OCD Resources

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, affects one out of every fifty people. While movies like Rainman or As Good as It Gets glorify the disease through the eyes of their brilliant yet aloof characters, OCD presents a real problem to people trying to live their everyday lives. Psychologists general agree anxiety causes the symptoms of OCD. These symptoms include intrusive thoughts that often force the victim into some course of action. These actions manifest themselves in repeated movements, unusual phobias and tendencies toward irrational behaviors. Often the sufferer of these conditions understands their actions as illogical but feels they must perform them to assuage their anxiety. This cycle only increases anxiousness and leads to further obsession. Although most of these tendencies do not directly injure the person, obsessive commitment often leads to unintended physical harm. People who compulsively pick at their skin often develop scabs and infections as a result. Conditions that are more serious include habitual cutting and aggressive tendencies. These compulsions can become life threatening if not treated. Luckily, treatment usually consists of an SSRI antidepressant, followed by tricyclic antidepressants and therapy if the SSRI is unsuccessful. Though these drugs may alleviate the symptoms of OCD, doctors know little about its causes and still have not found a cure. As a common problem in the U.S., obsessive-compulsive disorder remains an important topic of research and debate in the psychological world.

What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?

• This website defines OCD in medical terms http://www.medicinenet.com/obsessive_compulsive_disorder_ocd/article.htm
• This has personal stories about what it can be like when you have OCD http://www.thehealthcenter.info/adult-ocd/
• This is a simplified discussion of what OCD is for teenagers http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/ocd.html

What Causes OCD?

• This discusses possible causes of OCD http://www.anxietycare.org.uk/docs/ocdcauses.asp
• This is a very brief explanation of what can cause OCD http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/DS00189/DSECTION=causes

Understanding and Coping with OCD

• These are books on OCD and several links to other categories of OCD books http://www.mental-health-today.com/bookstore/ocd.htm
• This has many self-help books on coping with OCD http://www.books4selfhelp.com/obsessive-compulsive.htm
• These books can help kids with OCD and parents of children with OCD http://www.childrensdisabilities.info/OCD/OCD-books.html

Drugs for Treating OCD

• This has drugs that can help OCD, including herbal options http://www.camh.net/About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Mental_Health_Information/OCD/ocd_medications.html
• This has abstracts on many of the named SSRI drugs used to mitigate OCD http://www.biopsychiatry.com/ssripharm.htm
• This discusses, medically, how TCA drugs help people with OCD and lists named drugs http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants/MH00071
• This is a non-medical discussion on anti-anxiety remedies from lay persons http://ask.metafilter.com/90860/Looking-for-overthecounter-antianxiety-medication

Details on Three of the Most Common Treatment Drugs

• This discusses reactions of sertraline (Zoloft), which is commonly used to treat OCD http://www.emedicinehealth.com/drug-sertraline/article_em.htm
• This discusses paroxetine (Paxil) and its uses, including treating OCD http://www.medicinenet.com/paroxetine/article.htm

Treating Resistant OCD

• This is a letter to the editor of the American Journal of Psychiatry suggesting a method to treat resistant OCD symptoms http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/162/11/2191-
• This is a full-text medical article on treating resistant OCD symptoms http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/display/article/10168/52481

Living with Someone Who has OCD

• This is the webpage for the A&E reality show about people with OCD http://www.aetv.com/obsessed/
• This has lay discussions on living with someone who has OCD and how to cope http://www.camh.net/About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Mental_Health_Information/OCD/ocd_help.html
• This has discussion on how to handle a person who has OCD by the International OCD Foundation http://www.ocfoundation.org/EO_FamilyGuidelines.aspx