Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD Treatment & Counseling
At Restorative Brain Center, we believe that no one should have to endure so much stress and discomfort that it interferes with a happy and healthy lifestyle. If it seems as though your efforts of overcoming and quieting the urges that are disrupting your life are hopeless, the professionals at our obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) treatment center can help.
Helping You Achieve the Relaxed and Carefree Lifestyle You Deserve
Our south Kansas City, MO clinic offers personalized OCD treatment options to help patients understand and cope with the debilitating thoughts and feelings that come with the disorder. OCD counseling is typically at the core of treatment, and patients may choose either individual sessions or group therapy. Individual OCD counseling allows a patient to confront and overcome fears with the help of a licensed therapist in a confidential and clinical environment.
To supplement OCD counseling, medication is often prescribed to assist patients with symptom management. A combination of counseling and medication has proven successful for many patients. We also offer a non-invasive, alternative treatment for OCD known as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition in which an individual suffers from uncontrollable, recurring thoughts (obsessions) that drive them to engage in repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These obsessions often lead to negative emotions, such as anxiety or disgust, causing the individual to experience an urgent need to perform a particular action in order to feel better.
Typical obsessions include a need for symmetry or organization, fear of contamination, and disturbing or inappropriate thoughts about harm, sex, or religion. For example, an individual may fear touching a door knob that others have used, experience anxiety when objects aren’t organized a certain way, or have recurring thoughts about intrusive and unwarranted scenes of self-harm.
Typical compulsions revolve around maintaining cleanliness, following an exact routine, and repeatedly checking and counting. For example, an individual may wash their hands until their skin becomes raw, arrange shoes in a particular order every morning, or repeatedly check to make sure doors are locked.
It is important to seek treatment for OCD, as this condition may lead to:
- A poor quality of life
- Troubled relationships
- Health issues
- Interference with work, school, and personal activities
- Suicidal thoughts or behavior
While the root cause of OCD is unknown, theories suggest the development of this disorder is related to changes in body or brain chemistry, genetics, and environmental factors. Fortunately, OCD treatment has been found to be highly effective for helping those suffering from this condition learn to manage their obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
The onset of OCD may result from the following:
- Other mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, or substance abuse
- A family history of OCD
- Stressful or traumatic life events
Although individuals with OCD may show a range of symptoms, they all experience unwanted, recurring thoughts that lead to uncontrollable urges to perform a repetitive behavior.
The following symptoms may indicate that a person is suffering from OCD:
- An urgent need to constantly rearrange or organize things
- Constantly checking for errors one may have made or for signs of danger
- Repeating particular words or phrases to eliminate anxiety
- Obsessive thoughts regarding contamination, symmetry, or sex
- Fixation on the cleanliness of one’s body or living space
Other conditions that are related to OCD include compulsive skin-picking or hair-pulling, hoarding, and body dysmorphia, which occurs when a person thinks about facial or body flaws for an excessive amount of time each day.