine relieves pain and has been shown to treat mental health disorders.
Ketamine acts directly on receptors in your brain, where it normalizes levels of glutamate, a brain chemical that regulates mood and anxiety and can produce quick relief from OCD symptoms.
The team at Austin Ketamine Clinic administers low-dose ketamine through an intravenous infusion. Though you may experience an improvement in your OCD symptoms after your first infusion, a series of six treatments produces longer-lasting results. You may also need a maintenance infusion once every 4-6 weeks.
If your OCD doesn’t improve with standard medications or psychotherapy, call Austin Ketamine Clinic or schedule a complimentary consultation online.
