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OCD Treatment Without Medication

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Many people misunderstand the diagnosis of OCD as simply a preference for cleanliness or organization. In reality, it is a significant mental health condition that causes debilitating intrusive thought patterns and distressing compulsive behaviors, both of which can severely impact your everyday life.

You can find relief through OCD treatment without medication. The team at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic in Palo Alto, California, helps people overcome their OCD symptoms using neurofeedback and psychotherapies.

What Is OCD?

OCD is a chronic mental health condition. It occurs when a person has recurring, unwanted thoughts, images, or urges (obsessions) and uses specific behaviors (compulsions) to attempt to decrease or get rid of the obsessions.

Sometimes, obsessions and compulsions are clearly connected. For example, an obsessive fear of contamination might lead to a compulsion to clean.

Other times, the link isn’t as obvious, especially to others. A person might feel an overwhelming need for things to feel or look just right, even if they can’t fully explain why. These urges may not always seem logical or consistent, but they are felt deeply and are difficult to ignore.

Anyone can experience unwanted thoughts or anxiety-driven behaviors from time to time. With OCD, these symptoms cause significant distress and disruption to daily life and normal routines. OCD can prevent you from living a normal life because your thoughts and actions feel beyond your control.

If you’re concerned about having obsessions and compulsions that are starting to take over your life, call Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic today to schedule a consultation.

Who Does OCD Affect?

OCD isn’t limited to just one demographic or social group—it can affect anyone. An estimated 1 in 40 adults and 1 in 100 children in the United States have OCD. Most people with OCD begin to experience symptoms by the time they reach adolescence.

The condition is more common in those with:

A family history of OCD
Other neurological conditions, like Tourette’s syndrome and epilepsy
Other mental health disorders, like anxiety or PTSD
Childhood trauma or other stressful life events

Why Use Non-Medication Treatments for OCD?

Medication is a common intervention for OCD. It often has a place in mental health treatment, but it doesn’t make up the whole picture. OCD treatments without medication help individuals identify their underlying anxieties, stressors, and triggers and then provide support as they create healthier thought patterns and coping strategies.

The team at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic uses several treatment methods to help patients who have OCD. These non-medication interventions offer alternative OCD treatment options that may have fewer side effects and can lead to long-term healing.

Neurofeedback is a form of brain training used to treat OCD. It’s an all-natural approach that makes lasting changes at the source: imbalanced brain waves. 

Research proves that neurofeedback is an effective way to help improve brain function, including for those with OCD. Guided by your brain map, your provider can use neurofeedback to train your brain and restore a more balanced environment.

Light therapy improves cellular function and stimulates energy production, activities that can significantly improve your mood. This non-invasive approach can be particularly effective for seasonal patterns of depression.

Therapy is the most common intervention for OCD, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is highly effective. CBT empowers individuals to examine their thought patterns and respond to them more effectively.

The team at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic offers cognitive behavioral therapy and other forms of psychotherapy to help you with your OCD. In CBT, clients build a supportive, caring relationship with one of the team’s psychologists. 

Our team can determine which treatment options will be most effective, based on your unique situation and needs. Together, you can learn to decrease your symptoms of OCD and retake control of your life.

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Frequently Asked Questions About OCD

How would I be assessed for OCD?

Undergoing a thorough assessment gives you a better understanding of how best to move forward with an effective treatment plan for your OCD. It’s common to have a coexisting condition with OCD, and it’s important to identify all possible diagnoses to ensure a proper treatment plan.

The team at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic uses multiple specialized tests that provide insights into your symptoms, written out clearly for you in your assessment report. The report also includes clear next steps to start you on your OCD treatment path.

Treatment plans are individualized, so timelines for results vary from case to case. Individuals participating in talk therapy, like CBT, often experience improvements after a few sessions. Clients may see significant or complete results in around six months to a year, depending on the number of sessions. Neurofeedback may take longer to show substantial improvements. 

Improvements are generally incremental, so clients can start to see symptom improvements early on. The full length of a treatment plan offers deeper healing, insights, and future-focused recovery.

The Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic does not accept health insurance. However, we’re happy to offer a superbill for services rendered, which you can use to seek reimbursement from your insurance provider. Reach out to speak to a member of our team about costs and financial barriers to treatment.

OCD treatment without drugs is an excellent option for children. Therapy options like CBT come with minimal risks, offering children a safe way to address their obsessive thoughts and change their compulsive behavior patterns.

Therapy can be an especially effective OCD treatment for kids who are still learning to understand and process their own thoughts and feelings. Support from a clinician (along with the child’s parents) offers insights that they may not be able to access on their own.

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