OCD Specialist

What is OCD? 

Most people experience some mild obsessions or compulsions, especially around organizing things or keeping their space clean. However, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves intrusive thoughts and overwhelming urges that cause you to repeat certain behaviors over and over. 

OCD consumes a lot of your time and energy, and you experience significant distress when you’re prevented from performing the behaviors or feel you can’t execute them properly.

In addition, you may feel ashamed or embarrassed about your OCD symptoms and wish you could stop your obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviors. But when you try to control your symptoms, it leads to more anxiety and stress.   

What are the most common symptoms of OCD?

OCD symptoms vary depending on the individual and the focus of the fixation. However, these symptoms share some common qualities, such as obsessive, uncontrollable thoughts or urges and compulsive, repetitive behaviors. 

In most cases, the obsessive thoughts create an uncontrollable urge to fulfill the compulsive behavior.

Some examples of obsessive symptoms include:

• Fear of germs
• Distress over unorderly or asymmetrical objects
• Persistent worry about personal or home safety 
• Thoughts of self-harm

Examples of compulsive symptoms include:

• Excessive hand-washing 
• Ordering every visible object symmetrically
• Checking the stove, doors, etc. many times a day
• Silently repeating specific words or phrases
• Cutting and other acts of self-harm

Once you’ve performed the compulsive behavior, you might experience some temporary relief from your obsessive symptoms. But, unfortunately, the intrusive thoughts soon return, compelling you to keep repeating the behavior.

How can treatment help with OCD?

Dr. Sanchez uses a holistic approach to help you develop strategies to cope with symptoms of OCD. 

After considering many factors, such as your family situation, financial circumstances, and medical history, she designs a personalized treatment plan. Your plan may include talk therapy, medication, nutritional or lifestyle changes, and exercises that develop mindfulness or spirituality. 

Based on your individual needs, Dr. Sanchez may include deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The FDA has approved this noninvasive treatment based on clinical research that shows it helps reduce the uncontrollable thoughts and urges of OCD. 

TMS frequently helps patients who have tried medication and other treatments for OCD without success. Dr. Sanchez uses BrainsWay® Deep TMS, which gently stimulates your brain’s neurons using an electromagnetic field.

To relieve the agony and distress of OCD, call Venice Sanchez, MD, or make an appointment online today.