What is OCD?
OCD, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, is a mental health condition marked by unwelcome, persistent thoughts and repetitive behaviors that often have no real basis. These intrusive worries and rituals can disrupt daily life, making even simple tasks feel overwhelming.
For a formal diagnosis, these thoughts typically occupy at least an hour of a person’s day and cause significant distress. Many people develop rituals or routines in an effort to calm the anxiety these thoughts create.
There’s a common misunderstanding that OCD is just about being neat. While someone may enjoy a tidy home, that’s not the same as OCD. In true OCD, a person might clean obsessively out of fear—believing that if they stop, something terrible could happen to someone they love.
OCD involves two main elements: obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts or images that someone knows don’t make sense but can’t shake off. These can dominate a person’s mind for at least an hour each day and trigger intense emotional discomfort.
Compulsions are the repetitive actions taken in response to these thoughts—like excessive handwashing or continuous counting. Such rituals can interfere with work, relationships, and everyday routines.
- Avoiding particular locations, people, or items
- Recurring nightmares
- Deep feelings of guilt or embarrassment over rituals
- Panic attacks
- Hoarding tendencies
Not all compulsions are visible—many occur silently in the mind through private routines that others never see.
How Is Hoarding Treated?
Living with excessive clutter can strain both your mood and your living space. At Alice’s Psychiatry & Wellness, our compassionate clinicians help you explore the roots of hoarding, develop healthier habits, and make meaningful changes. Our licensed providers support clients in handling stress, perfectionism, and indecision often linked to hoarding. Using evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), we assist individuals dealing with hoarding, OCD, OCPD, and related concerns. Whether you opt for in-person appointments or online visits, we tailor our discreet care to fit your lifestyle.
Causes of OCD
OCD typically doesn’t have a single cause. It often emerges from a mix of genetic factors, emotional experiences, brain chemistry differences, and environmental stressors. Family history, traumatic events, variations in brain structure, and imbalances in neurotransmitters all play a role.
Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Since OCD affects everyone differently, treatment plans are customized to each person’s needs. Available options include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Group therapy programs
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
- Medication management
ERP, a focused form of CBT, gradually exposes people to anxiety-provoking situations in a controlled setting, helping them resist compulsions. While therapy alone can help many, adding medication to the treatment mix often offers additional comfort. Some commonly prescribed drugs for OCD include:
- Fluoxetine (Prozac®)
- Clomipramine (Anafranil®)
- Fluvoxamine (Luvox®)
- Paroxetine (Paxil®, Pexeva®)
- Sertraline (Zoloft®)
If symptoms persist despite standard therapies, clinicians may explore the addition of neuroleptic medications.
Telehealth Treatment with Alice’s Psychiatry & Wellness
Alice’s Psychiatry & Wellness offers comprehensive, personalized OCD care, combining secure online sessions with in-person visits. We make it simple to access the support you deserve in a confidential and convenient way.
Through our telehealth service, you can meet with your Alice’s Psychiatry & Wellness provider via a secure platform from anywhere. All you need is a reliable internet connection, a compatible device, and a private space. Your therapist or psychiatric clinician will work with you one-on-one, ensuring each session is private, safe, and tailored to your needs.
Seeking help for obsessive-compulsive disorder can be life-changing, allowing individuals to better regulate their feelings, restore everyday routines, and improve their overall well-being. With the right support, people dealing with OCD can reduce the frequency and intensity of their symptoms, strengthen relationships, maintain productivity at work, and achieve a more balanced lifestyle. At Alice’s Psychiatry & Wellness, our telepsychiatry services offer compassionate, dependable guidance from licensed professionals. Through a blend of talk therapy and tailored medication oversight, clients learn actionable tools to control compulsive patterns and feel empowered on their path to mental wellness.
Our psychiatric care specialists are here to support you.
If your daily routines are causing you distress and you’re finding it hard to cope—you’re not alone. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is treatable, and we’re here to support you. Book an appointment with Alice’s Psychiatry & Wellness today and take the first step toward relief and recovery.